First time poster and Welder

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I love trying new things, and I like to know a little bit about a lot of things. If something interests me, and it seems I might enjoy it, I try it out. Because of that, I joined this forum to gather some knowledge and read and see pictures and videos of welding. ....and then this happened. . I was out cleaning up in our shop at work, and I found this old welder sitting in the dust and buried under some 55 gallon drums and lawn mower blades and various other things. It is a Miller Dialarc 250 from what looks to be the Jurassic period. Anyway, I flipped the switch into the "on" position and she fired right up. I found some old 7018 rod from God knows when and did a few practice welds. Not pretty. I have never welded a day in my life and after a few practice welds on scrap, I decided to build a spare tire carrier for my trailer. I took some 2" receiver tube and welding onto the crossbar on the underside of the trailer. That way I can make multiple attachments with 2" square tubing for it. Spare tire, BBQ grille, toolbox, cooler, a seat for the ole lady. You get the picture. Let me know what you guys think.
Reply:drill a hole through it?  180 AutosetEconotwin HFCutmaster 39
Reply:Originally Posted by jimhoffdrill a hole through it?
Reply:I have seen worse from "welders".  Looks like it ought to hold what you want it to.Try slowing down some. When your ripples look like arrows instead of circles your going a little too fast.A good starting amperage for a 1/8 7018 is 110 amps btw. Keep at it! And don't hesitate to ask any questions. The people here are good folks who don't mind sharing knowledge.
Reply:Originally Posted by jamesyarbroughI have seen worse from "welders".  Looks like it ought to hold what you want it to.Try slowing down some. When your ripples look like arrows instead of circles your going a little too fast.A good starting amperage for a 1/8 7018 is 110 amps btw. Keep at it! And don't hesitate to ask any questions. The people here are good folks who don't mind sharing knowledge.
Reply:Sounds like you were right on with the settings.
Reply:Finally made some headway on this project. I went ahead and bought a two toys...Hobart AC/DC StickmateEvolution Rage 10"And now for the Camel Snot welds
Reply:Mocked upI still need to make a mount for the wheel itself. Not sure if I want to use an actual hub or if I want to just make some sort of mount out of plate and some bolts.What are your opinions?
Reply:plate and bolts i would think would be the easiest and least bulky honestly ....and i dont know if you did it on purpose or not but good idea resting the tire on the tongue keeps the weight off the arm1979 sa 200victor 100several bfh's several pitbulls (for holding down the floor)
Reply:for not having much welding experience thats a good looking weld right there. Nice design on the spare tire mount too
Reply:Originally Posted by countryboy92for not having much welding experience thats a good looking weld right there. Nice design on the spare tire mount too
Reply:Thanks for the encouraging words! That helps me stay motivated and less discouraged. So far I love the welder, and I am sure I will have it for years to come. Hopefully I can get a piece of scrap plate somewhere soon and weld up my mount. Living in the middle of nowhere really sucks trying to find or buy metal. But I would much rather wait a few days or weeks in order to do something myself, than buy some cheap thing made in China. There is a certain level of satisfaction you get when you finish a project and know that you came up with it and built it all yourself.
Reply:If I can make a suggestion get a couple of wheel bolts the same thread as the trailer wheels and use them to bolt the wheel to the plate. Reason, the bolts or nuts can be used in a pinch on the side of the road if you loose one from a wheel while changing a flat. Also they should be the same size as the trailer and you do have a jack and lug wrench the right size for the trailer right? if your lucky it is the same size as the car. good luck your doing well read lots of back posts there is a lot to be learned here, (thats what i did when joining and still learn a lot by reading (And I have owned welders for 30 years).Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:Disclaimer; Trailers are not projects for beginner welders...... Please see any number of trailer threads for full explanation.To your comment about removing mt everest vs filling the grand canyon. this is actually the oposite of the truth. if you're getting Mt Everest, your welds are to cold and not getting enough penetration. where as if you're burning through, you're at least getting penetration into the base metal. what you want to aim for is more of the grassy Knowl than a mountain.I would argree with D.A.A.S. that you should match the bolt/nut to what the trailer uses and use at least three to attach the spare to the trailer. that way you've got two to use without having to find something to hold the spare on.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Good choice on the Stickmate AC/DC. You will be glad to have the DC.Good project and execution. Keep posting pictures and questions.Add your location. Is the Dialarc for sale?Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerDisclaimer; Trailers are not projects for beginner welders...... Please see any number of trailer threads for full explanation.To your comment about removing mt everest vs filling the grand canyon. this is actually the oposite of the truth. if you're getting Mt Everest, your welds are to cold and not getting enough penetration. where as if you're burning through, you're at least getting penetration into the base metal. what you want to aim for is more of the grassy Knowl than a mountain.I would argree with D.A.A.S. that you should match the bolt/nut to what the trailer uses and use at least three to attach the spare to the trailer. that way you've got two to use without having to find something to hold the spare on.
Reply:And here is the finished product. I am very happy with the way it turned out. I can't wait till my next project.
Reply:[QUOTE=Razorfx9;237299I definitely need more practice.[/QUOTE]yessir. grind that crap off, practice on scrap, practice again, practice some more..
Reply:Originally Posted by Razorfx9 .....Since this is just to hold the spare tire on, I didn't figure it would be an issue.....
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerlast I checked a wheel and tire combo with metal sticking off of it falling off a trailer at highway speeds could still cause some SERIOUS damage. I'm not trying to be a Dbag, but any welding on a trailer is effected by the movement of the trailer, the shock of the road, the rythem of the suspension, etc. even if it's just bolted to the trailer, the welds will still be effected by these factors. In your case, the location of the tire and the design of the carrier (the under over strap) limit it's ability to fail catestrophically. but that doesn't mean you should have been the one doing the welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by Razorfx9Alright. I took a cutoff wheel and grinder to it, and it is no longer on the trailer. I'm taking it to the local welder as soon as possible to have him weld it up. I'll keep on practicing and practicing. I should have consulted this forum and got input before I dove into this project. Thanks for looking out.  Ill post pictures of my practice welds to get more input. I will also take them to the local welder and see what he thinks.
Reply:I didn't say cut it off. I was just explaining why even the "little" things need to be given consideration before starting.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:Practice a little more man and weld it back on! We can give you tips. I was thinking just adding a few gussets to it would have made it just fine. And also, grind some radii onto the square plate. The edges look kind of sharp.I looked at your design again and with the strap on the bottom I don't think it would have failed. Just get a little nicer weld on the frame side. They looked cold and in consistent. Proby because those out of position welds get tricky. Put a triangle gusset on each side and call it a day!Last edited by fordman; 03-23-2013 at 02:09 AM.HTP Invertig 201Lincoln Idealarc SP250Miller 180 AC StickBy farmall:They should have held the seagull closer to the work, squeezing evenly for best deposition.