I was a welder for 14 years, started on mig, and progressed to tig for a while as one company I worked for made vending machines, which I made the front panels, and required both mig and tig welds. Before that I made farm gates and sheep hurdles on a piece work basis, so it was fast paced stuff, using 2x1 on one end and 2x2 section on the other. The tubing was round and fairly thin gauge mild steel, so in order to weld quick without blowing holes, you had to be quite skilled to keep up the pace. Nice work. Mig welding has to be the easiest of all welding.
I recently started welding at a local shop and all we do is MIG weld square tubing just like what you showed here. The interesting thing is I live in Israel and work with two Arab guys who while very helpful and friendly, don't speak English. We all speak very basic Hebrew, but basically I had to learn by watching closely, and a couple days of practice on scrap tubing. I found this video to be both very helpful and very reassuring.
Got about halfway through this video. Clicked Stop. Clicked Subscribe. Clicked Like. Made this comment and then clicked Play. Excellent! I look forward to watching all your vids if they are this good. Thank you for the help, man!
i must say, very helpful. just starting to learn to weld at 55 years old. excellent video, easy to understand and great audio because my hearing is not so good. thanks for posting......
Very exciting!! I'm strictly a 2D artist, but this looked reasonably straightforward and I actually gasped at the post-grinding reveal. Extremely cool, thanks for the demo.
Just a note: the metal doesn't bend because of heat 'drawing' towards a side. The metal goes on as a liquid, and as it cools to become solid, it contracts (shrinks) - which is what pulls the metal toward a certain direction. Cheers!
Wow, having only ever TiG welded, this looks so much more convenient, no finnicky fill rod feeding or heat dialing, just fire up and go. I'll have to look into getting one of these units.
Thanks for watching. If your having trouble seeing, I might suggest you get a "cheater" lens to put in your welding helmet. This will add magnification and hopefully help you out. You can find them at any welding supply store. As far as getting comfortable, try using both hands to hold the MIG Gun (or whatever electrode holder you are using) and prop your week hand on something to steady yourself. If you take a look at some of my stick welding videos, I describe how to get into a comfortable welding position. Good luck and thanks again for your comment.
Fantastic informative video bud. Just wanted to say thanks. I'm a new welder and I have some vehicle seat subframes to make. This video has been a gold mine of information.I noted you pulled 3 welds and pushed the butt weld. I've got a new 135 amp welder and will be welding 2mm wall thickness 40mm square tube which looks pretty much like what you did here.
You know what I find these days I do more riveting than welding. This is why square section is so much better for me. I even did some bucket seat frame entirely riveted and just so much less hassle. It's all good fun
Enjoyed the presentation it is very informative. Saw your video on repairing your truck tailgate-very impressive. I am attempting to work on my 99 Ranger fenders--your comments and procedure was helpful.
Nice video and nice weld job. I'm a mechanical designer by profession and occasionally design structures using square and rectangular hollow steel shapes (ASTM A-500). The biggest problem with joining these shapes is that the outside corner radii can be quite large. This creates an issue for the flare bevel joint in that the fit-up might leave you with an excessive root gap. What I generally do to mitigate this problem is introduce a piece of flat bar in between the two hollow shapes. You weld the flat bar to the side of the one piece, laying in your flare welds. Then weld the second hollow shape to the flat bar. You can either butt weld all around or bevel the flat bar or end of hollow shape and weld all around.
+Dale Thomas I usually don't mention setting, because they are generally different based on the welder being used., and most smaller units do not display inches per minute and true wire speed (including mine). In either case, thanks for the compliment.
Great video , thank you . I was going to buy a Miller 211 mig welder for welding square tubing for my weight lifting machines . Will it be a large enough machine ? Not concerned about duty period as it a hobby
As many others here, I'm learning MIG. Take a look at min 6:50. How do you get that result? You mentioned grinding wheel and sanding. Could you elaborate on the specific tools and how? A short video would be great and appreciated. Great job with the videos! Subscribed!
Sure, it's pretty simple really. You just use a grinding stone on your angle grinder and knock down the high spots of the weld material. Knock it down just before you it the surface of the plate, or in this case tubing, so you don't put a gouge in it. The, take a regular sanding disc, or a sanding flap disk (as I did) and finish the job to a high polish. The finer the final grit of sandpaper, the better the high luster finish will be. If you don't know what some of these items are that I mentioned, just google them and you'll get a ton of pictures and info. Hope this helps!
