Tips for welding thick steel

[alexp]

Im trying to weld some 1/2 in round bar for a (secret) project that im working on lol. My welder can do up to 5/16in and i feel like im not getting good weld penetration and its just kinda sitting on top of the bar. Any tips would be greatly appriciated :thumbsup:

 

[Bill Ellerby]

Depends on how you are welding it. If its a butt weld taper the end of the stock to get the weld to penetrate better. If left just flat you're trying to weld just the outside edge. Good Luck.

 

[C9H13NO3]

Try preheating it a little bit.

 

[oldfatguy]

Try preheating it a little bit.

preheating with a torch will help, I assume that you are trying to use a mig welder for this. You might meed to use a stick welder to get the heat and weld penetration that you need. If you don't have enough heat to melt the metal the weld will just build up on the surface and not be very strong, it will most likely break at the worst possible time

 

[alexp]

Thanks for the help guys. Im using a mig and doing mostly butt joints. so ill try preheating them a little im already beveling the edges. ill let you know how it works out

 

[Oldsalt]

Thanks for the help guys. Im using a mig and doing mostly butt joints. so ill try preheating them a little im already beveling the edges. ill let you know how it works out

MIG is notorious for lack of penetration into the parent metal. Along with your bevel you can leave a little gap between the parts. You say this is a secret project....you aren't making fully automatic weapons are you?

 

[alexp]

thanks oldsalt. and no im not making weapons :laugh:. im working on a new bike which i will be posting soon :thumbsup:

 

[Neck]

I could show you a lot easier than trying to explain it, But I'm on the wrong Coast for that! Be more specific on "Butt welds" do you mean welding the round stock together as in making short pieces into long lengths, or welding the round stock to flat plate (or something else) in a perpendicular fashion?

 

[george3]

I could show you a lot easier than trying to explain it, But I'm on the wrong Coast for that! Be more specific on "Butt welds" do you mean welding the round stock together as in making short pieces into long lengths, or welding the round stock to flat plate (or something else) in a perpendicular fashion?

end to end, lol

 

[george3]

MIG is notorious for lack of penetration into the parent metal. Along with your bevel you can leave a little gap between the parts. You say this is a secret project....you aren't making fully automatic weapons are you?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh: how about semi?

 

[george3]

Im trying to weld some 1/2 in round bar for a (secret) project that im working on lol. My welder can do up to 5/16in and i feel like im not getting good weld penetration and its just kinda sitting on top of the bar. Any tips would be greatly appriciated :thumbsup:

solid stock? wrong welder my friend. you would need to bevel about like this V all the way around, and make about 20 passes. need a stick welder for that job. Well maybe a little less bevel prob. be 3 pases. I would prob. leave 1/4 at most non beveled, hit the center all the way around FLA, then a left pass then a right.

 

[george3]

You also forgot to mention what welder you are useing 150 amp? :chinese:, lincoln, miller mig?

 

[alexp]

neck im welding some to 1/4in and other perpendicular to more round bar. Im using a miller 180 just so you guys know. and yes solid stock and one more thing no access to a stick welder!

 

[oldfatguy]

neck im welding some to 1/4in and other perpendicular to more round bar. Im using a miller 180 just so you guys know. and yes solid stock and one more thing no access to a stick welder!

what part of Jersey are you from because I have a stick welder that you could use if your mig doesn't work out. I'm in Sussex county

 

[Oldschool]

I never pass up the oppertunity to talk about gasoline blowtorches when people are in need of a little or a lot of heat.

YouTube - ‪Gasoline Blowtorch‬‏

All kidding aside:
if you have one, rebuild it and use it. More heat than profane and if you have no oxy torch with a rosebud this is the next best thing.

 

[alexp]

I live way down at the bottom of ocean county lol so that would be a bit far for me but thanks. and all i have now is a propane blow torch but im pretty sure my uncle has an oxy set up so maybe i can use his.

 

[george3]

miller 180 easy money. try this on a scrap piece bump your amps high read the feed chart and lower the rod feed by 1 number. two passes. maybe three depends on how wide the bevel.

 

[oldfatguy]

I never pass up the opportunity to talk about gasoline blowtorches when people are in need of a little or a lot of heat.

YouTube - ‪Gasoline Blowtorch‬‏

All kidding aside:
if you have one, rebuild it and use it. More heat than profane and if you have no oxy torch with a rosebud this is the next best thing.

I have two of them but I never tried to light them, I'm too afraid of fire and gasoline

 

[Oldschool]

I have two of them but I never tried to light them, I'm too afraid of fire and gasoline

Everything old is new again.
I understand OXY-gasoline torches are gaining traction again.
New blow torches manufactured in Ukraine on ebay.

I would personaly be afraid of any tool in bad order used by a person ( myself included who is unfamiliar with the hows and whats.

But I am not afraid of gasoline.

Now Grandpa had an acetelyne generator in his garage.
That is the scariest thing I ever seen......

 

[oldfatguy]

I think it's the how you go about lighting one that worries me, the sight of the whole torch head on fire to heat it up makes me a bit nervous. I did try one of them, the pump still works and it holds pressure. Some day I will work up the courage to light it. I do have a small propane torch that serves well. I did buy one of those weed burner torches from harbor freight but I haven't tried it yet. I hope that it will work for small forging projects.


---should I use gasoline in the torch or is there something better like coleman fuel