Plasma Cart Project

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Well here's some pics of my first project using the Lincoln flux-core 88amp machine. Am amazed at how much splatter i get but i can see the puddle and work it ard so it works. Most dont look very good but there strong. Guess I'm used to the arc welder where I hog in that weld puddle and get scukum penetration. The cart is for the Hypertherm 600 I bhgt myself for Xmas. Well, the wife kicked in $500.  Just need to add the handle, a paint job to match the PMX600 and then add the wheels.Oh, even at the lowest tap I still had to wiggledy-wallow the torch ard to get build up enough to heat up the expanded wire so it wld attach to the build up and hold. Took a liitle practice. Attached Images
Reply:looks good BR    dont watter bout spater   cold chisel fix thatIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:thanks TxR,Well the old timer that got me started arc welding showed me that Rusto-X paint you can only get at Ace Hardware. Its thick and can paint and protect metal even if its not clean. Great stuff. I think its abt $25/can. I may use that and not worry bout the spatter.hope to switch back to gas after i exhaust my flux-core wire spool. Not sure if i aught to use straight Co2 or Co2+Argon. BTW, I already got 5lbs of 6011 and am gonna try them out when welding the feet and the handle on the cart.Longhorns sure whupped the Trojans..Luck?
Reply:Lol   yeah I really thoght we was gonna loose.  But I mean I know both teams played well.  I dnt know if Id say luck as much as they were both really good times.  In a sense its luck, but it would have been luck on either side to do what happened.  Its just really nice when two really good times make it that far and have what I thought was a reallly good game.  As far as the welding goes.  Heres my take.  Ive run lots of CO2 and Ive run lots of 75/25.  The 75/25 is a little less spatter, and I guess it can depend on the welder and all that stuff.  However, there is also less penetration with 75/25.  Im actually fine iwth CO2.  I dont need the 75/25.  But thats just me. I like dual shield flux with CO2.   Thats if I wire weld.  Though I dont like flux fumes so its a mix up.  with them 6011,  I think they will do real good for ya on the feet and handle..just dont go to hot on em..  They burna lot colder than other rods do.  Ive heard of the Rusto-X paint.   Heard its good stuff, but expensive.  NEver used it though.  I do my best to clean up, then primer and paint.  Anyway,  again lookin good.  Make sure you post the follow up pics.IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:TxR,I was ribbin ya abt the luck. It was a great game and they deserved to win. Well fought. Ill just get a bottle of Co2 then. YOu said  Do you mean flux-core wire WITH the gas? What is dual shield flux? Or is that just what i call Flux-Core wire?As far as the temps. My Welding Skills book says, for the 1/8" rods, the 6011 amp range is 80-130 and the 7018 is 100-150 so your right on abt it burning colder. Ill try some straight beads on ac and dc and diff amps to see which is best.
Reply:yeah,  i dint figure any foul play about the luck....but as I said I think one could see it either way...i mean its the luck of the coin toss ina game like that.   The dual shield is flux core gas shielded.   Best advice I can give you on amps is look on your box for your rods.   This will tell you exactly what the manufacturer recommends on their particular rod.  This does change.  some give a range.  others give a recommended avg.  I view the recommended avg as good for flat pos.   Its usually the halfway mark of the range you would see if they used a range.  So for vertical up and overhead a lil less than the middle range is good.  Hope this helpsIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:ok, thanks. Why are you laid up? Accident?Rick=====
Reply:TxR,My previoous 7018 rods were from Lincoln and even had the LH stamped on them but the ones i got from Air Gas were made by that company that makes a lot of their stuff. RAdnor. Wonder if they will work as well as the Linocln ones.Ever use that brand?BR
Reply:I have used teh radnors and I liked the batch I used.  Ive heard others complain.  But Ive never had a problem with lincolns but Ive heard a lot of guys dont want them.   Not really sure.. I guess we get used to something and differnt rods burn differntly even if they are made to the same basic specificationIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:oh yeah,  I had a cutoff wheel on   5in grinder break shatter and tear my leg all up.  Its healing up thoughIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Wow its funny you said that cause i dropped mine yesterday and it broke up some to. I hit the switch and it held together but it had all that fuzz coming out so i changed. I didnt realize it cld be so dangerous. Wow Hey i just put a Morse steel cutting blade in my dewalt miter saw. Man it sliced a 1/8" wall, 1 1/4" square tube like it was almost butter. Makes me happy. Now the Morse blade says 2000 RPM's but the Dewalt saw mamual says 4000 RPM and also says do not use a blade thats rated for less than 4800 RPM's.Is it real dangerous for me to use the 2000 RPM blade on the 4000 RPM saw? BR
Reply:yes yes yes!!!   there are saws for steel blades...I think they generally cost more but are lower RPM....they runa  lot better too...but again its really bad   you could have major disasterIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Please pay attention to the ratings. If higher RPM's scare the manufactures there is a real liability. Dont get maimed!!
