Topic: New welder

[Gnarly4X]

I don't know if you have been to this site, but it is very informative:

https://welderslab.com/what-gas-do-you-use-with-a-mig-welder-a-helpful-guide

Gnarls.

[toyodaaddict]

Has 240V plug as well...auto set.  But again I've never welded, so I'll do some testing before I try to fab something seriously usable and safe.  Welder says max 3/8" thickness.

The 211 is an awesome machine, your gonna love it. The biggest mistake I made when getting mine was running flux core for so long. So much nicer with gas

[Snowtoy]

Has 240V plug as well...auto set.  But again I've never welded, so I'll do some testing before I try to fab something seriously usable and safe.  Welder says max 3/8" thickness.

The 3/8" max thickness, is on a single pass and w/no beveled edges.  In theory, you should be able to weld 1/2" material if you beveled the edge, and either ran two passes if just one bevel, or a single pass on each side with both sides of the edge beveled.  However, 1/2" steel is overkill for the most part when it comes to hobby welding, or most repairs you might find yourself repairing down the line.

[Wainiha [OP]]

I don't know if you have been to this site, but it is very informative:

https://welderslab.com/what-gas-do-you-use-with-a-mig-welder-a-helpful-guide

Gnarls.

Good info.  Thank you.

[Snowtoy]

Miller and Lincoln both have YouTube channels that school teach you the different welds and welding positions.

[Wainiha [OP]]

My goal after i learn is to build a rear bumper with a wrap around.  Not sure plate or tube...It'll be a while.

[Gnarly4X]

I prefer tube.

Gnarls.

[Snowtoy]

My goal after i learn is to build a rear bumper with a wrap around.  Not sure plate or tube...It'll be a while.

For a first time project, if you want plate, I would go with an internal tube frame out of .5" or 1"" .065-.095 tube, then either cover it with plate, or use it as a template for the plate bumper.  It will be a lot easier to get the angles and clearances right going the tube rout first.

[Wainiha [OP]]

I will need a tube bender and a metal break I think to make a nice one.  Scotchman Ironworker would be nice too. Haha.

[OVRAROK]

Have you checked out rogue fab..there m600 tube bender is great...I highly recommend..price is great...quality is better...
I've been running the mvp 211 for a few years now..I run on 220v all the time with gas...great welder...

[Snowtoy]

I will need a tube bender and a metal break I think to make a nice one.  Scotchman Ironworker would be nice too. Haha.

A break and a bender would be handy, and if you have the disposable money to spend on them as a hobby, they will make your fab time easier, but if you don't have the disposable money for them, or planning to do metal work as side job, etc., they are a bit pricey to become a dust collector.

You can bend round tube by hand by filling it with sand, capping the ends, and using heat, the sand prevents the tube from collapsing.  Once the bend is done, cut the caps off, and remove the sand.  I used this method with a cheap pipe bender to build my "safari bed".  Sure a tube bender would have been a lot less work. and if I were to build another, I would buy one and a die, but for a one off at the time, I couldn't justify the $1000 for a bender.

You can also bend plate easily without a brake by scoring the angle of the bend on one side, then bending it, and welding up the backside, or cutting a groove through the plate, leaving both sides intact, bend to the angle needed, then weld up the groove.  For diamond plate, I use the scoring method for aesthetic purposes, otherwise I use my plasma cutter to cut a groove/slot through it.

If you weren't wanting a tube edge with plate insert type bumper, square tube would be fined to build the internal frame or you could even use 1/8-1/4" wire to make a template for a plate bumper, as you just need something to attach the cardboard templates to during mock up, and to tack the plates to during assembly.  Due to the cost of steel, and having been a carpenter in my early 20's, when I got into metal work, I mocked up my projects out of wood first, then transferred it to steel.

Another option for a rear plate bumper, would be to find a CAD program for sale, and have a local steel shop with the CNC capability cut the steel out for you.  This is the way a buddy went with his 3rd gen runner, as I recall, he spent about $500 for the program for both front/rear bumpers, and another $500 at a shop to have it all cut out.  Found this free CAD design for '12-'15 Taco's, and it looks like you can contact the designer for the plans.
https://grabcad.com/library/toyota-hilux-2012-2015-rear-bumper-1

There are also DYI kits that you can get, but the shipping costs for you would make them like the sliders you ordered. 

