Custom Fighter Welding School

8572 Views 231 Replies 20 Participants Last post by Smoker, 20 d ago

Smoker

Discussion Starter · Jan 24, 2022

May as well get the welding talk out of my build thread.

This will be a good place to organize my welding projects, show my gear, and post my progress.

Have less than a month before I get into 2 open lab classes. Pretty sure I can do whatever I want, which is TIG welding my custom bikes & parts. Need to learn how first, but I should get my projects in order ASAP and develop a plan.

Even if I don't get good enough to do the finish welding, I need to fabricate and tack together the parts. Looking forward to making some progress on the bikes!

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GoodKat

· #2 · Jan 24, 2022

Cheers, @Smoker! Knowing your attention to details, I'm sure you're going to rock this in no-time. I've spent all my dough on the mini lathe, so I'm still using my trusty stick welder...but one day I'll get my hands on a TIG, so until then I'm going to be a lurker on this thread.

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 24, 2022

Fair enough! I'm lurking on your mini-lathe.

I'll get my hands on one of those some day.

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TURNIP

· #4 · Jan 24, 2022

I picked up a ~1K tig that'll run on my piddly 110 recently so I will be piggy-backing on your experience like hell. 🤣

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 24, 2022

Well, let me say this is bullshit.

I'm using a standard Victor O/A torch. It's 2022 FFS. Where's the damn digital torch? At least give me some kind of flowmeter on the torch, so I can easily repeat the flame precisely.

Searched, and didn't find anything. No wonder it takes time to get good.

TURNIP

· #6 · Jan 24, 2022 (Edited)

I think you'll find you get good at whacking the flame to what you want pretty fast. I hadn't used one in years, and never learned how to use one properly, but I made out okay doing some bodywork stuff recently just knowing that I needed to add oxygen until I had a hard cone-shaped flame. Quickly seems natural like putting binoculars to your face and focusing them.

Knowing how much gas I should start with to end up with a correct mixture flowing enough to do what I was trying to do took a bit longer, especially since it's hard to move along at a consistent speed early on.

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yantosh

· #7 · Jan 24, 2022

you get flow meters on oxy/acetylene torches ? I never seen one .... every day's a school day

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jan 24, 2022

yantosh said:
you get flow meters on oxy/acetylene torches ? I never seen one .... every day's a school day

No such thing, except in my brain.

I think I could design something that would work, though.

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shinyribs

· #9 · Jan 25, 2022

Pete, bro, I don't think they can digitize O/A torches 😂 You'll get there, man.

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 25, 2022

Well, I think I could design valves to replace the standard needle valves on the torch. You could just twist the collars like a torque wrench to click on a specific flow.

Last night was okay. Lecture night, but no lecture- just straight to the lab. Guess the instructor is trying to make up the days lost in the first week. Layed down 10-12 beads on two 1/16 inch steel coupons. I think my torch needs rebuilding. Can't get the flame hot enough, now. Taking too long to puddle up and move metal. Did okay, though.

Moving on to the next project tonight, which is an outside corner joint. Will have to finish project #1 later. Definitely don't have 6 perfect beads, yet.

Very comfortable in my safety gear. Pretty much the same as my anesthesia gear. But, I keep wishing I could poke someone with a needle.💉

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TURNIP

· #11 · Jan 25, 2022

Smoker said:
No such thing, except in my brain.

I think I could design something that would work, though.

You could definitely build something that would work. My brain immediately went to a bubble counter coupled with a photocell reporting to whatever microcontroller or etc. I'm not familiar with sensor tech in this area at all though so there may well be some industry solution I'm not aware of 😅

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 25, 2022

Oh, this is good. The midterm exam is the day after tomorrow. Crazy.

So, the midterm is open-book. Instructor said he's going to go into his office. And said he's going to stay there. "Just in case we need to discuss the answers".

WTF kind of college is this? Evidently, I expect way too much.

Well, actually, I like it! I'm just looking for a good time. Can hardly wait to melt some metal, tonight.

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shinyribs

· #13 · Jan 25, 2022

Discussing answers and ideas amongst your fellow classmates sounds like a great way to learn. Multiple points of view is always beneficial.

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shinyribs

· #14 · Jan 25, 2022

TURNIP said:
You could definitely build something that would work. My brain immediately went to a bubble counter coupled with a photocell reporting to whatever microcontroller or etc. I'm not familiar with sensor tech in this area at all though so there may well be some industry solution I'm not aware of 😅

Once y'all get the torch digitized and repeatable you'll be battling constantly varying aspects in the puddle, hand placement, torch angle, a passing breeze... etc. It's kinda like picking a booger. Not every nugget requires the same techniques, you just gotta wing it and figure it out as you go.

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MikeGyver

· #15 · Jan 25, 2022

shinyribs said:
It's kinda like picking a booger.

Is that why they call it booger welded?

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TURNIP

· #16 · Jan 25, 2022

Give it IR sensors and magical machine learning so it can control the mix and flow and keep a perfect puddle as you goober along like me with a pack of crayons...

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 26, 2022

TURNIP said:
Give it IR sensors and magical machine learning so it can control the mix and flow and keep a perfect puddle as you goober along like me with a pack of crayons...

I can do it. We'll put a sensor on the tip.

Won't even need welding school any more. :knucks:

Smoker

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 26, 2022

Tonight was interesting. There's good news and bad news.

The bad news is I wasted my time for the past 2 nights.

On the first night, my torch was so hot, the cone was about 3/4" away from the metal. Past 2 nights, I got no hot flame. I'm searching the torch schematic, looking to see if there are o-rings or something replaceable in the valves. Nothing.

Tonight the torch seemed cold again, so I tried my best to burn a hole. Couldn't do it, so I knew the torch was bad. Got the instructor, who figured out the tip was dirty.

Good news is, I cleaned out the tip, and instantly I can weld like a MF!

Did my Corner Joint project. Need 1, did 5. Also did the Puddling project. The portable light I got is great. Will post some pics tomorrow.

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 27, 2022

Everytime the instructor tells me anything, it starts with "Don't you do it like this." or "Don't tell anyone else."

I haven't turned in my projects. If we have free time, I can always try a do-over. Just need to turn them in before the last class.

Learned on the Outside Corner project not to stay to long on the peak, and to bring the puddle farther down on the sides for better penetration. Didn't understand that when I welded these coupons. Have better penetration now.

Not cleaned up.

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Smoker

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 27, 2022 (Edited)

Made a box tonight. Cut the coupons and welded them together. Not even in the syllabus. Instructor wants everyone to move on at the same time. Says we're not going to weld with filler rod until Monday.

Burned a small hole in my box. Instructor told me to use a little filler rod. "Don't tell anyone."

He said we we're going to test them for water-tightness. Guess he forgot. Maybe tomorrow.

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