Reply:I have good luck with C25.  I get very little spatter unless I'm running really hot.  I'd recommend CO2 if you need the extra heat or you're worried about the cost.  Otherwise, C25 will usually give a nicer arc.Chris, as a result of hearing about your injury and the nice little notch that I just took out of my left index finger, all the guards are going back on my angle grinders.  I should get a face shield, too.  I get hit in the eye enough when I'm wearing safety glasses that I doubt they'd protect me well in the event that a wheel exploded.-Heath
Reply:OK then Im gonna cut some angles on some Alum and then take the blade off. Maybe end up buying that metal saw. Sure doesd cut the steel nice tho.I did a heap of 6011 last night till 2am. Tried ac and dc. Fnd the DC- at 85 amps the best setting for the 1/8", or at least close. Man that 6011 root-hogs the metal like crazy. Lots of splatter especially with the AC. The rod box said mod arc length but for some reason i kept it close even on the metal as I ran it. Puddle seemed stiffer to.
Reply:Yeah,  the 6011, I usually run EP but you know.   Its a fast fill.  Its a deep penetrating rod.  Its gota very very forceful arc.   Basically it uses hot gases to shield it.  Very forceful hot gases.  I prefer a whipping action with this rod.  Basically I whip out of the puddle, maybe 1/2" and longarc it a lil, then bring it back into the puddle,  do a side to side motion, then whip it back out of the puddle, and bring it back to the forwrd edge of the puddle and side to side.  This rod wont be the prettiest looking thing youll do.  Infact,  It aint gonna be pretty at all.  AC is always bad with spatter.  But 6011 always has more spatter than other rods do.   Its just the way things are.   Good luck sounds like your makin it happen  IF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:TxR,Your right. I switched to EP and its working more like the 7018 now. better looking beads etc. However, you aught to just try the DC-. Its more splatter but it seems to dig in a lot more than the DC+. Its fun learning a new tool.Thanks for the advise and help.Ill never say a bad word abt Texas again. .....
Reply:lol   well theres plenty to say bad about texas...but theres plenty of good too.  Its the joys of being soo big.   Yeah,  the 7018 is classified as ac or EP,  however, some have had sucess running it open root with EN.  I personally wont do it cause the 7018 gets its shielding from the slag coverage.  There wont be no slag on the backside.  However, as I said some say you can do it.  So apparently there is some shielding of some sort.  I just wont never do it.  BUt by going with EN you do get more DIG.  Ive never really used the 6011 though straight polarity...EN  I know its really bad to do that with 6010, which is the dc only version of 6011.   6010 makes somereally funny noises.  Will weld, but quality is crap.  A guy on a pipe job was welding up some 2inch sch 80 with 6010 and 7018 DCEN.  It was socket welds and from my recollection everyone of them welds leaked. He claimed the whole time he had  checked the polarity and was on DCRP.  Nope.  The guy who had to reweld these joints had found the machine was set to DCSP and he was really pissed.  Guy got taken off the job and he was a superintendent for the company!     Anyway,  For a lot of work I dont see it being a big deal.  But for anything that requires sound welds I stick to the prescribed polarity.  Jst my two cents.  Well have fun with it   and good luckIF it Catches...Let it Burn