Welding Question

"Bandit" (2bandit) 07/11/2015 at 00:37 • Filed to: None

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I have access to two welders. A shitty Harbor Freight arc welder and a shitty Harbor Freight flux welder. I need to weld a patch panel on to my old Blazer. I’ve previously welded a panel on with the arc welder... but it was messy. The flux welder doesn’t allow you to choose anything other than wire speed and Max/Min power. What would you use? The crappy flux or crappy arc? (Yes I wish my family just bought a used Lincoln off Craigslist but they don’t do used tools)

TheHondaBro > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 00:41

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Arc welder.

boxrocket > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 00:42

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Dual-wield: both at once.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 00:49

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The answer is simple;

1. Genetically engineer a radioactive spider

2. Have said spider bite you

3. Acquire heat vision adversely from radioactive spider bite

4. Weld it with your eyes

5. Make the trans am your superhero car

6. ??

7. Profit?

E92M3 > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 00:50

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I’d use the Arc. Welding patch panels is hard! I tried it once and just kept burning thru because sheet metal is so thin. I would practice a lot first. If you don’t have an old fender to practice on I’d get one from a junk yard maybe or something

crowmolly > E92M3 07/11/2015 at 00:51

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You can use a piece of copper behind the weld to help with blow-through.

tromoly > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 00:54

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Just FYI, those settings on the flux welder are the same on every MIG welder you’ll find I can’t read and didn’t notice that you can’t adjust the heat well on the flux welder, that’s probably a sticky point.

desertdog5051 > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 01:02

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Given the option, I would use the MIG (flux welder). Use the minimum setting. Wire feed set to half way. Try it on some similar pieces of metal as your patch piece. Adjust wire feed speed as needed to get the proper feed of wire. I asssume you have flux core wire in the machine. If not, you can’t expect a decent weld without a gas bottle and will have to resort to the stick welder which uses a flux coated electrode. On thin sheet metal, you will need to tack short bursts or you will likely burn through it.

I bought this a few years ago and have never regretted it.

Clown Shoe Pilot > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 01:05

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arc + right rod selection (thin panels? use thin rod) + technique

or, hit craigslist and find a nice used Miller MIG. If you can get one w/ autoset, that’ll make life a bit easier. That’s probably a bunch of money to spend for one project. You might be able to find someone who owns better equipment that would let you use it for some small token, like a case of beer. If you were in the Austin area, I’d be happy to let you use my rig.

Alfalfa Romeo > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 01:16

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There are arguable advantages to both, I would use the one you’re most comfortable with. Do some practice lines first.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 01:30

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Neither. Arc is used for structural welding in uncontrolled environments, and in the olden days. Flux is used for uncontrolled environments. Neither have good heat control (mostly because they’re from harbor freight). Either one will make this project very difficult for you and likely cause you to burn through, severely warp, or insufficiently penetrate causing weakness.

So, sell both and use the money to get a used Lincoln or Miller. Either of which will be easier to use, work infinitely better, last significantly longer, and be easier to repair when something does fail. The harbor freight units use inferior parts and usually have very short life spans as well as having poor control and consistency.

-OR-

Squid > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 05:02

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the flux core will blow through and give you booger welds with shitty penetration. HF is decent for some tools but a used Miller or lincoln would be the way to go. return the HF welders and get a good MIG rig and then do your panel. also lots of practice on thin gauge steel will help.

kanadanmajava1 > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 07:18

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If your patch panel has any load carrying purposes or you want it to look even slightly nice I wouldn’t recommend using a welder that doesn’t make any good seam. Practice with loose pieces and if you cannot get a seam that you could live with it in your truck either get a better welder or hire/bribe someone to weld the patch.

I’m quite good welder if I can weld with a MIG welder that I’m familiar with but if I need to do something with a crappy or otherwise weird device I cannot anything decent done.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Bandit 07/11/2015 at 10:19

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I would use the “flux” welder, but with a gas kit and really tiny wire. MIG is just better with gas. If it won’t convert, get another MIG welder.

Bandit > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 07/11/2015 at 10:53

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Sadly the welders aren’t mine to sell

Bandit > desertdog5051 07/11/2015 at 10:54

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When I one day buy my own welder I will get something like that.

Bandit > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/11/2015 at 10:54

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Good idea Denver

Bandit > Squid 07/11/2015 at 10:55

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Sadly they aren’t my welders and I don’t have access to anything better