- Thread starter Bede
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Jim Davey
R H Davey Welding Supplies Ltd
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Yeah I just looked you up.
I'm going to reccommend you give Malcolm or Barry a call at MS Welding in Leeds, you're a little way off them but for heavy MIG they are without a doubt the most knowledgeable EWM dealer in the country.
See if you can get a demo on an Alpha Q 551, the machine won't be cheap, but the level of service and technical backup you'll get from MS won't be beaten by anyone in the UK.
To get the pen you need on that fillet I'd suggest you try a 15 degree double bevel that nearly meets in the middle and incline the joint 45 degrees so gravity is on your side. You'd get full pen then with Force Arc, you'll have to go with a much wider prep and a LOT more passes to achieve full pen with any other process.
I'm going to reccommend you give Malcolm or Barry a call at MS Welding in Leeds, you're a little way off them but for heavy MIG they are without a doubt the most knowledgeable EWM dealer in the country.
See if you can get a demo on an Alpha Q 551, the machine won't be cheap, but the level of service and technical backup you'll get from MS won't be beaten by anyone in the UK.
To get the pen you need on that fillet I'd suggest you try a 15 degree double bevel that nearly meets in the middle and incline the joint 45 degrees so gravity is on your side. You'd get full pen then with Force Arc, you'll have to go with a much wider prep and a LOT more passes to achieve full pen with any other process.
Bede
Gob*****
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- Stoke on Trent
Thanks Jim.
I've decided this morning, after studying the etch, that I'm gonna bevel the lifting lugs and also manipulate the unit when doing my welds. May whack a couple of hundred degrees in preheat just to be sure. The lifting lugs are tied in with gussets and also has a 160 X 30 flat running the full length of the beam, fully welded with 10mm fillets to the beam and lifting lugs either side.
The damn thing'll probably lift 100 tonne at load test! I just want to be 1000% sure of the welds.
I've been offered a 400 amp set that's a bit newer than my 15 yr old Selco's so I'm gonna see how I get on with that on a couple of tests.
Bottom line is I need a new welder for jobs like these and this has given me food for thought for the future so thanks for the advice.
I've decided this morning, after studying the etch, that I'm gonna bevel the lifting lugs and also manipulate the unit when doing my welds. May whack a couple of hundred degrees in preheat just to be sure. The lifting lugs are tied in with gussets and also has a 160 X 30 flat running the full length of the beam, fully welded with 10mm fillets to the beam and lifting lugs either side.
The damn thing'll probably lift 100 tonne at load test! I just want to be 1000% sure of the welds.
I've been offered a 400 amp set that's a bit newer than my 15 yr old Selco's so I'm gonna see how I get on with that on a couple of tests.
Bottom line is I need a new welder for jobs like these and this has given me food for thought for the future so thanks for the advice.
You should be able to do that job without buying fancy kit.
The set you have will do it if you get the settings / technique / gas correct.
People have been welding 40mm plate and thicker using conventional kit for donkeys years.........way before the Force Arc and such things became available
These new controls are good but its choosing the right application otherwise you are spending many thousands for the sake of it.
Incidentally, what exactly is Ferromax 15?........I cant find the composition
The set you have will do it if you get the settings / technique / gas correct.
People have been welding 40mm plate and thicker using conventional kit for donkeys years.........way before the Force Arc and such things became available
These new controls are good but its choosing the right application otherwise you are spending many thousands for the sake of it.
Incidentally, what exactly is Ferromax 15?........I cant find the composition
Jim Davey
R H Davey Welding Supplies Ltd
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- Southampton
That should be OK........the O2 acts like 5 to 7 % more CO2.........so basically its 80/20
Are you pushing or pulling?
Sorry JimGet back in yer box you!
Good...........the welds look very different thats all.........I wondered if that was causing it.
Its probably just speed / angle then.....slow it down but not so slow as to be welding over weld...........its really difficult to explain
Bede
Gob*****
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Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do on my next test pieces. Gonna partial prep the lifting lug to around 45 degrees to get a root and two caps to fill to create a flat 90 degree corner then build from there to a 12mm fillet as per spec, with a tad less wire feed and a slightly slower pass.
It appears that the easter break has removed my welding capability!
If I'm still not satisfied I'll see what I can squeeze out of my 180 amp stick.
It appears that the easter break has removed my welding capability!
If I'm still not satisfied I'll see what I can squeeze out of my 180 amp stick.
Bede
Gob*****
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- Stoke on Trent
So, still awaiting the arrival of a hire machine but just taken a couple of close up shots of my best test-piece from last night.
The first pic is a root and two 'hot passes' and the second photo is as the first but the four capping runs over the top. The root penetration isn't bad and the 2nd pass has penetrated well into the base but the third pass hasn't penetrated in the vertical piece as much as it's gone more into the 2nd weld. I can manipulate the beam over so that this third pass is done more flat and blag a bit of help courtesy or gravity, same for passes 6 & 7 of the final caps.
Am I just being a bit anal about this wanting the perfect textbook penetration? The 7 run fillets will be 400mm long, each side of the main lifting lugs and the three run fillets will be full length fillets along the whole 8.1 metres. I have also decided to V prep the 400 X 40 lifting lugs so there will be three more 'root' runs anyway.
Thoughts?
The first pic is a root and two 'hot passes' and the second photo is as the first but the four capping runs over the top. The root penetration isn't bad and the 2nd pass has penetrated well into the base but the third pass hasn't penetrated in the vertical piece as much as it's gone more into the 2nd weld. I can manipulate the beam over so that this third pass is done more flat and blag a bit of help courtesy or gravity, same for passes 6 & 7 of the final caps.
Am I just being a bit anal about this wanting the perfect textbook penetration? The 7 run fillets will be 400mm long, each side of the main lifting lugs and the three run fillets will be full length fillets along the whole 8.1 metres. I have also decided to V prep the 400 X 40 lifting lugs so there will be three more 'root' runs anyway.
Thoughts?
Kent
Member
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Get some pre-heat on it the upright section is looking like drawing heat up and out, look at the top of that multi run fillet and you will get my point. pre-heat to 150-260C then watch for things cooling to great between passes. I can only guess but look see on your picture for the evidence, it could be the plant fadeing, could be were your feeding into the puddle could be a lot of things BUT heat one and if you need to take a break watch for the interpass temp dropping.
It takes like nothing to try and its a lot cheaper to use some pre-heat on another test than hire or buy a bigger set with newfangly thingimibobs on it.
Like I say at the start its been a while but its shouting out loud to me now for the bottles
It takes like nothing to try and its a lot cheaper to use some pre-heat on another test than hire or buy a bigger set with newfangly thingimibobs on it.
Like I say at the start its been a while but its shouting out loud to me now for the bottles
dan.taylor.1
General Tinkererer
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So what does preheat help with? edge fusion, weld profile?
