Whats the best way to fill in holes?

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Im welding 3/16" thick rectangular tubing at a 45degree angle. Im using an AC 220V buzz box. What would be the best way to fill them in. Attached Images
Reply:It depends on what this is and what the strength requirements are.  If safety depends on the strength of proper welds (i.e. this is some trailer component), cut it off and get someone to weld it properly.  If this is something non-critical or entirely cosmetic like a storage rack for clamps/brooms/your canoe you can do a few things:   Turn the amperage way down on your buzz box and do some quick tac welds, then grind smooth (repeat as necessary).  If you have a 110 Mig, they are good for filling holes.  Or, if you aren't able to weld it, throw some JB-Weld or body fill into it.  A lot of chinese steel products are made with a poor sand-casting method and they use body fill on the steel before painting to smooth it out.  If you have a cheap chinese mill, I'll bet the sides contain at least some body fill under the paint.Lincoln AC225 & MigPak 140, Lincoln Magnum SpoolGun, Miller Spectrum 375-X Plasma, Syncrowave 200 TIG, Millermatic 252 MIG, Miller Digital Elite, General 7x12" horiz/vert bandsaw, 3' box/pan brake, 20 ton press, milling machine, 12x28 lathe, etc.
Reply:Better fit up. Part of your issue is that when you cut a miter on square tube, you end up with a very thin knife edge at the outside corner ( Pict on right). To help with this you can change the way yo fit up your pieces. Either cut the pieces long, then grind back the knife edge or don't cut the angle starting at the corner. See if this pict helps explain it better.As far as filling holes, that's not as easy with a stick machine as with a mig. You want to concentrate the heat on the side where you have the most metal and wash the puddle over to the other side. Keep your amps low and watch the puddle or you will melt a bigger hole. You may need to tack, clean, wait to cool and repeat to do this. It's easier with mig where you can tack, wait, tack, wait and so on. Once you fill in the holes, you can go back over the area and burn in any cold spots if needed.A fast fill rod like 6011 will help, but it takes some skill because it's also a deep penetrating rod and will dig holes if you are not careful. 6013 is another good rod because it doesn't penetrate deep, but the puddle is more fluid. Go with small rods and low amps. Some times it also helps to "fill" the hole with some small scrap and weld that in to bridge the gaps..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I consider a day wasted unless I learn something, and today just became a better day for me after reading post #3. It'll be awhile before I know enough to be able to use any of the information, but I sure appreciate the education. Thanks.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWBetter fit up. Part of your issue is that when you cut a miter on square tube, you end up with a very thin knife edge at the outside corner ( Pict on right). To help with this you can change the way yo fit up your pieces. Either cut the pieces long, then grind back the knife edge or don't cut the angle starting at the corner. See if this pict helps explain it better.As far as filling holes, that's not as easy with a stick machine as with a mig. You want to concentrate the heat on the side where you have the most metal and wash the puddle over to the other side. Keep your amps low and watch the puddle or you will melt a bigger hole. You may need to tack, clean, wait to cool and repeat to do this. It's easier with mig where you can tack, wait, tack, wait and so on. Once you fill in the holes, you can go back over the area and burn in any cold spots if needed.A fast fill rod like 6011 will help, but it takes some skill because it's also a deep penetrating rod and will dig holes if you are not careful. 6013 is another good rod because it doesn't penetrate deep, but the puddle is more fluid. Go with small rods and low amps. Some times it also helps to "fill" the hole with some small scrap and weld that in to bridge the gaps.
Reply:7014 also
Reply:Long arc 6011 on one side of the hole than the other until you get enough build up to run a solid pass over the hole. DO this on pipe with bad fit ups. It takes alot of skill to do but its a skill thats nice to have in your pocket,
Reply:Originally Posted by violatedpplLong arc 6011 on one side of the hole than the other until you get enough build up to run a solid pass over the hole. DO this on pipe with bad fit ups. It takes alot of skill to do but its a skill thats nice to have in your pocket,
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWInteresting. I'll admit 6010/11 is not my best rod nor is stick my best process. I'll have to try this and see what happens. Usually however I find long arcing a rod increases the heat and melts more, not less. All my attempts with 6010/11 on thin stuff has been centered around running smaller rods at low amps and tight arc lengths.