WeldFever I suppose you would just learn from experience, but how do you know for sure that the penetration is deep enough to allow for the grinding of the high points without weakening the weld? I'm afraid of grinding the weld too far and not realizing that I don't have much actual weld left to be a strong joint.
one thing i noticed...I was told to always push when you mig weld.....i was told just lately to always pull when you weld with flux core wire. I noticed you pulled sometimes on your welds and they still turned out just fine. I weld mostly with flux core on high tensil galvinized pipe. Most of my welds are verticle. Whats the best way to weld them? So far Ive never had a weld break but a person can always improve, either on appearance or strength or speed or even just making it easier.
Matt Leigh "if there is slag, you must drag"... With Flux core wire feed, and with stick welding, always pull the puddle. If you are pushing, you will contaminate the weld and bury slag in the puddle.
Just got my first welder, the Harbor Freight 90amp flux core welder. First project will be metal fence railing, thin gauge metal. Any tips on how to join the corners as the railings will be a decorative piece? Mitre the ends to make the 99 degree corners? I do not want to show open ends and do not want to use caps on the open ends. Not sure on the gauge of the metal tubing, will be but will be about 1/16".
Hi there, that's a really great video. Thanks for making it so clear and easy to understand. I have a question if you don't mind. I'm currently still learning and have just done my first set of butt welds. They looked ok but the penetration was poor. . . You could see the heat discolouration but you could also see the two joins and no weld coming through. This was easily resolved. . . I simply added a root gap and am now getting the exact penetration I need. However. . . I do my first steel tube weld next week and I'm unable to up the settings on the welder as I'm already at the max. setting. So as I can't have a root gap is the only option to grind bevels to leave a 'v'? This will be a table so good penetration is essential.
Nice video -- thanks. But there are a couple of things I was hoping to learn that you did not show here. First, how do you cap the end of the tubing? Second, do you need any special welding technique when you put together two pieces of square tubing at a 90-degree angle by beveling the end of each piece to a 45-degree angle?
I'm a welder, I construct gate an doors also protector.. , but with stick altrod , I'm learning how to make used of filo here in Italy, but I'm true with, it I love dis jobs so much it's the best
+Jeffrey Beyer Just make sure you clean everything well of anything that might contaminate a weld, including slag. I'm assuming you're welding with flux cored?
Your video is great and straight forward. I have a cheap HFreight 90 amp welder and found some upgrades to make it DC W/bridge rectifier 3 phase and a capacitor. I wonder what you suggest on that subject. I haven't converted it yet but would like to be able to make weld somewhat close to yours. If that's even possible w/low buck HFREIGHT welder. Thanks for help.
Russ Larson unfortunately, I am of no help to you on this subject, because I am not really into modifying welding machines. Frankly, i don't know if a HF welder can be improved much, but whatever you decide, I hope you'll
Can you show the exact same exercise but use flux core. The welds look very different with more spatter and different techniques may need to be used. Could you also show welding the vertical inside and outside corner uphill/downhill as well. Thanks. Great video, very helpful.
Great looking welds. The main problem I have with welding tubing is trying to keep things square due to warping. Any hints? Obviously the longer the material then the more apparent the warping is but am I better with lower current and voltage or raise it all and move the gun quicker?
What I usually do to counteract warping, or pulling, is to lay down some weld on one side of the piece first (like a long tack, or perhaps a few stitch welds, depending on the size of the material), then I weld the entire opposite side. Lastly, I go back and weld the original side and this usually seems to do the trick. Alternatively, if the part is small enough, you could but some clamps on it, or if too big for clams, you could tack to your welding table (temporarily) while you fill in your welds. Thanks for your question, and thanks for watching! Make sure to check out our website at www.wedfever.com and join the forum for more welding discussion!
I wish you and others would tell us quickly what amp's and wire speed your set at, would be a big help from us beginners. I do like your videos, your good. thanks. dw
I liked the welding you did on that square pipe,I bought sections of that pipe at Home depot and I guess I bought all of it because they don't have it anymore.Where's a good place to buy this kind of piping from?.I need it to finish a skeleton flooring system I'm building in the back of an elcamino? Thanx for any direction you can point me in...
In all honesty, I can't remember the settings I used since it has been a while, but your welder should have recommended settings under the hood, or in the manual. Also, you can find settings online at the major welder manufacturer's web sites, or from the free apps they offer. Good luck.
I like your vids,i am a beginner more into auto body refinishing, my ques is what setting would you recommend when welding tubing,i have a Hobart auto arc 130, any advise.
