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Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 8:21 pm
by senorgilamonster
I thought about using oak...but i remembered an old article that I had read about 15 years ago (on wainscoting) that talked about what a dream MDF was to route. I wasn't sure it would hold up to the rigor of the bend, but there was a free scrap in the cull pile so I though - "why not?"

To get 50T cab panels that match I am going to use the width of the MDF as a gauge and drop the already bent side over a radius on the far edge. I was going to make the hood a bit larger and trim. Got a HF air cutter for $20 today.

I admit that this taking longer than I want and a bit of a detour from the 50T - but all of the tools and experience transfer over to make the 50T better.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:39 pm
by rkcarguy
The MDF totally makes sense, I only needed a small chunk to bend my ladder rungs and had a piece of oak on hand. Light gage steel bends easily and the MDF should be up for the task.
The hood for my S12 was done on our 12' press brake at work with our 1" round die, and the top of the cab put through the roll to match a profile I traced onto a piece of wood. I have access to some neat equipment through work:)

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:26 pm
by senorgilamonster
I got another day and a half in...
I clamped down a " sq steel bar and bent all 4 steps brackets at the same time. This resulted in the bracket sizes being more consistent than if I had bent them individually in a vise.
steps1.jpg
steps2.jpg
Then I plugged in my $30 garage sale stick welder and attempted to weld for the first time in my life. This is definitely one of the most frustrating things that I have ever done. After a few hours of practice, I started on the frame. Had a couple of blow-outs as I was moving too slow.
welded frame.jpg
blowout.jpg
Today I welded up the end beams. My ability is slowly improving. Today I created a stack of blobs. OK, so it is ugly as sin, but it isn't going to just fall off in my lifetime. I had the ends secured with 90 degree magnets for a while. I took them off once I was sure the end was stuck on good...but once I was done' I realized the end pieces had pulled inward (toward the fillet).
stack of blobs.jpg
Anyway - another hour this weekend to cut out the slot for the chain and mount the motor. The original design would have allowed me to mount it below the deck, but this is OK too.

Tuesday the 20th I plan to cross the border and go to the BCSME in Burnaby, B.C. and check out the club. If I can press the wheels to gauge, I may have it in good enough shape to walk alongside of the platform and test it out. (I tried 4 tons and it didn't do the job)

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:29 pm
by senorgilamonster
The (replacement) sheet metal for the hood still hasn't arrived, so it doesn't look like I'll be doing any work until Wednesday.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 4:35 am
by Harold_V
senorgilamonster wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:26 pm I plugged in my $30 garage sale stick welder and attempted to weld for the first time in my life. This is definitely one of the most frustrating things that I have ever done.
I took a night time welding class for two years. I do not consider myself a weldor. It is a rather demanding craft, requiring a steady hand, great hand to eye coordination, good eyesight and lots of patience. It really helps to have someone instruct you of proper procedures, too.

Just sayin'!

H

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:55 pm
by senorgilamonster
Thanks. Yeah I know. The same things can be said for learning how to land an airplane. My flight instructor something that I think applies to welding as well - "I can't teach you how to fly...I can describe it to you, I can demonstrate it for you, but in the end you have to teach yourself how to fly the plane. I am here to keep you from killing yourself until you figure it out".

I have a son who is a certified pipe fitter & welder - works on big union jobs, etc. Unfortunately he lives and works too far away to help. Oh, and I know a guy who could work with me, but he is on deployment with the Navy.

I have asked everybody that I know if they weld - everyone says the same thing: "No, but I wish I knew how to". So I decided it was something I need to learn. I will probably take a class at the tech school, but by the time I though of it I was past start of class for this semester and by the end of next semester I'd probably be past the time frame to sill make it to the Triennial with the GE 50T.

While I'm not adverse to paying someone for some help, the professional shops around here are way out of my range.

