Thread: School Student Doing metal work for the first time

Hello Ryno,

There are a number of fellows on this forum who can weld proficiently. If no one pipes up with advice try the dedicated welding sub forum.

WELDING - Woodwork Forums

Good luck with your project.

Bob.

Depending on where you are i may beable to lend you a few books i am 16 and have helped a few year 12s and taught the teacher arc welding

"and taught the teacher arc welding " I like that!

Good on you Andre

BT

Hi Ryno,
Assuming that by arc you mean stick welding. The only advice I can think of from this distance is where ever possible use welds to hold things in place, not support the load. Use square tube or angle 2.5mm+ thick, its going to be heavy but arc welding pipe or thinner walled tube would be hard work starting out.

A milk crate wont cut it anymore?

Stuart

Hi Ryno,

The whole project needs planning .Does “Undertake to plan a routine task have any significance for you ? If it does, are you a Cert 1 or 2 Engineering student?
It starts from your drawing or sketch ” Interpret technical drawing “ then moves to
• a cutting list
• a list of tools and gear needed
• obtain your cut list items( and some scrap in the same size and thickness)
• then the welding is dependent on lots of practice on the scrap before even going near the job proper.
• practice with the same joints you are going to use for the job.

Tacking up the job can also be what makes or breaks the welding.
If you tack up and make the tacks diagonally opposite each other, that’s a real good start. The welding can be then progressed in opposite bead to bead fashion which will control distortion.
The material type –square tube or pipe can have an influence on outcome as well.
Matching the electrode size to the job(wall thickness) will better your chances of a top result.
3mm wall thickness tube was good advice and a good match for that would be a 2.6Ø electrode.

For the welding practice and job keep your arc lengths short and amperage around 90 amps.

Good luck
Grahame

Couple of little things that are hard when you start: Get comfortable so you can be relaxed. Remember to breathe. Look right into the weld pool and observe how the metal is flowing.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Hi Ryno,

The whole project needs planning .Does “Undertake to plan a routine task have any significance for you ? If it does, are you a Cert 1 or 2 Engineering student?
It starts from your drawing or sketch ” Interpret technical drawing “ then moves to
• a cutting list
• a list of tools and gear needed
• obtain your cut list items( and some scrap in the same size and thickness)
• then the welding is dependent on lots of practice on the scrap before even going near the job proper.
• practice with the same joints you are going to use for the job.

Tacking up the job can also be what makes or breaks the welding.
If you tack up and make the tacks diagonally opposite each other, that’s a real good start. The welding can be then progressed in opposite bead to bead fashion which will control distortion.
The material type –square tube or pipe can have an influence on outcome as well.
Matching the electrode size to the job(wall thickness) will better your chances of a top result.
3mm wall thickness tube was good advice and a good match for that would be a 2.6Ø electrode.

For the welding practice and job keep your arc lengths short and amperage around 90 amps.

Good luck
Grahame

Thanks mate
No i am not a cert 1 or 2 Engineering student, I have never done any welding before. hopefully i will get some materaisl and start practising in the next few weeks. So 3 mm wall thickness you think would be best? The bike weighs around 115kg so it must hold more weight than that.


Cheers Ryno

Hi Ryno
3mm wall thickness isn't for strength so much, its to make the welding easier with a greater margin for error. If you were very careful you could sit the bike on top of a coke can.
Do you have a drawing yet of what you have in mind?
Stuart

p.s having said the 3mm wall thickness isnt for strength this assumes that is not some cantilever lifting something or other