Thread: Advice on welding thin steel plate

If your job has reasonable fit up then this should be a really simple task.
The use of 1.6 or 2mm rods is really making life difficult. I would use a 2.5 or 3.2mm rutile myself, 3mm is really very forgiving.
The larger electrodes are much easier to use and will produce far less distortion into the bargain. Gas would be my last choice.
About the only place I see 1.6 or 2mm sticks on sale are in the establishments catering primarily for the novice, no disrespect intended. From this we can reasonably assume that those who weld for living see little purpose for the mini electrodes. I have used 2mm sticks before but was welding 19x1.2 galv tube at the time.
Tack the job well and make sure that you work accurately, avoiding gaps. Keep your arc short and use sufficient amperage to get the electrode running well, then just go for it.
As always, clean your lenses so you can see and breathe while welding.

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

If your job has reasonable fit up then this should be a really simple task.
The use of 1.6 or 2mm rods is really making life difficult. I would use a 2.5 or 3.2mm rutile myself, 3mm is really very forgiving.
The larger electrodes are much easier to use and will produce far less distortion into the bargain. Gas would be my last choice.
About the only place I see 1.6 or 2mm sticks on sale are in the establishments catering primarily for the novice, no disrespect intended. From this we can reasonably assume that those who weld for living see little purpose for the mini electrodes. I have used 2mm sticks before but was welding 19x1.2 galv tube at the time.
Tack the job well and make sure that you work accurately, avoiding gaps. Keep your arc short and use sufficient amperage to get the electrode running well, then just go for it.
As always, clean your lenses so you can see and breathe while welding.

Thanks Karl.
You have described exactly what I found. 2mm rods were to hard to get a good weld. I changed back to the 2.5mm's I was using ( generally ) and instantly got a much better result.
I think it was the poor metal of the box that I tried first that pointed me in the wrong direction as I was blowing holes in that easily. I shifted to 2mm rods on good metal and found that hard too ( changed 2 things at once and didn't pick the cause ) Tried 2.5 rods on good 3mm steel and found it easy.....( what everyone said....doh)

Just got to try and remember that when I do it again in 10 years time.....

Steve

Where are the photos????

The unwritten rule is:
If someone on the forum has helped you achieve what you set out to do,
you are obliged to show the results to the forum....




Joe

Originally Posted by jhovel

Where are the photos????

The unwritten rule is:
If someone on the forum has helped you achieve what you set out to do,
you are obliged to show the results to the forum....




Joe

Patience grasshopper.....
The project is not done yet.....

I took some pics of the stand today today. It came out pretty good, I think.

Originally Posted by Sterob

Patience grasshopper.....
The project is not done yet.....

Joe beat me too it. I was going to ask for pics. We don't want to just see the finished project but the work in progress. We are all nosy, and we might get some ideas.

Dean

Hi Steve
I we would set the joint up with the corners slighitly over about 1mm (almost corner to corner) with enough tacks to ensure there is no gap(important). Raise the job so the corners form a natural v on top and slope the job down about 30 to 40deg, position is known as semi vertical down. Use 2.5 electrode say a 12 gp or ferocraft 21 these are cig rods and will run vertical down.Any other brand will do but they need to be rod sutible for vertical down welding. They will have written on the electrode E 6012 or E6021.Satincraft or weldcraft will have E6013 written on them and are not desigened to run vertical or semi vertical down, the slag will catch you and give slage holes. 3mm plate is quite weldable with stick and you should get a nise rounded weld profile, may be a touchup here and there with a sanding disc or a flapper disc and you will have a nice looking weld. Don't be frightened to keep the amps up.Practice on a piece of scrap.
Good luck
Kev

Yeah it came up good

Its a bit late now but I would have ran some angle inside the corners where they couldnt be seen on the finished product. My arc welding isnt the best consistancy wise, so I would have used mig. Thats easy to say of course when I have 2 of em.

Sterob,

You done a pretty good job there.
Its lightweight, but strong while at the same time unaffected by distortion.

Distortion is the major defect encountered by new operators.

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Grahame