Welder

[Branxhunter]

My stuck welding rods always used to perish/rust in their opened packet and became useless.

A fella from the local engineering business came out to weld up my FEL and had all his rods stored in PVC tubes - glued cap on the bottom end, screw cap on the top.

I went and made up the same thing, and the rods currently in mine are about 8 years old and as good as new.

Marcus

[Rabbitz]

FEL?

Front-end Loader?

Free Electron Laser? If it is this, what else is going on in your shed? (Or shouldn't we ask?)

[bimbo]

for limited home use stick to stick. I haven't looked into the specifics but a little inverter stick is very portable, nice smooth arc. Just make sure that its 10amp lead if you don't have 15amp sockets at home Migs are great but with many more moving parts and eletronics there is more to go wrong on a cheaper one then there is the added cost of either gasless wire or gas bottle.
If you can spring for one an auto darkening helmet helps sooooo much, other than that a nice pair of gloves, chippin hammer and wire brush and your good to go - oh and some sticks stored in a sealed container as Marcus suggested.

[Rabbitz]

Well, I ordered a autodim helmet.

Apparently AS certified, but for $34 I am not holding my breath. Then again, for once in a blue moon use it may do. I guess we'll see soon enough.

[The Raven]

My stuck welding rods always used to perish/rust in their opened packet and became useless.

A fella from the local engineering business came out to weld up my FEL and had all his rods stored in PVC tubes - glued cap on the bottom end, screw cap on the top.

I went and made up the same thing, and the rods currently in mine are about 8 years old and as good as new.

Marcus

That's a good way of going.

If you suspect your welding rods have absorbed any moisture you can always pop them in a warm oven to evaporate out the water before use. Won't splatter or pop as much.

[LoneRider]

Well, I ordered a autodim helmet.

Apparently AS certified, but for $34 I am not holding my breath. Then again, for once in a blue moon use it may do. I guess we'll see soon enough.

nothin wrong with that price,its about all they are really worth.my first one was battery/solar.
the one ive got now is just solar.itll charge off fluro aswell.[aldi special] have never had a problem with either.
i keep my rods in a repurposed microwave.ive put the light on a switch and added another light out of a fridge on another switch.this turns it into a hot box.if its a bit damp i can put one or both lights on and warm the sticks up.
it also keeps the moisture away from the rods.
and because i got jack of burning holes in my shirts from the grinder, i spent $20 somethin on an leather apron.

[fenring]

For general use on mild steel the best I've used are the Austarc 12P rods. 2.5mm rods will weld stuff down to around 3mm and up. You can do thinner with practice but it isn't easy.

https://www.welding.com.au/filler-metal ... austarc12p

This bloke's videos are helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjYPJ-C ... q7bHN_YdCI

Rod angle and 6013 rods (common in most hardware places, the above rods are a version of 6013)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2B36psoNQ4

[Rabbitz]

Helmet arrived today.

Got some welding gloves and some clamps and such as well.

Took a trip around the suburb as there is a kerbside clean up on - not much in the way of scrap steel. So I took a run to the scrap yard and picked up some bibs and bobs for $10, mostly galvanised so the grinder will get a run first.

Now I just need the welder and some sticks...

[bimbo]

Do you ever head up Newcastle way? with a little notice I can get you a bunch of steel scrap offcuts from the scrap bin at work if your ever in need

[The Raven]

Helmet arrived today.

Got some welding gloves and some clamps and such as well.

Took a trip around the suburb as there is a kerbside clean up on - not much in the way of scrap steel. So I took a run to the scrap yard and picked up some bibs and bobs for $10, mostly galvanised so the grinder will get a run first.

Now I just need the welder and some sticks...

Depending on what you want to practice welding on, exhaust and/or brake shops usually have a lot of weldable material in their skips.... Just saying

[Rabbitz]

Do you ever head up Newcastle way? with a little notice I can get you a bunch of steel scrap offcuts from the scrap bin at work if your ever in need

Hmm Newcastle is that far from here and we don't need to much convincing to take a drive to the beautiful Hunter region. I might take you up on that - I'll see how it goes with the stuff from the scrappy.

Depending on what you want to practice welding on, exhaust and/or brake shops usually have a lot of weldable material in their skips.... Just saying

Hadn't thought of that.

Might be good to learn how to weld round things...

[fallingblock]

'Duragal' electroplated gal steel, I just weld without need to grind first.

[LoneRider]

me too,it just spatters abit.
but then again,so does gasless mig

[Rabbitz]

Given I am a not a metallurgist or a metal tradie, duragal vs. 'other' gal is a moot point

Besides, my new helmet has a "grind" setting, so why wouldn't I take advantage of it and break out the angle grinder?

[GJS]

Even if you grind the gal off, zinc fumes are poisonous, so avoid breathing the fumes and drink lots of milk ( acts as an antidote ) .