Fun little project, piping for Instrumentation air measurements. 8 pipe , 150 lb mating flange welded with 316/316L -16 1/8 rod smaw . 110 amps DC + 3 pass. Never really ran stainless stick, but I always heard the the slag has a tendency to pop off at you, the funny thing is the slag keeps popping even after you clean the weld, kind like jumping beans. Was able to find a small box rod on the store shelf for about 115 bucks.
June 29
Had to machine a big roller for a taper lock bushing. Originally this was going to get a different form of mechanical shaft lock, but was changed to a taper lock after I had already machined the bore out to nearly the bolt circle of where the locking threads needed to be.
On a cnc machine I could have thread milled the half threads, but my shop is all manual.
My solution was to finish machine the bore of the roller out to the minor diameter of the taper for the bushing, and then I machined a plug that had a couple tenths of clearance so it was a nice snug but still hand fit in the bore. I was able to spot face, drill, and tap very easily and end up with nicely half threaded holes with no drama. Then I setup back in the lathe and machined the taper to size for the bushing.
February 19
Welding up my SWAG Offroad Tube Roller using my new weld positioner...it took a minute to get it....like playing the drums!
October 17
G'day all
Does anyone have any experience/ tips for tig welding Magnesium? I have a small repair that I need to do to a chainsaw head ( crack repair, plus mounting a new mount bracket).
I have some experience tig welding carbon steel, stainless steel and Aluminium, but not anything more exotic then those. The material is about 3.2mm (1/8) thick. I have the capacity to weld upto 200amps with my machine.
Thanks
Connah
February 29
Ripped this 1/8 304 plate with a circular saw I have, not sure if it's the same with any circular saw but it makes short work for sure, no sparks no, no smoke.
Thought it was smart to lay out with my chalk line then spray glue, to keep the line. It work till I had to clean it, oh well it's going straight into the fire box tomorrow anyway 🤪.
October 02
Started to pimp out my new Millermatic 255 to make it as self contained as possible. Made with scrap/offcuts, so it's a mix of steel and aluminum. The post/shelf is bolted to the mobile base, so the 255 can still be popped off the cart, and shelf is high enough that the access door clears it.
February 19
I finaly decided to try some intercooler pipe. I got some cuts layed out and geting ready to tack it up.the last try looked like burnt or sunken in a few dabs was at 90 amp 3/32 and the 100hz and 45 % I am new at this so my macine starts at 25% and I believe to 80 were should the sweet spot be this China box instructions are impossible like my message
May 25
My company dispatched my apprentice and I to an oil processing plant on the west cost for a crack repair on an oil heater treater. When we arrived in house staff was pulling this E-tube out and washing it for us. During the first inspection inspections a small crack on the exterior side was noticed on the toe of existing weld. After pulling washing and reinspecting a 21” crack was discovered on the back side.
I had E-tube propped up in the best possible position for ease of access on all sides, CARBON ARCED out the crack on backside . (1/2) deep and a total of 25 “ two inches past the the crack and welded her up with 7018 1/8 .
Next day came back gouged out the front all the way down to sound metal and welded it up on the 3rd day.
Front cracks was just as long as the front crack but dug in a lot deeper.
Base metal 515 grade 70 / 1-1/4 thick.
CAC made short work of joint prep. Joint used was referenced from AWS D1.1 (B-U8) CJP