[Smoker]

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!

 

[Smoker]

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

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

 

[Smoker]

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.

 

[Smoker]

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.

 

[Smoker]

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.💉

 

[Smoker]

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.

 

[Smoker]

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]

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.

 

[Smoker]

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.

 

[Smoker]

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.

 

[Smoker]

If we're still working on the box tomorrow, I'll try to weld a SKULLY on it.

 

[Smoker]

This is TIG welded or O/A? Man, this is IMPRESSIVE! I am amazed!! My stick skills are inexistent compared to this.

It's O/A. Evidently, it's not very hard to make decent, unattractive fusion welds (no rod). Adding filler rod soon. Will be more difficult to coordinate both hands.

I developed a learning tool for TIG. Also works for O/A. Of course, I haven't been using it, like I should. I'll post it up when I have time because it takes some explanation.

 

[Smoker]

Instructor told us to finish the Box project tonight. Mine was done last night. I could do another one, but I'd rather do something new.

I go into his office and ask him if I can try to weld a skully into the side of my box. He stared at me for a good 3 seconds, and said- FUCK YEAH!!! I'm guessing no one ever asked him that.

It was fun because I didn't move the box. I welded forehand, backhand, up & down without changing the torch position. Fusion welding, no rod.

 

[Smoker]

Also tried fusion welding my name. Tried to get good penetration, so it was harder.

 

[Smoker]

In this class, all projects come from the syllabus and instructor. So, I can't start cutting other metal, or bringing in my own stuff. He won't even let me jump ahead to the next project. Easier to teach everyone at once.

Only 14 more days in this class. Then, 2 days per week in the open lab where I can do what I want.

Already have a good sized box of aluminum and steel coupons for TIG practice. Got plenty of sheet, steel tubes the same thickness as the RZ frame, and steel pie cuts similar to expansion chamber tubing.

Also noticed at school they have a large supply of .063" 6061. I'm sure they cut it into coupons for practice. Just wondering if it would work well for a custom fuel tank.👍

 

[Smoker]

So, I already told the instructor that I'm mostly interested in TIG welding aluminum, titanium, and steel. Also TIG brazing.

Last night I asked him if they have propane. Told him I'd like to learn to color anodize titanium and stainless. He liked the idea.

Bad news, though. No propane, and I'm sure the O/A heating torch is way too hot. He said butane would be okay to use, but I don't think a butane torch is the right tool. MAPP gas would be good, but he didn't mention it. I'll ask next time.

If I have to buy my own gas, torch, and coupons- I may as well do it at home.

 

[Smoker]

just hold the torch further away ?

stainless that's went pretty colours when welding is, as far as I know, more inclined to rust, does simply colouring it with a torch have any similar affect ?

Yeah, I thought of that, too. But, I wouldn't be using an O/A heating torch at home. I should learn with the tools I'll be using. I'm thinking propane or MAPP gas only.

To my knowledge, color anodizing doesn't noticeably affect corrosion resistance. When applying heat, the colors start with straw, and end with purple, then blue, then light blue. If you go past light blue, the polished metal turns dull gray. Dull gray is too far and will reduce the corrosion resistance. It can still be reversed by re-polishing off the burned oxidation. After repolishing, heat anodizing can be repeated.

 

[Smoker]

stainless that's went pretty colours when welding is, as far as I know, more inclined to rust, does simply colouring it with a torch have any similar affect ?

Was reading about temperature vs. color and came across this:

The oxide film of titanium not only changes the color of titanium, but also greatly improves the corrosion resistance of titanium. However, the thicker the oxide film of titanium, the better the corrosion resistance. When the heating temperature is below 500 °C, oxygen and titanium will form a dense oxide film of TiO2, which has a certain protective effect on the surface of titanium; When the heating temperature reaches 600 °C-700 °C, the oxide film on the surface of titanium will become thicker; After the temperature exceeds 700 ° C, although the thickness of the oxide film increases, it becomes loose, easily broken, and loses its protective effect.

According to related research, after heating in air for half an hour, the surface of titanium heated at 200 ° C is silver white, 300 ° C is light yellow, 400 ° C is golden yellow, 500 ° C is blue, 600 ° C is purple, 700 °C (to) – 800 ° C for gray red, 900 ° C for gray

 

[Smoker]

I'm just in the process of teaching myself TIG

Good luck, bro. I'll try to post any good tips I find.

At the last class, I still had some time. I wanted to cut a hole in my box and weld on a steel tube. Fireproof. Heavy enough to not fall over. Perfect Bottle Rocket Launcher. Thought the teacher would get a kick. Couldn't find the steel tube, though.

Was just thinking that I'll be teaching myself TIG, too. My next classes are just open lab for practice. I'd better start getting my TIG stuff ready.

Got plenty of aluminum & steel sheet coupons, steel tubes the same thickness as the RZ frame, and steel pie cuts similar to expansion chamber tubing. But, I'll try to use school materials as much as I can to recoup costs.

 

[Smoker]

Already thinking about welding titanium. I'll try to talk to the instructor tomorrow to start getting info.

I'm guessing that they don't teach Ti welding at all, even in the occupational welding program, due to costs. When I mentioned Ti welding before, he said something about me buying my own coupons/supplies.

Looked around online. Only titanium coupons I could find were .040 flats and they're sold out. So, none. Plenty of pie cuts available, ready to weld, but around $10 usd EACH. Okay if I'm making something, but that's too much for practice. I'll probably buy a sheet & tube and cut my own coupons.

Tubing & pie cuts are nice, because the back purge setup is easy. For sheet/plate, I'll probably need to make a purge cup. I saw a small one for sale, I think 4" x 4" for around $300 usd. So, fuck that. Will probably need to make my own. Still won't be cheap. I think the box can be stainless, but the top might need to be perforated titanium sheet which is expensive.

I'm not talking about an argon chamber, which would be awesome, just a low profile box for the coupons to sit on top of. Could also be used for stainless, with another stainless perforated top. Even if they have a purge box at school, I'll need one to practice at home.

Thinking I should do mostly titanium and stainless welding at school, because it probably uses twice the argon vs. welding aluminum or steel.