Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Metal to Metal

So my mig welder is on its way here, and I have my first 2 of many questions. I'm the world's worst about getting all the 101 stuff handled before I get moving too fast, so tighten your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

On my 14" metal chop saw, fiber or steel blades? I'm currently using fiber.

Gas thoughts? I keep seeing 75/25 as the preferred mix.

Thanks guys.

25% argon will give you less spatter than 100% co2. It costs a little more. Nice especially on thin metal or tubing. Less cleanup on peices you want to look really nice.

Generally metal blades are for saws specifically made for metal blades. They turn slower than most abrasive saws. But others may have some other experience in that area. Generally for the hobby or small shop user the abrasive blades are more than adequate. Eye protection on any a must.

If you want a metal blade in addition to an abrasive chop saw, I would recomend one of the hand metal saws. They look like a Skillsaw wood saw but turn slower and have a metal shield and blade made for metal. They used to be horribly expensive but some decent saws are now available for the budget of more occasional users. They are handy on projects where the metal can't come to the chop saw.

Tips I can give...

A good pair of gloves as well as make sure you have pants that you can run the cuff over your boot. Noting like a hot metal glob dropping into your boot.

I run the 25% gas as well and love it even if I am just a fixer hobby guys as well.

You will have to play with the heat range and feed speed depending on the gauge of wire you run. Trial and error but once you have your unit set with the wire your using its a breeze.

I like to work my weld like a U shape heating the new metal on each side as your filling the weld up.

Cheers Don.

Al another thing I keep in my work truck, seldom use, but is good to have for occasional use or emergency is a metal blade for your 18 or 20 volt 5" battery powered circular saw. I use Ryobi brand that uses the 10mm center hole but others are made for other saws.

It is pretty hard on the saw and you sure want to be wearing protective clothing, but if you have a peice of angle or tube out on the dock or somewhere away from electricity and dont want to drag a torch out with some care and reason the little saw will get the job done. Not somthing to use for production work or building a project, but in a pinch is invaluable. Just be doubly aware that metal frags will go everywhere, so wear appropriate protection. The saw might see a shortened life if used that way constantly.

One of these blades stays in a compartment of my work truck, rarely gets used, but there if I need it.

The blade looks like an ordinary carbide wood blade but the set of the teeth is less, the carbide cutters are at almost 90 degrees (so does not suck into the metal like wood) and there is metal acting like a depth giude (like the depth/drag links on a chain saw chain) so the metal will not grab.

With carbide metal blades on metal, slow and steady is the key. Ram it in like you might wood and you will knock carbide cutters off. A careless operator can ruin an expensive metal blade in a heart beat. Yet used properly, can outlast many abrasive blades. On metal blades best to treat them like I treat my motorcycle and my wife. I don't loan them out because they may come back damaged.

Yeah, I'd say after welding once in your flip flops you will be dancing around and wearing leather shoes/boots. Even the mesh tennis shoes let nasties end up laying between your toes which result in some pretty funny dance moves.

If your saw is spinning fast enough to use an abrasive blade, DON'T use a "metal" blade for steel. You CAN use a carbide tipped blade to cut aluminum spinning that fast.

When using carbide tipped blades to cut metal, make sure you have good coolant flow to keep the blade tips cool.

I forgot to ask. Are you welding strictly steel, or will you be welding aluminum too?

Aluminum with a MIG is a trick even for an experienced welder. TIG is usually the answer for aluminum.
Now SS works well with MIG. 100% argon gass as I recall and change out the gun liner.

One of the difficulties with aluminum and MIG is shooting out the wire fron the gun. Then the aluminum looks like it is welding along perfectly when a 3" hole drops out. Having different gun feed liners is a must.

If you do not have leather shoe strings in your work boots, might want to have a package on hand. Spatters have a way of melting right through most modern work boot strings. It might not happen today, or tomorrow, but eventually........

I keep a pair of wolverine slip on leather work boots out in my shop just for welding. No laces to tie, I'm just lazy like that.

Thanks so much guys. Keep your brains fired up.

Scott, I'll try aluminum at some point, but I'm not ready for that yet. The Miller I got has a tig option, but I didn't order that gun. Yet.