In the end, it is why I am building the Husky, to learn new skills. I've never welded, never bent sheet metal, never broken roller chain, never bought sprockets or bearings.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:17 pm
by senorgilamonster
Harold - I want to make sure that I didn't come across the wrong way - I really appreciate your comments on this and other threads.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 2:41 am
by Harold_V
senorgilamonster wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2018 1:17 pm Harold - I want to make sure that I didn't come across the wrong way - I really appreciate your comments on this and other threads.
Not at all! I'm a great deal like you, and take on numerous projects that are beyond my pay grade. I don't always get the best results, but only because I lack the proper procedure, or I don't have enough experience (like welding). It certainly isn't from not trying. I hope I didn't say anything to discourage you, as that wasn't my purpose.

I struggled with welding, as I had never had anyone give me guidance. I'd had a 180 amp Lincoln buzbox since my late teenage years, but I'd never taken a class. I now have a Lincoln 300/300, which I really like. I now realize that not taking a class was a mistake. One of the things that totally amazed me was how well an oxy/acet torch can cut when you know how to set the gas and use an acceptable feed rate. My cutting, previous to the class, was horrible.

Took me the two years of welding before I passed an x-ray test, welding heavy (5/8") steel plate, vertical up, using 7018 rod. That occurred way back in the early 90's, leaving me quite proud of myself. I still have the piece that was tested.

I mentioned getting help because a huge amount of things were revealed to me by taking the class. One of them that I really liked was the keyhole weld, using 6010. It almost makes no sense, but, man, does it work!

H

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:49 pm
by rkcarguy
Hey we all started somewhere, and you won't learn by not trying. You can always get some scraps and practice practice practice.
I was lucky to have a good teacher and friend who taught me to MIG weld and it's basically about getting the right settings for the situation, then point and squeeze the trigger. I think the worst part was learning TIG I stuffed the rod into the electrode and zapped myself many times! My first weld job was a roll cage in a race car, so I had to really get comfortable with it before I dove in and started welding on $1,000 worth of mandrel bent DOM seamless steel tubing. I have a little experience with stick welding but once I got TIG and MIG figured out I only used it if nothing else was available.
Some tips... I'd say the long weld seam looks a bit cold, and the first one pretty hot. When welding a 90* connection of a tube to a tube, the radius on the corner will leave a gap, and you'll probably have to stitch weld it to not have it burn through. Do a little bit of weld, then move over to the other side, and so on. Then when doing the fillet in the corners without a gap, you'll need more amps or it will pile up. Cool it with a wet rag if needed. Adjust the amps and remember what worked for what situation once you get a nice weld going. My friend still writes his best settings in black sharpie all over his Millermatic 251 and he's been welding for 25 years now.
Also, I admit I'm a lightweight and always use an auto-dimming helmet as it helps not striking random arc's when I can't see anything :oops:
Plus, the constant flipping up and down of the regular weld helmet put a painful crick in my neck. I highly recommend getting a good auto dimming helmet.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:42 pm
by Kimball McGinley
Are you using flux core wire without gas in your wire welder? Or are you using solid with a flux gas like Argon? I ask because your welds, no offense, kind of look like what happened when I ran out of fluxed wire and did not realize the new spool was solid! It was dirty and lumpy and very bright; the steel was burning!
It can help to sand through the brown "mill scale" on HRS to bright metal before wire welding.
I always make a couple test/set-up pieces before welding on my good parts to get the setting right.
Yes, as the weld cools, it pull in that direction.

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:04 pm
by senorgilamonster
stick welder with flux coated sticks - Lincoln 6011. You couldn't possible offend me about my terrible welds.

I did go all the way to bright metal on the areas where I was welding and the ground attach point with an angle grinder.

...and yes, I should have practiced much, much more. When I got an arc and was able to maintain it until the entire stick was gone, I kinda' went nuts.

Thanks for the tips/

Re: Stretch Husky in a weekend

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:11 pm
by NP317
Try 6013 rod. It's easier to deal with for beginners.
It has a lower meeting temperature and is better for fillet welds like you were doing.
6011 likes to penetrate the base metals more than 6013.

Corrections/additions to my comments are totally invited.
~RN