arc welding 1&2mm sheet with 1.6's

[douchecalamondaes]

so have a bit of an emergency job putting a floor back in a van.. factory floor is roughly 1-1.5 (more on the 1 side) throughout, I am plating it up with 2mm sheeting as I dont keep 1mm in stock (who uses 1mm?!)

now both my leccy welders are broken, as per another thread, so I back to old faithful, 200amp petrol 2stroke 1 lunger,, I only have the choice of 30 or 50amps, and obviously I cant be using anything other than 1.6 rods(6013) 30 is no good so I am using 50, which feels about 45-48 to me, a little high but not too awful.

my problem, as you can imagine, is blowing holes in the damn thin factory sheet!!!! the 2mm I am having no issues with, I can keep it from blowing and join it up nice, but the 1mm is a rear struggle, I can barely get 1/2" run before the head build up puts holes in it.. its very slow going.

the old bloke with 40 years in the job said (if you can weld that with that, your doing better than most,)

my new super fancy (hopefully) inverter arc&mig is on the way, so that will help no end, but until then.

any advice on ways to stop putting holes in it? I cant do negative welding on this machine as i'm fairly sure its AC, and dont have any ideas.



also, when I get the new machine I am assuming I need to go straight into mig, and I will be giving myself a very crash course, but what wire thickness, feed, amps should I be using for this kind of job?
I will be using gas with it. argon &C02 iv been told.

more pics on the way.. this isn't the full story

 

[Turbo]

If the 50a setting is too high could you possibly reduce the revs on the engine and thus reduce the output amps? To be honest I wouldn't tackle this job with a stick welder, mig would be the best option. Could you not borrow or hire a unit to get you started?

Not sure why you have so many small patches joined together? It would be better to use as large a patch as you can, a lot neater, stronger and less welding!

The only way of avoiding blowing holes is a series of overlapping tacks, the same way you weld thin stuff with mig. That's going to be slow with stick as you'll need to knock off the slag after each tack! You could have several welds going, put a tack on each then stop to de-slag.

 

[davidjohnperry]

u could try putting a piece of thick steel or ally or something as a heat sink so u could do slightly bigger runs or do a series of tacks but either way it's gunna be a nut ache and an ideal job for mig welding

 

[HughF]

You will get a reduced output from the midget if you throttle it down a bit. The lever that is on top of the carb that you normally have wide open can be adjusted down a bit.

Personally if it were my van and I was in that position, any part that isn't within 30cm of a suspension/steering/seat belt anchor would get pop riveted not welded.

Your other option, again provided these weld repairs aren't structural, is to get a carbon arc brazing kit and use that.

 

[123hotchef]

Jonh use that thick steel u have as a heat sink under the section u are welding

 

[arther dailey]

get new piece just tacked in place and wait for mig to arrive .

 

[Rob85]

When you get your mig, get 0.6mm wire and stay on the low settings... How did it come up as an emergency job? Rust and rot to that degree doesn't happen overnight. Are you doing lap welds or butt joints? One thing I would say is when you cut your material to size it is imperative that you deburr the edges and try not to have square corners, that will help you with burn through issues to a small degree

 

[HughF]

I love .6 wire and detest .8 for panel work... Each to their own.

 

[Windy Miller]

I don't mind either! I've done loads of thin stuff with both, and they're as good/bad as each other, and neither one is harder or easier, or better or worse. They just need different settings on the welder. Just see what you get on with best...

 

[the snooper]

you do seem to be making more work for your self, why 4 small plates when 1 big one would be better ? also try to keep your lines straight as its less welding ie the blue parts you would avoid

 

[Richard.]

I wouldn't bother with 0.6mm wire - it's simply not worth the extra cost imo. (I actually find it more difficult to use than 0.8mm, so I'm going to blame the wire.)

I'm with you too. Much prefer a 0.8 solid wire.

 

[Richard.]

you do seem to be making more work for your self, why 4 small plates when 1 big one would be better ? also try to keep your lines straight as its less welding ie the blue parts you would avoidView attachment 86016

I couldn't agree more. The way your patching up that big hole with those odd shapes and small bits of plate, anyone would think your enjoying it and never want the job to end.

 

[the snooper]

I couldn't agree more. The way your patching up that big hole with those odd shapes and small bits of plate, anyone would think your enjoying it and never want the job to end.

hence the old saying with cars, looks like a patchwork quilt

 

[Richard.]

hence the old saying with cars, looks like a patchwork quilt

Yeah. I'll back track on my last post. Stick some stars and triangles in there while your on.
Circles probably a bit too challenging unless you fancy an addition to the air con.

 

[the snooper]

it looks like a late 80 / early 90s transit

 

[Richard.]

it looks like a late 80 / early 90s transit

Defo needs circles then

 

[the snooper]

also the big part on the floor can be done as 1 piece, make a paper template to the exact shape then add 1/2 to 3/4 as the red line shows, using the original black curved line against something solid hammer the lip downwards following the curve which will stretch the steel make sure its done so your formed lip is upward when you fit it

 

[Richard.]

also the big part on the floor can be done as 1 piece, make a paper template to the exact shape then add 1/2 to 3/4 as the red line shows, using the original black curved line against something solid hammer the lip downwards following the curve which will stretch the steel make sure its done so your formed lip is upward when you fit it View attachment 86017

Yey there's half a circle. I knew I was right all along.

 

[the snooper]

Yey there's half a circle. I knew I was right all along.

i would imagine its the right age to have had circles in the sand in the charts and on the radio when it was newish

 

[Richard.]

Yeah that must of been mid/late eighties Belinda C