Traction bar Project.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: 21791
Traction bar Project.
Since my truck is down, i have all the time in the world to fab up this idea i have had for a long time now. Despite the crappy plasma cutting job the shop i bought the steel from did, it is turning out pretty well. I got a welder a month or so ago, and i've been sticking metal together ever since, and i felt comfortable enough to try this. Take a look at some progress i've gotten so far, and let me know what ya think
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Bloomfield Hills, MI
Looks good to me! What kinda welder you get? Ive always wanted to learn how to weld. Tried it a few times at a friends shop - would love to fabricate something for my vehciles. Its a much better feeling then just buying it. congrats
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: 21791
I should have taken a picture of it. Millermatic 252, dual bottle mount, stand/perch for spool gun and cables, got a spool gun too, i can do aluminum, stainless and carbon steel. Aluminum is a little tricky!
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2006
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From: Milroy, PA
That should be a pretty nice unit. I have a lincoln 255xt, and just use it for steel for now. someday Ill get the spoolgun setup, but at the time being, work has a synchrowave 200 tig welder, I use for aluminum. Now you need to get those on the truck!
Edit: Just a little constructive criticism. The following picture, if you look at the weld bead, you will see how there is a "pile up" were the filler has for lack of better words, piled up, in the center of the weld, and hasnt flowed out to the material. In my oppinion, you should try turning the voltage up. The material looks to be around 1/4 plate. For material that thick, I personally run about 25 volts, and 395 inches per minute. The spatter is a little higher in this setting, but penetration is significantly higher. And with the correct torch angle, you will have a nice flat looking weld.
Edit: Just a little constructive criticism. The following picture, if you look at the weld bead, you will see how there is a "pile up" were the filler has for lack of better words, piled up, in the center of the weld, and hasnt flowed out to the material. In my oppinion, you should try turning the voltage up. The material looks to be around 1/4 plate. For material that thick, I personally run about 25 volts, and 395 inches per minute. The spatter is a little higher in this setting, but penetration is significantly higher. And with the correct torch angle, you will have a nice flat looking weld.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: 21791
Wow, i'll try that, i was way off. I was about 19.5v, and 280ipm. i'll turn it up some, it is indeed .250 plate, and i would much rather have a flat beat, i think i was going a little slow too.
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From: Milroy, PA
Another EDIT: You will have to also decide whether you are more comfortable pushing or pulling. A friend of mine is in school for welding, and has been taught to pull. I have always pushed with mig.
_____/ (the underline is the weld, and the / is the torch, this is pulling)
_____\ (the underling is the weld again, and the \ is the torch pushing)
You may try both ways, and see what produces the best looking weld. I find I use both methods, depending on the situation, but mostly push.
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Mig Aluminum is a PITA. . . I much prefer the work of a tig machine myself for that material. I do need to pick up a MIG for my shop. . . currently I use my buddies if its something I don't want to do with my TIG. Tell ya what. . . a plasma cutter and a tig machine. . . and I don't come inside from the garage anymore! Way too much fun! Lookin good Kris. Its always satisfying to fabricate stuff yourself.
TImmy
TImmy
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: 21791
Dad said... You get a few people interested in buying those brackets, i just may need to get "the business" a plasma cutter! I said, hell yes, let me post up some pictures like right nowwww.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Wallingford, CT
Kris we've got a 252 and love it as well. We didn't opt for the spool gun since we don't do much with Aluminum.
Our welding supply guy recommended we check out HyperTherm plasma cutters instead of Miller. We trust this guy a lot so we're looking at a Hypertherm 1250 I believe it is.
It'll do up to 7/8" steel no issues and can do up to like 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" steel if it needs to. We were told retail was somewhere around 3700$ but he could let it out the door for 3000.
Anyways that looks awesome.
Our welding supply guy recommended we check out HyperTherm plasma cutters instead of Miller. We trust this guy a lot so we're looking at a Hypertherm 1250 I believe it is.
It'll do up to 7/8" steel no issues and can do up to like 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" steel if it needs to. We were told retail was somewhere around 3700$ but he could let it out the door for 3000.
Anyways that looks awesome.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,679
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Kris we've got a 252 and love it as well. We didn't opt for the spool gun since we don't do much with Aluminum.
Our welding supply guy recommended we check out HyperTherm plasma cutters instead of Miller. We trust this guy a lot so we're looking at a Hypertherm 1250 I believe it is.
It'll do up to 7/8" steel no issues and can do up to like 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" steel if it needs to. We were told retail was somewhere around 3700$ but he could let it out the door for 3000.
Anyways that looks awesome.
Our welding supply guy recommended we check out HyperTherm plasma cutters instead of Miller. We trust this guy a lot so we're looking at a Hypertherm 1250 I believe it is.
It'll do up to 7/8" steel no issues and can do up to like 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" steel if it needs to. We were told retail was somewhere around 3700$ but he could let it out the door for 3000.
Anyways that looks awesome.
Timmy
