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Posted by Balders on October 24, 2007, 4:12 am
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Hi guys & girls
I'm looking to buy a "buzzbox" & have never stick welded before. I will be
using it mainly for stuff that my 110A (240V) MIG won't handle.
The project I'm looking at doing will involve welding 4mm thick hot rolled
angle iron, lap, butt & T joints.
I know nothing about what sort of amperage, machine or diameter of rods
I'll require, so any advice is much appreciated. (A beginners guide would
be fantastic too)
I'm based in the UK (please don't let this stop you giving me advice) and
have had a very brief look in Draper & Machine Mart catalogues. Are any of
these worth having? I get a nice discount for Draper :)
This isn't going to be used much BTW so I can't justify mega bucks on it.
I have used MIG, O/A & a smidge of TIG. MIG being my main use.
Many thanks.
Keep up the good work on here, I love reading this forum
*goes back to lurking*
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Posted by Grant Erwin on October 24, 2007, 11:31 am
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Balders wrote:
> Hi guys & girls
>
> I'm looking to buy a "buzzbox" & have never stick welded before. I will be
> using it mainly for stuff that my 110A (240V) MIG won't handle.
> The project I'm looking at doing will involve welding 4mm thick hot rolled
> angle iron, lap, butt & T joints.
>
> I know nothing about what sort of amperage, machine or diameter of rods
> I'll require, so any advice is much appreciated. (A beginners guide would
> be fantastic too)
>
> I'm based in the UK (please don't let this stop you giving me advice) and
> have had a very brief look in Draper & Machine Mart catalogues. Are any of
> these worth having? I get a nice discount for Draper :)
>
> This isn't going to be used much BTW so I can't justify mega bucks on it.
>
>
> I have used MIG, O/A & a smidge of TIG. MIG being my main use.
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Keep up the good work on here, I love reading this forum
> *goes back to lurking*
You want a machine that can deliver DC. For more penetration in the workpiece,
use DCEP. For less penetration (which you may well need here) you can try DCEN.
Either way get the smallest electrodes you can find. 4mm is very thin for SMAW
unless you are quite skilled. I can't imagine a 110V MIG that can't handle
that thickness!
GWE
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Posted by Balders on October 26, 2007, 4:42 am
Please log in for more thread options On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 08:31:17 -0700, Grant Erwin wrote:
> You want a machine that can deliver DC. For more penetration in the workpiece,
> use DCEP. For less penetration (which you may well need here) you can try DCEN.
> Either way get the smallest electrodes you can find. 4mm is very thin for SMAW
> unless you are quite skilled. I can't imagine a 110V MIG that can't handle
> that thickness!
Was pondering a DC inverter last night. That way I could do scratch start
TIG.
After I've restored my VW I'm going to (hopefully) modify a commercially
available 4-1 stainless header to make it equal length. Subaru Impreza in a
'78 VW Bus so nothing 'off the shelf' will fit.
My budget certainly won't stretch to a HF start
DC inverters are around £170 new for a 110A, is this worth considering?
Would that be enough power for my requirements?
Thanks for the replies so far chaps :)
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Posted by IdaSpode on October 26, 2007, 11:01 am
Please log in for more thread options On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:42:25 +0100, Balders
<snip>
>After I've restored my VW I'm going to (hopefully) modify a commercially
>available 4-1 stainless header to make it equal length. Subaru Impreza in a
>'78 VW Bus so nothing 'off the shelf' will fit.
Got pix of that bus?
Not to stray too far OT, but I once put a Ford 2.8L V-6 in a 71 VW
van, interesting project. I lived in Utah and worked at a ski resort
high in the mtns. Folks weren't accustomed to being passed on a steep
hill by a VW bus, beep, beep...
>
>Thanks for the replies so far chaps :)
DJ
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Posted by Balders on October 29, 2007, 5:47 am
Please log in for more thread options On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:01:58 -0600, IdaSpode wrote:
> Got pix of that bus?
>
> Not to stray too far OT, but I once put a Ford 2.8L V-6 in a 71 VW
> van, interesting project. I lived in Utah and worked at a ski resort
> high in the mtns. Folks weren't accustomed to being passed on a steep
> hill by a VW bus, beep, beep...
Grin factor 10+ eh? ;) The Scooby's a great conversion & looks at home in
the back. Makes motorway (highway, 70mph) cruising so effortless. I don't
know if I get dirty looks or pure shock when I pass modern stuff on steep
hills.
Have you got any photos?
http://www.vwkd.co.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=638 is the engine bay
Then on approx page 5 of the "Subaru Power" are:
"My conversion so far"
"My conversion PT II" through to "Part IV"
The rad part is under "Kooling" "Show us your rads (busses)"
Did all the fabrication, wiring (but of a mare) myself. I have a desk job
which is nothing to do with welding, wiring or fabrication. It's just a
hobby for me.
Back on topic...
Thanks for the pointers guys :)
I bought a 160A 240V buzz box (for the time being) on Friday afternoon &
2kg of 2mm 6013.
Once I've got the arc started I was loving it. Dead easy when the rod's
hot, isn't it?!
I ran a 'ploughed field' on some 2mm stock plate.
Then progressed onto 3mm or so box section onto 4mm box. I was suprised how
neat it looked & with full pen on the 3mm :D
I was kneeling down on slightly damp ground and got a tingle when I changed
a rod. Eeeek, gloves on all the time now!
I think I'm going to be buying some 3.2mm rod shortly.
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>
> I'm looking to buy a "buzzbox" & have never stick welded before. I will be
> using it mainly for stuff that my 110A (240V) MIG won't handle.
> The project I'm looking at doing will involve welding 4mm thick hot rolled
> angle iron, lap, butt & T joints.
>
> I know nothing about what sort of amperage, machine or diameter of rods
> I'll require, so any advice is much appreciated. (A beginners guide would
> be fantastic too)
>
> I'm based in the UK (please don't let this stop you giving me advice) and
> have had a very brief look in Draper & Machine Mart catalogues. Are any of
> these worth having? I get a nice discount for Draper :)
>
> This isn't going to be used much BTW so I can't justify mega bucks on it.
>
>
> I have used MIG, O/A & a smidge of TIG. MIG being my main use.
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Keep up the good work on here, I love reading this forum
> *goes back to lurking*