That is a good idea I had not thought of.

My problem would be I would remember to change shoes right after one lace melted and let my boot loose.

I laugh at this thread because I am so uneducated when it comes to wielding. But I do own a wielder I might need to look into the TIG wielder that esshup mentioned. What kind of money would one be looking at to get set up for alum wielding? Another question comes to mind, where does one look for sheet metal or aluminum sheets and such? I have been to the scrap metal dump yard here and bought scrap that worked as a heavy duty 30' bridge for a bayou crossing, but scrap metal sheets or such things I can cut down I have not found there. So what types of places do you guys purchase such things? Thanks again Al for starting up this thread. Still looking on how to built some platforms for diffusers.

So I picked up some 2" square tubing this last week, and it's oily.

Anything better than acetone to remove the oil? I'll be outside on the trailer, so ventilation and potential sparks should be a nonissue.

I usually do not worry about any minor oil residue for the welding part. I just take paint thinner (whatever happens to be on hand) and wipe it down with a rag before painting. Keep in mind I am not painting show cars. Someone way more particular may have better advice for projects that require perfection. Also keep in mind as soon as it is cleaned it will get surface rust pretty quick. Not a big issue, but if you clean it and leave it laying around for a few weeks getting back to your project you may want to run some fine sandpaper over it before painting.

As far as metal sources there llikely is a metal supply house somewhere in the area that suppllies welding shops and construction. Check with your nearest welding shop. We go through our local welder as he gets a discount because of the volume he buys. If we need a significant amount the supply house will drop ship directly at our shop via their route truck. For smaller amounts we order it and pick up at the welders place as he gets at minimum weekly shipments. For very small amounts we just buy from the welding shop inventory he keeps on hand.

We are fortunate in that we have an excellent welding shop within a few miles that does quite a bit of work for us and he treats us pretty well.

Also most metal shops have a scrap bin. I have bought a lot of scrap just to have around. You will always be needing 2, 3, or 4" of something. Even at 0.10/lb a 55 gallon drum isn't cheap, but well worth it till you get your own scrap pile. Try to get the one by the big chop saw.

Thanks very much guys. I've got a great metal place (Hootens Steel), but they were sold out of the lighter gauge painted metal square tubing.

I'll probably just Ospho the tubing once it's done, and then spray over that. Painting is something I due under duress anyway.

Since I bought my metal band saw, I can't even find my chop saw.

I use lacquer thinner of the cheapest variety on metal prior to painting. Like Doctor Snrub, I find that paint prep isn't that critical on projects. Wipe off with the lacquer thinner and spray er on.

Your hands will lose respect for you working barehanded with lacquer thinner; they will get over it.

Correction: Since Gail bought me my metal band saw.

For critically clean oil free parts (or the anal retentive), brake parts cleaner can't be beat. For most of the everyday, slap it together and paint it jobs... +1 on the lacquer thinner.

Thanks guys.

Dwight, I found this thing called Craigslist, and have been looking at band saws this very week. Their appeal is growing to me. I see a lot of Milwaukee's for sale.

Al, I have a gallon of "wax & grease remover" on hand that you can get from any auto body supply store. Not too pricey and comes in very handy for all types of cleaning, whether it be tools, parts, prepping for paint, removing tar from vehicles, etc. It's a little more friendly on the hands, won't harm painted surfaces (including vehicles) and a gallon will last forever.

Thanks Keith!

Al you're a metalworker now, forget about anything reputed to be skin friendly! From here on in it's sacrificing skin to the metal gods..

Tony, I'm still mad at Scott for saying I can't wear my flip flops. The nerve of some people.

We used 75/25 gas when I was working. Produces some very nice welds.
If your welding outdoors your going to have some trouble with the gas blowing away.
If so might pick up some fluxcore wire that doesn't require gas.

That is a good point. MIG sucks outdoors with wind blowing.

A shield for the wind helps and increasing gas flow helps to a degree but raises consumables cost.

Al that shielding gas purpose is to shield away air so a stable arc is maintained. So anything that blows that gas away from the arc is bad. Including a fan blowing on you on a hot day.