That turned out extremely nice. You really spent some time and did it right. That is a model job for people who want to replace their floors which is a very common problem.

 

Excellent work there, beautiful job. Scuff the paint up with a wire brush in a grinder and roll a quart or two of bed liner on top of it and it'll be pert 'near purrrfect!

I had to fix some much more minor floor rot a few years ago, I didn't have the nerve to cut all that out. I just cleaned it well and then painted it well with a thick brush, then applied some heavier galvanized steel underneath with seam sealer layered in and painted stell above and used a number of 1/4" screws and nuts to pull it all together, then when tight, bunches 3/16" dia stainless steel pop rivets.

Hardest part was getting the curvature right as the stock floor isn't flat, but you took care of that with flat sheets!

I like it.

I too learned on a Lincoln 225 amp AC welder from my FIL, .... what kind of welder did you use in the floor though?

 

excellent work, looks great and different from the usual patch job. its nice to know in this age of vid games and i-pods, there are still kids growing up with a real interest in the hobby who dont mind getting their hands dirty. keep it up , you have a bright future

 

Keep up the welding, get 6G certified and move to Colorado and i'll have a job for you.

If welding is something you want to pursue, experience and practice makes perfect.

Also trying several different rods, from 6013 "farmer rod" to 6010 pipeline, to the universal 7018 and the liquid smooth 7024 and my favorite 7014. Doesn't hurt to mess around with 6011 and 6012.

Keep at it if that's what you want to do, and don't be afraid to ask some questions, some of us here can help, and may even learn something ourselves as well.

Josh

 

Thanks bullit, i might chose the welding career, but im not sure yet...as i love fixing up vehicles...i may just continue to get better and better, and keep it as a alternative career choice if i dont like the motorcycle/auto mechanic career..and besides, i can always do "under the table" welding jobs for people on the side

Hey, i have no clue the corralation between the numerical numbers on the rods and what they should be used for...do you think you could enlighten me on that?

 

The first numbers are easy: It stands for tensile strength, 60XX would be 60,000 lbs and 70XX is 70,000 lbs. It's pretty rare for most jobs to use anything more than 7018, but some bridge and pipline require the big guns, 8028, 9018 and even 10XXX.

3rd is position from 1-3, 1 universal, 2 flat and horizontal only, 3 similar to 1 but only vertical down.

4th number is current... (copied from some website)

1 : DC:ROD+ ................... cellulose sodium
2 : AC or DC:ROD+ or DC:ROD- .. cellulose potassium
3 : AC or DC:ROD- ............. titania sodium
4 : AC or DC:ROD- or DC:ROD+ .. iron powder titania
5 : DC:ROD+ ................... low hydrogen sodium
6 : AC or DC:ROD+ ............. low hydrogen potassium
7 : AC or DC:ROD+ or DC:ROD- .. iron powder iron oxide
8 : AC or DC:ROD+ ............. iron powder low hydrogen

Different rods get used for different stuff. 6013 is called Farmer Rod because it will weld anything including rust! But the weld doesn't exactly look great and spatters like crazy.

7014 looks awesome, is super fast and the slag just falls off on it's own, but some don't like the "concave" nature of the finished weld.

7018 is pretty much the universally accepted rod for everything. Takes a little more voltage to run compared to 7014 (think 140 amps versus 120)

In a pipeline situation you might have the requirement of a 6010 root pass, followed by a 7018 cover and cap.

 

ranger, here is the link to lincoln electrics product literature page. on this page you can order posters, stickers and product brochures for free.

look at the posters. there are some really cool ones with welding positions, rod types with their uses and the amperage they run best at. theres alot of cool stuff they offer for free.Literature Request | Lincoln Electric

also dont be afraid to try the 6013 rod. its a GREAT rod to learn on, and contrary to what alot of people say, you can make some really pretty welds. 7014 is a great all around rod, and as for 7018, well that rod is the number one in my book. the only issue you will have with 7018 is, being that your buzz box is an a/c only machine, you will have to use 7018 AC. still a good rod, but not as easy to use as the standard excalibur 7018 rod made for dc.

 

Wow! Thanks Bullit! I guess you really do learn something new everyday! Im glad i got that leason, now i might now what im blabbering about down at the Air gas store!

 

are you sure your not talking about 6011 being the farmers rod? 6013 will weld on slight rust but not like 6011 will. ive found 6013 to make really pretty welds.

 

No, 6013 has always been called Farmer Rod.

6011 is really an AC/DC version of a 6010. Both will power thru rust and even paint. That's why it is required, for the most part, to run a clean and root with 6010 in pipeline welding and then cover and cap with 7018. If you try to do the 1st pass and sometimes 2nd with 7018 you get hang-ups and a complete mess welding uneven, rusty and sometimes primer overspray on pipe joints. Remember, in a perfect world you can dress the joints with flap disks and wire wheels, but when the excavation crew and back fill crew and pipe setter crews are waiting for you to make your beads you don't have time for it. Just run the beads, get the x-ray and move on.

I was the head mechanic and main welder for a pipeline construction company until last year when they up and closed their doors. Now I am a welding supervisor for a fabrication company. We make everything from metal signs to roll-off dumpsters. It's actually kind of neat.

Josh

Josh

 

Yabba Dabba Doo!

You did a great job. Did you happen to keep measurements of all your cutouts for templates?

 

hmm in all the years ive been welding i hadnt heard it called that. i never had good luck trying to weld rusty metal with it. i clean all my metal before i weld anyways so i guess i never really put much effort in trying to get it to weld on rusty metal. great all around rod though and a good rod to learn on.

 

Ohhh i dont really remember, i can remember the brown steel in that pic being 17.5" wide from back to front...and i think the actual floor steel was 26" on the passenger side? But sorry i dont really remember them all