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now i know these materials were not meant for welding projects, but the availability and relatively inexpensive cost has made EMT a favorite for all sorts of cart projects.my question is the ease and safety of using such material. i have never welded on EMT before, so i don't know how easy it is to work with or if it is even a very good idea (toxic fumes?).if any of you have first hand experience with this stuff let me know what you think.thanks in advance.
Reply:As you already know EMT isn't the thickest material around but a lot of folks do use it for a ton of small projects. You'd be amazed. Lots of home made gates are made from EMT. As long as you have the ability to work with light gauge material you're good to go. Some EMT can be of slightly lesser quality than ordinary off the shelf mild steel tubing which might offer a tiny bit of a difficulty factor but not enough to really worry about. As long as you know ahead of the game. And then of course there is the zinc coating issue. Heavy metals, toxic fumes, yadda yadda. Some folks run for the hills at the very mention. Some will roll it and smoke it. I don't weigh in on that much. If you want to use solid wire on it, it will help a lot to grind or buff off the coating first. Don't do excessive grinding as the tubing is already thin enough. Flux core works a little better on the coating but not as well with the thinner materials.
Reply:goatgetter I have used EMT in projects before. I usually soak them in muratic acid. Mix 1 part acid to 10 parts water. It will takes a couple of hours to remove the finish, you will notice the difference. Remember to rinse them well after removing them from the acid. Hence, the will begin to oxidize(rust) immediately. It is important to soak them because the inside is also coated. Thus, grinding or sanding the outside will not remove all of the finish. It is thin stuff. I prefer to braze it. I have welded ( flux-core and solid) it. I always have trouble eating up the edges, if I am butting the mitered end of one to the side of anoter tube. I think much of my welding is the fit of the miters.
Reply:Originally Posted by tapwelder..I usually soak them in muratic acid..
Reply:goatgetter I would think just the end would do altho if I was me I'd prolly use a wire wheel or a sander just so I didnt have to mess with the acid. Thats not to say it wont work, and hopefully not stepping on any toes. just my .02
Reply:i think i might try the adequate ventilation/fan technique while i tack a few sticks together....this should give me a god idea of what i'm in for..
Reply:Ventilation is key. I also wirebrush the tube were i intend to weld. The attached photo is a bean arch for the wife's garden. It's made from 1/2" EMT. The hoops are a 10' length w/ a 31" extention welded to each end. I made a (very basic) slip roller to make the bends such that I can still get my 52" mower deck through. The horizontal members are 8' EMT that I fish cut with a 3/4" hole saw to fit snug to the hoops. All the joints are mig welded and the whole thing is skinned with 1" x 2" "critter" fence. The fence is held on with zip ties. For rust protection, I shot it with a quart of thinned rustoleum using an automotive spray gun. The redhead in the picture is a whole different project. Attached ImagesThere are no small projects
Reply:EMT one nice thing, is if you have the tubing benders, (electrician here) you can work with it very very very easily, and eliminate about 1/2 the welding. I would think if you have a real basic tig, at low heat, like 50 amps or so, that this might be a good process to use. at any rate, I have welded on all sorts of galvanized stuff, and it really makes life better when you use a sand paper flapper wheel, or grinder first. though the grinder is a bit rough on such a thin material. Wire wheel will take you a while to get through the coating sufficiently I would think. I tend to find old 16 guage chain link fence bits and pieces of uprights and top rails to work with for the "non structural" projects I mess with. I have good luck with that. Alot of times, I can get it free from remodel jobsites cause the "investors" think the old stuff is ugly and not adventageous to a sale. Hence, free 16 guage tubing. just some thoughts for affordable material. Brian Lee Sparkeee24 |
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发表于 2021-9-1 01:01:14