I took this excerpt from a video I did about building a trailer. This clip talks about what I think is the best way to square a large frame or any other object. Something this large is hard to get square with just a framing square so I use simple math and a tape measure.
Overhead Stick Welding Screwing Around to Prove a Point
January 25, 2013 by
I just try to demonstrate how it’s really not that hard to run a good overhead stick welding bead. I end up screwing off during the welding process to show that welding overhead is mostly a head game that people play with themselves and it’s not really that hard to do. During the weld, I lift up my welding hood, switch hands, run in place, walk around, and just plain screwing around all while never sticking the rod. The end result is a weld that has one lousy spot and might not look the greatest but, I guarantee it will hold.
Stick Welding Tips and Techniques 7018 Overhead
January 25, 2013 by
I just run a simple overhead fillet weld with 7018 1/8″ and the amperage set at about 120. I forgot to mention in the video but I’m just doing a small weave bead. I’m not going crazy with the weave but, it’s slight and I’m not just dragging the welding rod.
Stick Welding Tips and Techniques 7018 Vertical Up
January 20, 2013 by
In this video I talk about how I go about welding a vertical up with 7018’s. I will show you what to look for while I’m welding and how it’s important to hold the corners and sweep quickly across the middle the whole way up. This will avoid the much dreaded under-cut that many welders seem to get while welding vertical ups with a stick welder. I have the welder set at 120 amps and I use 1/8″ 7018 welding rods.
Stick Welding Techniques and Tips 7018 Butt Weld
January 20, 2013 by
This is a simple butt weld joint that I weld up with 7018 1/8″. The amperage is set to around 120. In the video I explain how I go about the weld as well as showing the welding being done.
Stick Welding Techniques and Tips 7018 Lap Joint
January 20, 2013 by
In the video I show a really basic lap joint made from 1/4″ steel and describe how I weld it. I also show the welding being done so hopefully you can get a feel for this type of common welding joint and lay down the correct bead. The heat is set in the 120 amp range and I use a 1/8″ 7018 for this weld.
Stick Welding Techniques and Tips 7018 No Weave Fillet Weld
January 20, 2013 by
I explain in this video, one of the easiest welds that can be done with a 7018 welding rod. It’s a simple no weave fillet weld by just dragging the electrode across the joint. I used 1/18″ 7018 with the amperage set at about 120 amps.
It pays to shop around when buying steel
January 18, 2010 by
Just the other day I was looking for some angle iron and square tubing for a utility trailer I want to build. Only to find out that a couple of the places I checked on were way high in price. If I would have just taken their prices and bought it, I would’ve overpaid by more than 100%. The point I’m trying to make is, once I shopped around I got my steel for a lot cheaper. I’ve written different articles on where you should should and should not buy steel from. You definitely don’t want to buy steel from a box store, but even different welding shops can be ridiculous, so you need to pay attention, otherwise for sure you will overpay.
One different welding shop quoted me at over $7 a foot for 2 x 2 x 3/16 square tube. Only to find out that I can get it at different places for around $2.75 a foot. The same thing happened for 2 x 2 x 3/16 angle iron. The shop that was overcharging wanted to charge me over $3 per foot when the when the other guys are only going to charge me about $1.60 a foot.
Basically it’s just like anything in life, everybody wants to separate you from your money so you have to be careful. Nobody is going to watch out for your money like you can.
Do you really need an auto darkening welding helmet?
January 13, 2010 by
One of the biggest misconceptions out there, is whether or not you need an auto darkening welding helmet (speedglas). I’m not going to lie to you, having an auto darkening welding helmet is a good thing to have if you can afford it and if you’re not going to abuse it. If you’re going to have it rolling around in the back of your pickup, you should seriously consider a standard welding hood.
When you first start out learning how to weld, it can be a real advantage to use a speedglass just for the simple fact that you can see what’s going on. This is probably more important for learning how to stick weld than it is for learning how to wire feed weld, since the wire feed welding requires you to only pull the trigger. Plus you can get everything set up before you put your hood down. The advantage to seeing what’s going on when your stick welding, is that you can put your hood down and know exactly where the rod is when you’re scratching to try and start your arc. If you don’t have this feature, you have no idea where you are starting your arc, unless you have experience. Another advantage to an auto darkening hood is, if you are doing a lot of production welding. If you’re starting and stopping an awful lot or are stitch welding for long periods of time, it’s handy to not have to lift up your hood every time you need to find your next spot to weld.
Auto darkening welding helmets can range anywhere from $100 all the way up to $400. It all depends on your budget and what you want out of it. Most of them will have a feature to set the shade of lens you want to use. Some will even go down to a shade 5 so You can use it for cutting with a torch.
A standard welding hood can be as little as $5 at a garage sale up to about $50. That’s generally the highest price out there, unless you get one with some really fancy graphics. Standard welding helmets are very affordable and if you happen to wreck it, it’s no big deal since it only costed very little.
I have personally used auto darkening hoods, but to this day, I choose not to just for the simple fact that I think they’re kind of expensive and I really don’t need one. Some people will lead you to believe that you need an auto darkening hood, but I disagree. I think it’s a luxury, not a necessity. Spend your money on your welding machine and your welding rods and make sure that those are up to snuff. That’s a better place to spend your money. The more you practice welding, the more you will realize your welding rod or welding gun are nothing more than an extension of your hand, and it’s pretty easy to figure out where that is at all times, even if you’re not looking. After all, practice does make perfect.
Where is the best place to buy steel?
January 5, 2010 by
I check in on a few welding forums from time to time. There really are some great ones out there. There are some really knowledgeable people giving out some great advise. If you are looking to learn as much as you can about the welding trade, forums can be a great way to do it.
One of the most common mistakes I see people making has nothing to do with technique. It has to do with where they are buying their materials. Time after time I see guys mentioning that they bought their steel from some big box store. Box stores are great for many things, but not for buying steel. I have yet to see a box store sell steel without marking it up at least 200% from what you would pay at your local welding shop.
A box store might be able to sell enough lumber to pass the savings on to their customers, but they just can’t sell enough steel to do the same. The steel industry itself is not big enough and it’s not geared towards consumers. The average person living down the street from you doesn’t buy steel. He has however, probably bought some 2 x 4s some time in his life.
The next time you need steel for your weekend welding project, it will surely be worth your time to check out your local welding shop or steelyard. You might even want to look at your local scrapyard or recycling place. Sometimes they get some pretty good stuff that companies just throw away.
If you just need a few small pieces of steel, a lot of welding shops will just give you what you need out of their scrap bin. They can’t afford to keep every piece of left over scrap iron. I used to work at places where guys would come in looking for a few small pieces of steel. We would tell them to have a look in the scrap pile and they were happy as hell. Even if you need a few odds and ends, the owner of the shop might just give it to you for scrap price. He would just be throwing it out anyway. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.