[Wainiha [OP]]

Good tips snowtoy.  I have the money but live in a place that floods.  So maybe just the tube bender bolted to the concrete.  No brake. Certainly no Ironworker(that was a joke)  I'm only building for my truck.  Not many people have extra money these days.  Their living off unemployment.

[Snowtoy]

With you just building for your truck, if it were me, from an investment standpoint, the money you will spend on a tube bender and 1 die, would be better spent buying a plasma cutter, you would likely get more use out of it down the line.  Any muffler shop with a mandrel tube bender should have the dies to bend the 1.5" tube for you, same for a steel fab shop, all you need is to provide them the tube and angles of the bends.  For a rear bumper, you could likely have the bends done for $1-200 depending on the number of bends and the per hour rate of labor at the shop.

[Wainiha [OP]]

I will have  to search for a metal fab shop here.  This is a small island.  Maybe cheaper to buy a bumper and ship through the offroad store on Maui.

I just want to learn how to weld and fab armor/truck rack etc. I don't even know where to buy tube yet.  I need my helmet first, then take the next step after I get my sliders.

[Wainiha [OP]]

Why is it necessary to switch polarity for flux core wire vs. gas shielded?

[Snowtoy]

Has to do with the direction of the arc, as the arc travels from the positive charged side, which is the hottest, to the negative side.  Due to the design of Flux-core wire, hollow w/flux inside, it can't withstand the amount of heat generated during welding process when the wire is positively charged, and most of the wire gets blown off as spatter, leaving you with a narrow bead and shallow penetration, making for a weak weld.  When flux wire is negatively charged, the material is the hottest, allowing for good penetration and a uniform bead, some of it still gets blown off as spatter, but not enough to effect the weld.

[emsvitil]

What about the opposite?

Flux wire setting for gas/wire welding.     I noticed crappy welds that way.......

[Wainiha [OP]]

Interesting.

 I'm still waiting for my helmet in the mail...Bah

[Snowtoy]

What about the opposite?

Flux wire setting for gas/wire welding.     I noticed crappy welds that way.......

Since I am not a physicist, I can only assume it is due to the break down of the charge when DC welding, which is 1/3 negative and 2/3 positive along with the directional flow of electrons, which is negative-to-positive, and when negatively charged, the flow must not be high enough from the MIG wire to fuse the material.  Would also have to assume that shielding gas must also have something to do with it, as there is a Flux core gas welding, known as outershield flux core wire, and with that, you run the same polarity as MIG.

[Gnarly4X]

Just to add some info and opinion....

I believe the quality of the flux core wire can make a difference on the welds.

I have a rather rare Century 155GS 105 amp mig.  I can do flux core and gas.  I have yet to hook up a tank of CO2 or Argon, but I'd like to see the difference up close and personal.

From my experience, and I was taught arc welding when I was 15 by an Army Corp of Engineers engineer who had a list of certifications that made him a "welding wizard", with old fashion stick welding I could run a nicer looking bead than I've been able to do with my flux core mig.

Gnarls.

[Gnarly4X]

Since I am not a physicist...

BUT... one of my good friends would call you a fart smucker! 

Gnarls.

[Snowtoy]

Just to add some info and opinion....

I believe the quality of the flux core wire can make a difference on the welds.

Yes, the quality of the flux core does make a difference in the weld, like with everything, you get what you pay for.  With the cheaper stuff, mainly ChiCom crap, you get a lot of spatter feed issues which effect the weld look and its penetration.

From my experience, and I was taught arc welding when I was 15 by an Army Corp of Engineers engineer who had a list of certifications that made him a "welding wizard", with old fashion stick welding I could run a nicer looking bead than I've been able to do with my flux core mig.

Gnarls.

While welding is welding, the three types take different skills to get good results.  With wire, feed speed, amp setting, hand speed, etc., all effect the weld, and machines w/o the ability to fine tune speed/amp settings effects your weld, along with that when using flux-core, you have to use the drag method when laying down the bead.

I have a rather rare Century 155GS 105 amp mig.  I can do flux core and gas.  I have yet to hook up a tank of CO2 or Argon, but I'd like to see the difference up close and personal.

The main difference between MIG and Flux, is the amount of spatter, with MIG their is very little, and unlike flux-core, you can either drag or push the bead.