butt head, butt weld.., I need some help |
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butt head, butt weld.., I need some help |
TravisNeff |
Feb 14 2005, 02:09 PM
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#1
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,082 Joined: 20-March 03 From: Mesa, AZ Member No.: 447 Region Association: Southwest Region |
Hey all,
I have been trying to patch up A/C holes in my tub and having a helluva time blowing holes in the metal and voids around the weld area. I start with tacks in the corners and start tacking around the world in an offset pattern, when I have about 12 tacks in a circle I try to join the tacs. However when I tac, I most always blow a hole in the new sheet metal, or in the old panel. I have the worst time in the vertical position. I have ground down both sides of the panel (and patch) to clean metal. If I am not blowing a hole, only about 50% of the weld gets good penetration, when I hit it a little longer I blow a hole. I have even used a sorta chill bar to back the joint (1" copper pipe squished flat with a bend, suggested by another lister). Also, I am making most of my holes just buzzing a tack, not so much once I have an arc established. I have a Millermatic 175, using .023 wire and Argon/CO2 (about 24lbs pressure when I hit the switch), Guide states I should use #2 on voltage and 50 on the wire feed speed. I have no problems welding lap joints at these settings and it sounds like bacon frying when it does it, so I know I am close. I have gone down to 1.5 on voltage and reduced the wire feed to 40, still no luck. I have expanded my stickout (experimenting with 1" plus down to the 3/8's I normally do). The welds suck. Once I get done and grind the welds down smooth I almost always find a crack/void where the metal joins the weld. Weld, grind, weld grind. I can eventually get it right, fixing each one of the patches once I grind it down. I have tried the butt weld clamps, but the gap is huge, I can get the metal to almost (or actually touch) and hold it in with a magnet. What am I missing? Should I be using metal ready to clean the metal even further, try another technique? I am holding the gun at an upward angle and a touch over to the side (hell I have tried just about everything). |
Mueller |
Feb 17 2005, 09:09 AM
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#2
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914 Freak! Group: Members Posts: 17,146 Joined: 4-January 03 From: Antioch, CA Member No.: 87 Region Association: None |
what you are totally missing here is that the butt welding is for "repairs" or for the added on flares so the the panel appears to be one-piece or seamless....a GT flare does not need the strength the laps would give you...the 914 was spot welded together to save money, how else are you going to spot weld without having overjoining laps..... Shelby Cobra bodies have the panels butt welded together, I guess they didn't know what they were doing (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) It's job specific on how a method is approched..... using the excuse the factory did or didn't do it is pretty weak (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif) |
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