Welding light-gauge galvanized

admin

I've been tasked with welding 14 gauge galvanized floor joists together. It's a flare-v weld. I have to use stick and right now I'm using 1/8" 6013 rods. It has been a challenge not to run so cool as to keep sticking the rod and not hot enough to burn through the steel all while trying to burn off the zinc. Nice, eh?I'm finding that if I whip the rod ahead and come back to the weld pool just long enough I can see the pool adhere to both joists. A hair longer and it's a burn through. I just found a tip on another site to try and push the rod instead of dragging it. Any other suggestions? 3/32nds? 6011? Thanks
Reply:get a wire feeder or a mig welder and use flux core turn the heat up a little and workit front to back to burn the galv of and the fill in Attached Images
Reply:You say you have to use stick.I hate using 6013 on thin sheet metal.  Have had good luck with 6011 - 3/32", whip out and ahead to burn off the galv. and let the puddle solidify.  Whip back in to deposit metal.  You can get the hang of it pretty quick and you won't have the slag inclusions / melt through problems you get with 6013. Gordie -- "I believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
Reply:Thanks Nitesky for the pertinent info.
Reply:Originally Posted by NiteskyYou say you have to use stick.I hate using 6013 on thin sheet metal.  Have had good luck with 6011 - 3/32", whip out and ahead to burn off the galv. and let the puddle solidify.  Whip back in to deposit metal.  You can get the hang of it pretty quick and you won't have the slag inclusions / melt through problems you get with 6013.
Reply:6011 or 6013 pushed, but here is a good tip keep your face well away from the fume flume. By inhaling the zinc and cadmium present in galvanized metals you can get deathly sick in a very short time  this is called  METAL FUME FEVER  it starts with a sweet taste in the back of your throat, then  you start to get phlegmy, then a sharp headache next thing is extreme nausea       You need to weld Galvanized metals in Very Well Ventilated area lots of breeze or don a particulate respirator Paper mask is not sufficient but better than nothing
Reply:You might find that you have a bit more control if you can find some 5/64 6013.  They are smaller than the 3/32.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......