Newbie 1st project: Bullbar for my truck.

admin

Hi everyone. Haven't introduced myself here before but have been lurking for a while. Am not a welder by trade or done much welding, this is my first real project.Ive got an old welder I picked up off ebay for $40. It has to be at least 20-30 years old I think, maybe more. Its called an Abel MK1, 130amp AC arc welder. Australian made so I cant find very much info on it.My 4x4 had an alloy bull bar on it before, I recently got a winch for it and need a steel bar. I like the comp style bars a lot so I'm building my own version of one. Main cradle is 6mm steel plate. The place I got it all cut up could not bend 6mm so Ive had it all sectioned up and welded it together. All edges have been beveled for good penetration. There were a few bad welds which I have ground out completely and re welded from fresh metal. Please let me know what you all think. I am using 6013 as thats all I have access to in 2.5mm rods.Here are some pics of its progress and a few other things. There are also some pictures of some practice welds I have done with simple butt joints on 10mm bar.JohnPhoto 1: Old Alloy bull barPhoto 2: Parts all cut upPhoto 3: Tacked togetherPhoto 4: Fully welded, ground flat on the outsidePhoto 5: How the winch fits, there is still going to be some horizontal bracing along the top edge to stop bending Attached Images
Reply:Photo 1: Practice weld on 8 or 10mm (cant remember exact size) There were no bevels on this weld, just a simple butt joint. If I was doing a real pass on this material I think I would bevel it and make 2 further passes overlapping first one? Photo 2: Internal weld on cradlePhoto 3: Internal weld on cradlePhoto 4: Old welder on trolley. Id really like to build a cart and have this welder on the bottom and perhaps a newer style welder on the top. Small Mig unit possibly. Needs longer leads, only has 1m of earth and 1.5m of electrode cable. Id really like around 4m of each so I can have it stationary while working outside of the garage or similar.I think I need a bit more hand control, to me it looks like I might be going a bit too fast?Thanks for looking, John Attached ImagesLast edited by guerd87; 06-24-2012 at 09:36 PM.
Reply:Not much to show really except for dry fitting it to the front. Have steel here to weld up the chassis mounts and side wings tomorrow if all goes to plan.Bought the bolts today, 10 x M12 40mm 8.8's. This thing inst going to move  Not that I want it to with that big winch in there.John Attached Images
Reply:Welcome back!I have done the wings for the bar now, all out of 40NB pipe, 3.2mm wall. I dont have a pipe bender so I have had to buy premade 90 degree bends and cut them down for the right angles. These things are expensive, where I live anyway. $30 for 4 bends.Mounts are all done and the bar is mostly complete. Just needs a main hoop bent up and then mount the winch up. Will have to wait to next pay day for those.Picture 1: Welding practice! These are the mountsPicture 2: Front viewPicture 3: Front viewPicture 4: Inside shot of the mounts with supports Attached Images
Reply:Picture 1: Another bolt from underneathPicture 1: Testing. Still not plated fully yetJohn Attached Images
Reply:looks like you have some experience with a stick welder. I've seen a lot worse from rookie welders.
Reply:Originally Posted by BlackGT97looks like you have some experience with a stick welder. I've seen a lot worse from rookie welders.
Reply:IMO, but not always true, a good MIG welder is a good Stick welder ( with bead appearance). Alot of the movements and techniques are the same between the two.
Reply:Originally Posted by BlackGT97IMO, but not always true, a good MIG welder is a good Stick welder ( with bead appearance). Alot of the movements and techniques are the same between the two.
Reply:Originally Posted by Bruce AvisonI have yet to live up to that, I have more trouble pushing than I do pulling. Still working on it though.
Reply:What year is that Ford?
Reply:Thanks very much for all the advice  I didnt really like the look of the bar so I went back today and changed a few things. Ive been getting tons of practice with the welder and redone alot of joints with new welding lines. I left a nice root gap and filled them up with 6013. I then ran 2 more cover passes over it with 7018 to form a nice fillet weld. Will get some close up pics of the welds tomorrow when I get the bar back off the car. Originally Posted by rschreckWhat year is that Ford?
Reply:6013 will work with redundancy (sp?).  The welds are long enough to work.  Shorter welds might be a problem.Multiple pass is good for thicker material, especially if you don't have access to the other side to add a fillet on that side.  As far as weld size..........you only really have to weld to the strength of the thinnest plate you're joining.  If, let's say, you're welding 1/4 to 1/2, the weld should be adequate for the 1/4 as it's the weakest piece.  No sense in building up a weld to handle thicker material than you're joining.  I see no tear-out, or side to side movement issues here, so the mogambo built-ups probably aren't needed, just make sure you weld on both sides if possible.The heat looks ok, you don't see much evidence of heat on thicker plate unless you move up to larger dia. rod."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Thanks for that info. The plate is 6mm (1/4") and the welds are about the same size, possibly bit thicker.Got some more done today. Just have spotlight mounts, number plate mounts and a few little holes to cut out and its ready for paint.John Attached Images
Reply:That's a cool looking ride!  I wish you could get those here in the U.S.
Reply:Wow....good job!
Reply:Originally Posted by SeanMurphy265That's a cool looking ride!  I wish you could get those here in the U.S.
Reply:Bar has been finished, bolted on and now gone.Took some pics before he left, turned out quite good I think. He is wrapped with it and have 3 other guys up here all wanting one the same too!John Attached ImagesLast edited by guerd87; 08-02-2012 at 11:06 PM.
Reply:I america we (the old farts) think of something else entirely when we hear "Ford maverick". Google it to see what I mean. I dont remember them looking that good though. They were mostly plain and negelected. Yours is rather interesting though. Keep up the good work and have fun most of all.Last edited by dumb as a stump; 08-03-2012 at 06:38 AM.Reason: speelingMiller 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:Originally Posted by dumb as a stumpI america we (the old farts) think of something else entirely when we hear "Ford maverick". Google it to see what I mean. I dont remember them looking that good though. They were mostly plain and negelected. Yours is rather interesting though. Keep up the good work and have fun most of all.
Reply:Ford, nissan, what are they? lol
Reply:Thanks for all the comments  I own a maverick yet never actually google imaged them before. Now I.see what you mean, would have sounded pretty funny if I had no pics in first post Over here there jusg mainly called a gq patrol. I still refer go mine as a patrol. Only difference is the badges and mudflaps. And the price, msvericks are usually 30-50% cheaper than the nissan, even though theyre exactly the same.
Reply:Originally Posted by curbsterYep, I know exactly what you mean as that was the first thing I thought of. "did you really just say you put a bumper on a Ford Maverick?" I'm so glad this is a tough SUV and not a little wimpy car.   Good work by the way!