+Thakurdat kishundial I'm afraid, that's too hard to answer without more information and without knowing the settings on your machine. Look under the lid of your machine and it will recommend settings based on the thickness of the part being welded, the wire you are using and the shielding gas. If your machine doesn't have it, go to Hobart's web site and get a copy there. Good luck!
I just got my first MIG Welder in the mail this week (Millermatic 211), I am brand new to welding, mostly been a wood worker but always wanted to get into this. I need to go get some shielding gas next week and some steel to build a cart and welding table. My question is this: when you grind down the weld bead for "looks" at the end of the video, doesn't that weaken the weld joint and subsequently weaken the strength of how much it will hold? Thanks.
+choprpilot76 It all depends on the type of weld and the skill of the welder. If you get good fusion and complete penetration on the butt welds, then added reinforcement will not add substantial strength. This may be true of the flair bevels also. For a fillet weld, removing the weld would be catastrophic, since the weld bead is integral to the welded joint. In terms of a decorative piece, or something that won't hold much weight, it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference. Hope that helps, though I know it's a lot to digest.
Learned to well years ago in arc and gas. I have a MIG and I hav e trouble getting the same results. Don't have gas setup so I use the flux core. I see the small "e" technique but what is drastically different for me is the right to left motion when I am used to the left to right. Any real reason why L to R ? Also just how close do you position the tip? Does it matter?
+David Clink You must drag when you weld with flux core and not push. Actual direction is irrelevant. You must read the manufacturer's suggested stick out length for the wire you are using, but flux core stick out is generally longer than solid MIG wire. For .030 NR-232 wire, I usually have about a 3/4" sick out.
hi, we want to weld hollow cylinder or you can say pipe ST-52 having outer diameter of 30mm and thickness of 1.8mm with the same material and another hollow cylinder or you can say pipeof outer diameter of 25mm and thickness of 1.8mm so what is main basic parameters to set like current and voltage etc. ????
+Don Welcker Honestly, I don't think it makes much of a difference structurally, provided good welds are placed on it. Astetically, it might not be as Nic to look at, and there is usually apthe extra step of having to cap an end if using 90's, but that's about it. Perhaps some of the viewers can chime in?
Most smaller welders do not provide the actual wire feed speed, nor the voltage, but rather give you a couple of dials with arbitrary numbers, or letters to be used with a chart they provide. Having said that, I was welding on about a 14 gauge walled square tubing, so my settings were probably around 200-250 inches per minute for wire speed, and 17.5 volts, using .030 wire. That would equate to around 100 to 125 amps, give or take. My shielding gas is 75% argon, 25% co2, with a pressure of 15-20 cfh. Hope that helps!
can you tell me, where did you put your grounding while welding.. if it is on the welding table ? am i safe to touch my workpiece without any electrical shock ? please help me to understand that. thanks.
I put the ground on the table. The principle of an electric circuit can be complicated, but essentially electricity chooses the path of least resistance, and traveling through a human body is not usually that path. Still, you must be cautious about water, touching the electrode holder, or ground clamp, and in any way putting yourself between the path of the electrical circuit. I recommend you find a book on weld safety related to electricity and study it well. This is not the forum to provide that kind of safety related information.
Great video and explanation. I noticed you dragged all but one weld, which was pushed. Does it matter? I'm a novice (even taking a fcaw course at local college) but can't get a definitive answer on push or drag. The guide on my Handy Mig says drag flux core (fcaw) and push gas (gmaw). It also says not to weave but to move in a straight line. All those beautiful welds you see were not done in a straight line; they were produced by making "c"s or loops.
+Steve Scott Great questions. With flux cored, you want to drag to avoid possible slag inclusions. The old welder's adage states, "if it makes slag, you must drag." A simple yet effective rule to weld by. As far as MIG welding goes, pushing and pulling is fine. The difference being that when you pull you get more penetration than when you push. So pushing is best for thinner material and vice versa. You might see comments from people who disagree with me on this one, but all the welding books out their and the major welding machine manufacturer's can't all be wrong, and that's where I got my information from. Good luck.
forgive my ignorance, but on the inside, do you need to complete another weld to increase strength or the wend from the outside will seep through and bind the inside also?
Thanx....I'd like to become certified...even tho I've been welding for about five years now n don't really have time to school for it. Just wondering if theres a way to do it without the schooling
I have a question, I am welding a lever for a small gate in my backyard. the steel I have is quite thin and I was wondering if tacking every inch or so would work? not looking for quality, just functionality
You wouldn't want to run a bunch of tacks, or squirt weld, anything thick or structural, but if the material is very thin, and you ae not going to put much of a load on the piece, it should be fine. Just make sur you burn hot enough to get some fusion going.
