Dangle_kt
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 12:44 PM |
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Can you arc weld angle iron
Hi,
Bought an ARC welder in error the other day, but fancy keeping hold of it, as it was v. cheap and doing no harm sat there.
I fancy having a play so that I can convince her in doors that a new shiny mig or tig is required!
I am thinking of welding up a simple go kart chassis using angle iron.
I do not want it to be a work of art, and it will just get ragged round till it dies, but would like to know - is this idea feasable?
I would be laying the two peices of angle iron over each other in the corners, and welding along the edges.
Having never welded I dont even know if angle iron is 3mm thick? which seems to be the minimum thickness required to arc weld (I did a bit of reading
on here)
Also what happens if you dont bash off the slag? will it effect the weld?
Like I said I dont care what it looks like, its just to get a bit of practice on something useful.
Cheers
[Edited on 11/12/07 by Dangle_kt]
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Mole
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 12:51 PM |
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I have a Arc welder as well as Mig and I've used it to weld all the thicker steel on my car. I takes a lot more practice than MIG as striking an
arc can be tricky to master but it can produce pretty neat welds. The slag sits on the top so doesn't affect the weld and on a good one will
fall off with a slight tap.
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nitram38
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 12:51 PM |
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No problem on thick stuff like angle iron
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Mole
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 12:54 PM |
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MMA (arc) welded engine mount
Of course paint hides a multitude of sins.
 
Rescued attachment nsmountrr.jpg
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gingerprince
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 12:56 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
I fancy having a play so that I can convince her in doors that a new shiny mig or tig is required!
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Also what happens if you dont bash off the slag?
She won't let you buy a brand new MIG or TIG welder - and is that really the right way to refer to your better half? 
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britishtrident
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 01:03 PM |
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Different types of angle iron -- one particular type "Bedstead Angle" has a high carbon and dosen't weld well ie the welds are
brittle and prone to fracture.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 01:07 PM |
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you'll have to post some pics when it's done.
The thickness you can weld is really down to the rod diameter, you could weld thinner than 3mm
your meant to bash the slag of so you can see what the welds like and it will flake off later if left. Get a scrap piece and just practice putting
down a line of weld before doing the kart
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 01:25 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerprince
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
I fancy having a play so that I can convince her in doors that a new shiny mig or tig is required!
quote:
Originally posted by Dangle_kt
Also what happens if you dont bash off the slag?
She won't let you buy a brand new MIG or TIG welder - and is that really the right way to refer to your better half?
HAHAHA!! good one!
I hope she never reads this 
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bonzoronnie
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 posted on 11/12/07 at 01:35 PM |
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MMA & angle
You should be able to weld 3mm angle just fine with a MMA welder.
As the last post said. Smaller electrodes are best suited to this.
1.6mm general purpose spring to mind.
A welding current of 70amps would be a good starting point. The electrode box may say different but in the real world, on a budget arc welder. You may
find it difficult to strike and arc at lower currents.
In any case if it turns out to be too hot or cold the current can be adjusted accordingly.
I hope this helps.
Ronnie
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Fatgadget
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 01:47 PM |
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If you haven't arc welded before,watch out for arc-eye.
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Dangle_kt
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 02:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Fatgadget
If you haven't arc welded before,watch out for arc-eye.
Thanks - read about that, sounds nasty!
I have an autodimming helmet on the way from the states.
Good ol' ebay!
And some fetching red lether gaunlets
CANT WAIT!!
Just need to buy little helmets for the gunie pigs and rabbits, I dont fancy them getting arc eye! Or maybe I'll just put up a screen.
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Mole
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 03:15 PM |
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And make sure you keep it down until the machine is switched off. Its ammazing how it can be difficult to strike an arc when you want to and dead easy
when you accidentally catch something.
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bonzoronnie
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 posted on 11/12/07 at 04:21 PM |
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Paint
quote:
Originally posted by Mole
Of course paint hides a multitude of sins.
It sure does ( Sorry I could'nt resist)  
I remember many years ago in the dockyard.
I had just completed a large butt weld accross the deck of a ship. Looking great I thought.
I came back from a nice extended lunch break . Some swine had placed a sign on the deck.
"BEWARE OF THE STEP"
Ronnie
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Mole
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 06:15 PM |
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Its got even thicker paint on it now.
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bonzoronnie
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 06:50 PM |
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Thick paint
Ronnie
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NS Dev
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| posted on 11/12/07 at 08:59 PM |
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To weld corners in angle iron it either wants notching or mitring, i.e. cut the corners at 45 degrees or notch the width of the flat bit of one side
of the joint out of the flat side of the other bit.
Then butt weld it all together.
For 3mm angle STEEL (angle iron won't weld properly under the type of circumstances being discussed here) you want 2.5mm standard rods like
Murex Zodian Universals
Retro RWD is the way forward...........automotive fabrication, car restoration, sheetmetal work, engine conversion
retro car restoration and tuning
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Mark Allanson
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| posted on 12/12/07 at 09:55 PM |
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Zodians are Ok, but for a real classy weld get some Satinex's (also from Murex)
If you can keep you head, whilst all others around you are losing theirs, you are not fully aware of the situation
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