Thin steel tubing

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I have a portable garage(Tractor Supply) that got mangled by wind and I would like to repair some of the tube frame.I have a thunderbolt ac/dc and some 1/16" 7014 rods I bought for this.  I tried low and high settings recommended for the rod.So far i have manage to tack up a couple of splits but I am having trouble, either sticking or blowing through the thin metal.the sticking part seems to be partly because the rod is so thin it is bouncing around and hard to get an accurate start.  The wind today was blowing the end of the rod around more than 1/2".Is this thin cheap metal beyond the capabilities of this machine?P.S.  I have very little welding experience.I was using DCEN
Reply:without knowing the thickness of metal you are trying to weld and other particulars it makes it hard to help. your tbolt should be ok with this job. i would be using 1/16" 6013 starting around 20-25 amps DC+ and adjusting up from there. if you are having trouble with the rod moving to much grip it in the middle with dry gloved hand and no holes in glove. or cut you rods down to where they are manageable.Last edited by jbmprods; 11-09-2011 at 07:12 PM.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:I have been practicing with my Lincoln AC225 on AC with 1/16 6013 on a low setting (40 or 50 amps I think) on some steel square tubing that is no more than a 1/16" thickness.  I found that I have to let it cool down after one or two beads or it will begin to burn through.  I also found that I can have absolutely no gap in the joint or it will burn through.  I use small pieces of scrap to fill in the small gaps.  Not sure if that's good advice or not, since I'm pretty new to welding myself.
Reply:You're learning to weld in the most difficult of conditions. I've been welding 30+ years and on some days this would be a challenge with what you are working with. Crap thin old rusty metal.  Paint and other contaminants.Wind out of position. Some projects need to wait for the ambition to catch up with the skills.
Reply:Originally Posted by natesuehrI have been practicing with my Lincoln AC225 on AC with 1/16 6013 on a low setting (40 or 50 amps I think) on some steel square tubing that is no more than a 1/16" thickness.  I found that I have to let it cool down after one or two beads or it will begin to burn through.  I also found that I can have absolutely no gap in the joint or it will burn through.  I use small pieces of scrap to fill in the small gaps.  Not sure if that's good advice or not, since I'm pretty new to welding myself.
Reply:Welding thin steel with your arc welder is going to take a lot practice.  It's just not easy and requires a lot of patience.  Try shortening the electrode until it's not a problem to control it.  I often cut the 1/16 size in half.  I also cool the metal with a wet rag  and do short beads.  When I first started trying to work on tubing I bought electrical conduit cut it up used it for practice.Practically speaking it might be a lot easier to buy conduit and replace the damaged tube rather than weld it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Rich59Welding thin steel with your arc welder is going to take a lot practice.  It's just not easy and requires a lot of patience.  Try shortening the electrode until it's not a problem to control it.  I often cut the 1/16 size in half.  I also cool the metal with a wet rag  and do short beads.  When I first started trying to work on tubing I bought electrical conduit cut it up used it for practice.Practically speaking it might be a lot easier to buy conduit and replace the damaged tube rather than weld it.
Reply:That's as low as she goes.  My box is AC only.  I'm pretty sure it's either 40 or 45 that is the lowest setting for the AC225s.  I've been burning through less and less with each of my practice sessions. Originally Posted by jbmprodsLow setting???? 45 amps is about max setting for 6013 1/16". this is why you are cooking the metal and having to wait. try the amps method i stated to OP. if you have tiny gaps try filling with the lowest setting you can strike and run a bead. try a weave and move quick across gap.
Reply:I guess you are talking about something like this.http://www.tractorsupply.com/lawn-ga...8-ft-h-1110468No real details given. One other similar tent thing lists the support tubes as 1-5/8" with no thickness given. Plus we don't have a clue what this damage looks like. Typical type repairs to that type thing is to complete any breaks if required, get some metal / steel pipe or tubing that fits tightly inside. Use a few inches (or more) to make a splice that both pieces can slide over. Then weld the assembly similar to making a butt weld. The inserted piece can act as a backing. Hopefully your rods say something like EasyStrike or QuickStrike or something to that effect. Those type rods have a different flux, start very easy and run good. You can usually just poke them to start, should not stick much. I usually use 6013 of various suppliers. They all work.In general I would think you could do such repairs, hopefully as I described, even if the tubing is quite thin. If you are burning thru, might be traveling too slow or your angle points the rod in too direct. Getting the splice piece of decent thickness helps a huge amount.
Reply:The steel is @20 or 21 gauge.  0.035".it is twisted and broken at the joints.  Split open at the ends.  The damaged ends either slide into or over the other.  So I am beating them roughly into shape and tacking the split closed, then assembling two and trying to weld them together.Steadying the electrode with a gloved finger should help, but it was raining and I am new at this and didn't want to weld my steel toes to the rebar in the concrete below my feet.I'll try lower amperage and a shorter electrode tomorrow.I have 5/64" 6013  and 1/16" 7014.Which would be better?
Reply:Originally Posted by natesuehrThat's as low as she goes.  My box is AC only.  I'm pretty sure it's either 40 or 45 that is the lowest setting for the AC225s.  I've been burning through less and less with each of my practice sessions.
Reply:Originally Posted by SchneiderThe steel is @20 or 21 gauge.  0.035".it is twisted and broken at the joints.  Split open at the ends.  The damaged ends either slide into or over the other.  So I am beating them roughly into shape and tacking the split closed, then assembling two and trying to weld them together.Steadying the electrode with a gloved finger should help, but it was raining and I am new at this and didn't want to weld my steel toes to the rebar in the concrete below my feet.I'll try lower amperage and a shorter electrode tomorrow.I have 5/64" 6013  and 1/16" 7014.Which would be better?
Reply:Originally Posted by SchneiderThe steel is @20 or 21 gauge.  0.035".it is twisted and broken at the joints.  Split open at the ends.  The damaged ends either slide into or over the other.  So I am beating them roughly into shape and tacking the split closed, then assembling two and trying to weld them together.Steadying the electrode with a gloved finger should help, but it was raining and I am new at this and didn't want to weld my steel toes to the rebar in the concrete below my feet.I'll try lower amperage and a shorter electrode tomorrow.I have 5/64" 6013  and 1/16" 7014.Which would be better?
Reply:I've messed with that tubing trying to make something out of nothing and it's garbage. Even with .030 flux core it's more effort than it's worth. Welds fine then blows a hole to chase, welds fine then blows a hole, welds fine then blows a hole. Mig would do it ptobably. By the time I figured out what the deal was I'd soured on using it.  It doesn't weld, drill or cut the same from one spot to the next. Crap tubing made to no standard obviously. You can push a bit through it in one spot and turn out silver dust in the next. I picture a garbage truck dumping trash in the furnace on one end of the plant and this tubing squirting out the other end."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:The shelter is ruined, so I see it as a safe project for someone who has never welded.  It won't get any more useless than it already is.Some of it is not repairable and I will end up adding wood to the structure to stiffen it. It will work as a green house.I'll go at it again today. Attached Images