@WeldFever Hi,after you finished that piece off and grinded it all down, what would you paint on the bare metal to protect it,if it were going outdoors in the rain to prevent rust etc
SP330Y - Cheap and easy would be after cleaning the surfaces, apply two layers of zinc spray followed by two or three layers of your preferred top coat color. It should hold quite well. ;-)
Really there were only 2 welds used. A fillet weld and a groove weld. There were, however, 3 different joint types. They were a T-joint, a flare bevel joint, and a butt joint. A little confusing, especially when we all tend to use the names of the joints and the welds interchangeably. Hope that helps.
What about if you want to join two pieces at a 90 degree angle, but the two square tubes are cut at a 45 degree angle so when you put them flush together its a 90 degree. This way you don't need to add a cap and use less material. I think it would be two edges coming together flat and flush. How would you want to weld that?
GoldStarTech Start by tacking in the center of both sides 45 degree angles. Then continue to tack around the piece so the heat when welding won't cause it to move. If you tack on the inside, or outside corners first, then the heat will pull the piece and you'll have a gap on the opposite end. Good luck!
is it possible to do that kind of welding with a lincoln mig pac 10 i can't seem to get that kind of weld all i get is pigeon poop would you be able to give me an idea on what my settings should be at &yes i am a beginner. thanks
+nick diaz If MIG welding (solid wire with gas) make sure your polarity is set to DC+, which means the lead from the MIG gun is on the positive lug in the machine. Then make sure you have at least 15-20 cf. of shielding gas, and that there are no winds in excess of 5 mph while welding. Finally, keep the stick out to between 1/4" to 3/8" and fight the urge to lift the nozzle to get a look at what you are doing. Hope this helps.
ok but your saying that the solid wire is it the same as flux or wire with the gas in it already cause i use argon co2 i don't quite understand sorry for being so stupid
+nick diaz No need to apologize, this stuff is tricky and complicated, especially when just beginning! Flux cored, has flux inside a hollow tube wire and generally does not require shielding gas (argon/co2). MIG uses a solid wire, and requires shielding gas to keep the weld from being contaminated. The two processes are not the same. So, follow my instruction from my first response, and you should be okay. Good luck!
You know, its been a while since I made that video and I don't even have the machine anymore! Needless to say, I can't remember the settings, but you can download an app from Miller, or Lincoln, or go to their websites, that will list all the wire speed and voltage settings based on your material thickness. Hope that helps, sorry I couldn't be more exact.
Great informative video! I am thinking on learning to weld and was wandering if you think that it would be OK to start with a relatively cheap mig welder to practice and see if i actually like it, or would you say that cheap mig welders are not up to scratch even for beginners? Thanks
how thick was the wire how thick was the tube , what size was the tube. All questions a beginner would like to know. Maybe even wire speed and heat setting? great vid
I'm a minor and about to turn 18 and I want to get into welding it looks fun and something different to do and learn it pays good and you don't have to go to college just finish the course in the welding union
I wish I could find a channel that demonstrates how to weld thicker materials with a smaller mig welder. I know it can be done with multipass, but there really aren't any videos showing how to do it properly. I have a Hobart 140 mig and am looking to weld some 3/16 and 1/4 plate. I want to do it right, but don't want to go flux core either.
Okay my friend, I will make this my next video! Thank you for commenting and keep your eye out for it in the next week or so, and please keep sending suggestions, as I sometimes find myself wondering what to demonstrate next!
popeyeyougottumorsonyourarms notmuscles I don't want to knock anyone who wants to further their education. But here is my experience with welding classes. 4 weeks of watching videos, reading books, and learning safety procedures, 4 weeks of watching someone else weld, and one week of actually welding yourself. In my opinion huge waste of money. Especially for what schools charge for these classes. There is no substitution for experience. You can teach yourself to weld just as easily as an instructor. Especially with all of the quality youtube channels out there. If I wanted a career in welding, I would just practice, practice, practice. And then when I thought I was good enough to do it as a career, I would go take a certification test. That will let you know if you are good enough to do it as a career. Granted a lot of employers won't except the certification, but it is still a lot cheaper than going to school. Most employers will want to run you through their own certification prior to hiring you.
bkpickell i can't speak for every welding school out there, but when i went, we were in the shop with a mig gun in hand from day one. and stayed that way for most of the time...
