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I weld the broken cast iron cannon that someone dropped off a back of a truck then brought it to me to fix with a little love and care I got it back together used my MTS250S in Tig mode and welded it with Cronatron Cast Iron welding rod.
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All welded and painted and the customer not to be found phone out of order I might have a new garden toy.
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I used my MTS250S and spool gun to welding out in the rain and wind to fix this dump truck aluminum box with a third hinge in the middle to stop it from pushing out. The factory hinge was weld with a Miller 350P at $8000.00 and me with my Everlast MTS250S and spool gun with no pulse no hot start and the truck was outside not inside. The customer was happy and thought I look the same, he is not a welder. With more practice I thing I can get it close.
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Miller $8000.00
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Everlast MTS250S
Hope the guy shows up (with cash) to pick up. There's a lot of Civil War history around here, and every now and again you see a cannon in a front yard.
What parts were aluminum and what parts cast iron?
The truck is aluminum and the cannon is cast iron.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveO
Kempy, that aluminum looks like you welded it a bit cold. Was that in spray mode? That's the only way to MIG aluminum...or it won't hold up.
Mark
It was close to spray mode but when I was test it on the same material 1/2 on 1/8 inch it blow thru about 2/3 of the way down the hinge but look good up to that point, so I had to turn it down even turning it down the weld did blow out at the top because it was to hot, welding across the top part of the hinge the pressure inside got to high it was seal to keep water out I should have drilled a hole and weld it up later live and learn. Maybe I should have gone to .030 wire not .035.
The cannon was made just for looks and was never able to fire, right ? Did you ever consider grinding the welds down and trying to match the cast finish ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by performance
Well I did a little research and most of the Mig aluminum thick to thin use Helium mix. So I mixed a 50/50 argon helium and tried it. That is the way to go with a little practice I think it will weld nicely. I used it in SYN spool mode and up the volts by 1.5 I read on Miller site. The heat is more on the weld with the Helium mix then with 100% argon just need hot start and pulse would be nice also, but that a lot of money buying a pules welder for aluminum from Lincoln or Miller or ???? I will just wait some day Everlast will come out with one I hope.
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When I tipped the barrel down out can a lot of used fire crackers but it is a show piece yes. I did think of grinding the weld but know one has even asked or pointed out the welds they are small and the paint covered up most of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by zoama585
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Can you see the welds easily?
But maybe if I have some time to waste I will grind and repaint it again.
We have a pulse welder, and have had one. Canada doesn't want to deal in that market. They had one previously, the same basic one we have now. They want to keep welder size down, and don't want that market for shipping cost reasons.
MarkQuote:
Originally Posted by performance
I have a 205P and it will not weld like the welds on the truck will the 250P weld like that and with the spool gun?
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So does the 250P welder switches between a high peak current and a low background current at set times per second.
The 205P is not heavy enough to weld like that, and is for small diameter wire. I never understood why it was offered. It's barely hot enough to do spray welding. It'll do aluminum though with the thinnest wires. Both the 205P and the 250P switch between High and Low VOLTAGE, not current. Single pulse switches between 20-250Hz. Double pulses usually max out at 5 hertz.
Pulse spay can be in single pulse or double (pulse on pulse) pulse. Our units are single pulse. What you see there is a product of technique as much as it is anything. That's just a simple stepping motion. It's also likely that the item was welded flat, instead of vertical as well, and attached after the hinges were installed.
Maybe I only notice because I know where it was broken.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kempy
Mark
You might be right the welds all on the door look the same but when they welded the two outer hinge parts the weld is different. I copied a picture from Miller pulse welder and it has a similar pattern in flat I could get it some what like that but not welding vertical. I will have to look into the 250P sell the 205P and move up.
Miller site
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my weld back and forth
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Looks much more wetted out, for sure. I'd be curious to cut through a section and see how the root penetration was to the two different thicknesses. Did you favor the heavy plate with gun angle?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kempy
This is the best I can do to show you the weld cut. I welded right in the corner 50/50.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rambozo
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Looks great to me. I need to purchase a spool gun.
Looks great. Thanks for the demonstration. The helium seems to make all the difference. Looks like another gas I should keep around. I haven't used it since school, and then the price was a lot more reasonable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kempy
Zoama585Quote:
Originally Posted by zoama585
You got the 250P how do find the pulse work on it? I is you don't have a spool gun but with it I find it so handy with the 25 ft. line the only thing you have to watch out for is tipping the gun to sharp and the gas line will kink a little and slow the flow down if you put it over your shoulder it works fine.
The only thing with helium is it will leave the weld black on top but comes off easily water and a wire brush or soap and water. I will be cleaner if you us 25% helium 75% argon or 50/50 an a lot of heat and thicker metal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rambozo
The reason the black soot is left is because the Helium is virtually leaving the weld area right after it is applied. That's the down side to helium, no one talks about. It's lighter than air, and as soon as it exits the gun, starts to float up and off. Argon is heavier than air, and stays where it is put when it is done down hand. The black is oxidation actually.
I've only used pulse to weld a flowmaster muffler back together after I opened one side with the plasma cutter. I have no formal training in welding and I don't fully understand how to use the pulse feature... but I will learn.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kempy
Quote:
Originally Posted by performance
I modified a nozzle to get the flow on the weld better, it did help the black. I made no changes to the settings just the nozzle would have to do more test to get the weld better. Maybe I will try welding upside down and let the helium work the way it wants.
The argon does make a nice weld and cleaner. It only took a few swipes with a wire brush and it was clean.
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