Saddle your welds

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RcBurnout
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Saddle your welds

Post by RcBurnout »

I've noticed a lot of folks starting to build there own Frames.... That's AWESOME!!!!!! This simple step that seems to be missed is important FOR a strong weld and WILL Make for a aesthetically pleasing weld joint

You have to saddle your welds... This will do so much in the long run for you... For starters and maybe the least important , it will look great... But, if not saddled, extra filler metal will be required and with that COMES more heat.... Unwanted heat in your base metal is not good, especially when welding Chrmo Tubing. To much heat Crystalizes the metal and weakens it... And with a un properly fitted joint........that dreaded , TONS OF FILLER METAL IN, ON AND ALL AROUND THE JOINT.

Also, there are 2 ways to MFG these Frames.... Welding... The welding process melts(liquefies ) the 2 base metals as a similar filler metal added joins them together... That's Welding

Brazing heats the 2 base metals up and a filler metal( usually a Non ferrous ) is melted to them and basically glue, stick or hold them together... If you have a gold in color looking weld, chances are it's been brazed. You can tig weld the joint to gather using a tig torch adding a non ferrous metal but it's still A Brazed joint



Here's some pics of a couple of practice joints I did while tweaking in my machine for some welding I'm doing.
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Mike Casey
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by Mike Casey »

nice write up.
www.quarterscalelegends.com The Awesome history of 1/4 scale!!
RcBurnout
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by RcBurnout »

Thanx Mike, and the welding ain't to shabby either. Toot toot. Yea. I blew my own horn....Lol


Imagination Feeds Creativity
Al Gibson (QSL)
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by Al Gibson (QSL) »

Great info, and welds! Question, would you recommend a tig or mig welder for these car frames. My skills are basic, and i have looked at a couple of 110vac mig units. I know the welding cycle is small (3min of so). Please let me know what you think. Al
RcBurnout
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by RcBurnout »

Thanx Al..... Well, about welding machines.... As for the 110 mig welder, using solid wire with straight argon........ You can weld all day long..... Just did a job that required building vent ducks for a bakery.... That's what I used... It's great for sheet metal... But.... Not for small tubing... Even using 0.35 wire in the machine that's to much filler metal for the small tube... It will make for a very messy weld and you will have to grind your welds in to contention....

Your gonna have to bump up to a Tig Machine.... 220 volt.... And as for a recommendation , talk to them about it.... Some have so many bells and whistles your never get it running right and get discouraged

Go to your local welding supply store and explain to them what your level of experience is and what you are going to do with your intended machine....

They will let you demo some of them..... Once you have found what works for you , your in for a list of things that you will have to buy to support the machine

Then

Practice......Practice........Practice


Imagination Feeds Creativity
Al Gibson (QSL)
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by Al Gibson (QSL) »

RcBurnout

Thanks for info. I am glad i did not spend any money on something that will not work. Al
Paul
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by Paul »

Tig welding is easy on material with a thickness of at least 2mm. below that : it needs a lot of time/learning to achive the wished results. Most important is to learn to adjust the weldingmachine.

Paul
RcBurnout
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by RcBurnout »

3/8 chrome Molly tubing average wall thickness is 1.651 MMs. And that's pretty easy to weld

Just saying

Imagination feeds Creativity

:-)
quartermortar
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by quartermortar »

Thanks for the info and the pics. Makes me want to try again. Had a nice tig welder but sold it. Couldn't get the hang of it and there was no one around to help me learn. i may get a mig and try again. Sometimes a little info can do wonders.
Bill Rittner
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Re: Saddle your welds

Post by Bill Rittner »

I would really like to build a 1/4 scale street rod chassis. I can't afford a tig setup. I can afford a mig setup. Using argon and .025 wire and a well fitted joint is it possible to produce a reasonably good weld?
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