akitagandy
Member
What would be the best welding rod to use on T-bucket frame ,don't have a mig
welding question
- Thread starter akitagandy
- Start date
i like the 6013 too but i asked the welder at the shop where we used to get our oxy and acetyline tanks filled for work and he recomended 7018 for a frame or any thing that may be subject to flex.he said the 6013 would not stand up to flex.and i kind of agree that is what we used around work for welding mower parts and they break when there is a lot of flex.just a thaught.Dan.
Lo-Hi is good and strong but its harder to weld with when you stop your bead you'll find the stick tip glass's over and you have to work at the end to get to go again.I used 6013 on my first T and didnt have a problem but it's your choice.Lo-Hi is also has more slag and its a bi54h to chip off.Turns to glass.v8danh said:
i agree.i am in no way an expert i have never even taken a course.i did however use the 7018 and it was a pain to chip of the slag.seems like when i finaly got the heat set right it was almost the same as the 6013 and the slag just lifted off.i did not weld my entire frame but did put on the rear shock mounts and some of the other brackets and had good luck with the 7018 ac 1/8".
norseman
Member
If you do all your prep work nice and can keep all your welding in a flat
position I would use 7024, same tensile strength as 7018 (70000 lbs) and when set right and ran correctly it will leave the prettiest beads you have seen but it takes PRACTICE! I like it better than wire for splicing big sheets togather...
position I would use 7024, same tensile strength as 7018 (70000 lbs) and when set right and ran correctly it will leave the prettiest beads you have seen but it takes PRACTICE! I like it better than wire for splicing big sheets togather...
norseman
Member
Its fun to weld with 7024 aka jet rod after you have it figured out. Its fun to watch the kids try to weld a ladder rung in one pass without stopping.. I thought you went to welding school? bwaaahaaahaahaa!!!
Nothing I like better than splicing 2 5ft x 20 ft long 3/8ths steel plates with 3/16ths 7024, plunk the rod down and snooze. lolol
Nothing I like better than splicing 2 5ft x 20 ft long 3/8ths steel plates with 3/16ths 7024, plunk the rod down and snooze. lolol
meangreen
Active Member
Yep, 7024 makes a pretty bead, but is not good for doing vertical welds. As long as you can roll the frame over, stand it on its side, etc, so that you are always welding horizontally, 7024 is great stuff. However the coating is so heavy that, as it melts, it will interfere with any attempt at vertical welds. A good compromise between 6013 and 7024 is 7014. It has some of the good qualities of both. In my opinion, 7018 sucks! It is temperamental and difficult to weld with and doesn't leave a pretty bead (compared to 6013 or 7014).
As for frame flex - the flexing that occurs in a T-bucket frame is not at the crossmember weld joints, so it's a non-issue. Besides, 6013 has 60,000 psi tensile strength! Unless you are installing an Allison V-12 engine... well, never mind.
As for frame flex - the flexing that occurs in a T-bucket frame is not at the crossmember weld joints, so it's a non-issue. Besides, 6013 has 60,000 psi tensile strength! Unless you are installing an Allison V-12 engine... well, never mind.
I used 7018 on my frame, and most everything else. Low hydrogen rod does not get as brittle as some others. I talked to our weld forman at work and that is what he suggested. I took a welding class at the local college and he recommend same. Although you need to run a root weld with 6010 first and get all the slag out before using 7018. You also have to have clean metal, 7018 won't tolerate any junk, rust, paint, etc. Also you can't leave 7018 rods out for any length of time, they will absorb moisture. Keep them sealed up or use a rod oven if possible.
Tex-T
Tex-T
akitagandy
Member
how do you convert one
fluidfloyd
Active Member
akitagandy,
Most stick welding machines are just that, stick welding machines. To convert to TIG you have to have DC polarity for steel. It helps to have a high frequency unit although you can"scratch" start your arc. You would need a TIG torch, argon flow gage and argon. Some stick machines are wired to add on TIG or Mig units. Torch really needs to be water cooled due to the amperage you will need to weld a frame. You could do it with an air cooled torch but it will need to be hi amp rated. Water torches allow you to use smaller torches at hight amperage and weld longer without over heating. If you are comfortable with a stick welder then go for it. If you want it TIG or MIG weld it then find someone to help you out. You can get it welded way cheaper then you can convert a stick machine to TIG. Do all the cut and fit up work at home and then take it to the welder's shop. Call around the Memphis area race car chassis shops. Most all of them are slow and looking for work. This is a nation wide problem right now. As any new cars for the 2009 season should be pretty well finished and delivered by now you could get lucky. If all else fails contact me. I am really busy but I might be able to work something out. And no, I'm not advertising for work on the forum, but I will help you out if I can.
George
Most stick welding machines are just that, stick welding machines. To convert to TIG you have to have DC polarity for steel. It helps to have a high frequency unit although you can"scratch" start your arc. You would need a TIG torch, argon flow gage and argon. Some stick machines are wired to add on TIG or Mig units. Torch really needs to be water cooled due to the amperage you will need to weld a frame. You could do it with an air cooled torch but it will need to be hi amp rated. Water torches allow you to use smaller torches at hight amperage and weld longer without over heating. If you are comfortable with a stick welder then go for it. If you want it TIG or MIG weld it then find someone to help you out. You can get it welded way cheaper then you can convert a stick machine to TIG. Do all the cut and fit up work at home and then take it to the welder's shop. Call around the Memphis area race car chassis shops. Most all of them are slow and looking for work. This is a nation wide problem right now. As any new cars for the 2009 season should be pretty well finished and delivered by now you could get lucky. If all else fails contact me. I am really busy but I might be able to work something out. And no, I'm not advertising for work on the forum, but I will help you out if I can.
George
blownt
Member
Back when I was out in the field as a piping field engineer just about all we used in the carbon steel piping systems was 7018. But I HATE 7018 on any frame or around the shop projects. Way too dam hard to work with. I defy you to try and break a 6013 weld with a good bevel and penetration. Ain't gonna happen unless you drive into a concrete wall at 100 mph. I use 6013 for everything I stick weld. Super easy to use and makes a very pretty weld. Splatters alittle bit more but just clean up little more. In order for a 7018 to really work well ya gotta keep it hot in a rod oven. Another good use for a rod oven is to heat up your lunch.
This is the foundation of your rod, so you sure want it strong. I'm no expert, but I checked with some experts before I started. I took a welding class at the local college. My instructor said to use 7018 with a 7010 root weld. I also asked the welding supervisor at work and he agreed. We make mining and construction equipment and when they stick weld anything, it is always with 7018 rod. Whatever you decide to use, do a lot of practice to satisfy yourself that it is a good weld. You can cut some short pieces of tubing (I used 2 x 3") and bevel them and weld 'em up. You can look inside to see the how much penetration you got. Take your time. You can do it!
Tex-T
Tex-T
Ted Brown
Member
Reading all of this , I just remembered what stick rod I used to use, Fleetweld 37,, it worked real smooth, in any position, and if you do your welds correctly, the weld is now the strongest part... I had a fellow that used to be a super welder for a large gas refinery, go to work for me, well after about 6 months, I found that He could not weld a bracket on a frame and make it stay there, I had to reweld everything He ever welded, what a pain that was.... and yes you do NEED to keep your ROD warm, an old refridge, with a 100 watt light blub inside works great... Keeps things dry...
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