I know this is just an example of how to join the two pieces, but wouldn't that be a much weaker weld because of where the welds ended (on the corners) than it would be if you were to start and stop each of your welds in the middle of each flat stretch of metal? Basically starting your weld in the middle of one of the sides and wrapping the weld around the corner to the center of the next side surface. Maybe I'm wrong on this, if I am, I apologize for wasting your time with this question.
+An American Prospector You are no wrong, and many welders suggest your technique. I do agree, that on something much heavier/thicker, that would be structural in nature, you're suggestion would probably prove to be stronger. However, on something of this scale, we would most likely be fine and the strength difference between the two methods would probably be negligible.
I'm looking to buy a MIG welder, don't have a lot of money any recommendations? I am going to be welding mostly square tubing, with small exceptions being thinner sheet metal here and there. How strong is the weld in this video? I want to make a tire holder for a 37" 100lb tire for the rear bumper of my vehicle, thanks!
Amariah Invictus It is all based on the strength of your material, the tensile strength of the filler material you are using, whether the item will be static or dynamic when put into use, the heat put into your weld, and the size and quality of your weld. So you see, there is no clear cut answer to your question.
Hi im a beginner welder but i just wanna know how u get the wire to stay straight? When i weld. It pops all over the place which make my welds look sloppy
Jimmy Nava Make sure to keep the contact tip to wor distance low, raising the gun too high off the work piece is usually the culprit for the symptoms you described.
Hey weld fever great video. I've never, never used a welding Machine before, what machine did you use for this weld? I've been looking to buy a welder I was looking at the miller's and lincolns but would like to hear from an experienced welder. Thank you. John
I want to learn welding strictly for home projects and repairs. I do not want to do this for a profession. Where could I go to learn this type of welding?
young man , u have great music , and no bad language , and great welding plus everybody can understand welding job !
thank u case
I was a welder for 14 years, started on mig, and progressed to tig for a while as one company I worked for made vending machines, which I made the front panels, and required both mig and tig welds. Before that I made farm gates and sheep hurdles on a piece work basis, so it was fast paced stuff, using 2x1 on one end and 2x2 section on the other. The tubing was round and fairly thin gauge mild steel, so in order to weld quick without blowing holes, you had to be quite skilled to keep up the pace. Nice work. Mig welding has to be the easiest of all welding.
You're videos mean a lot to us Green Welders. I can't wait to finish my welding program and begin my career in welding.
Nice videos my friend, I am 52 and still learning.thanks to you for this free school for people like me.
Thank you, I am glad you are finding the shows useful.
I recently started welding at a local shop and all we do is MIG weld square tubing just like what you showed here. The interesting thing is I live in Israel and work with two Arab guys who while very helpful and friendly, don't speak English. We all speak very basic Hebrew, but basically I had to learn by watching closely, and a couple days of practice on scrap tubing. I found this video to be both very helpful and very reassuring.
I love receiving comments like yours, especially from so far away! I thank you for kind words and wish you continued succes.
Got about halfway through this video. Clicked Stop. Clicked Subscribe. Clicked Like. Made this comment and then clicked Play. Excellent! I look forward to watching all your vids if they are this good. Thank you for the help, man!
Thank you. This was very helpful to me as I am a real newbie and am making a welding table using square tubing.
i must say, very helpful. just starting to learn to weld at 55 years old.
excellent video, easy to understand and great audio because my hearing is not so good.
thanks for posting......
+P.J. Sanford I'm glad its helping and thanks for the comment.
Very exciting!! I'm strictly a 2D artist, but this looked reasonably straightforward and I actually gasped at the post-grinding reveal. Extremely cool, thanks for the demo.
Brad Cornelius Thank you for that. I can feel your enthusiasm!
Just a note: the metal doesn't bend because of heat 'drawing' towards a side. The metal goes on as a liquid, and as it cools to become solid, it contracts (shrinks) - which is what pulls the metal toward a certain direction. Cheers!
Blank Reg obviously.
If you know anything about welding lingo "drawing" and" contracts (shrinks)" are the same thing, I learned that 35 years ago. Cheers!
Wow, having only ever TiG welded, this looks so much more convenient, no finnicky fill rod feeding or heat dialing, just fire up and go. I'll have to look into getting one of these units.
Kyung Automotive Yes, it has it's perks. Thanks for the comment.
I have been welding over 20 years yes you can either push a weld or pull a weld it dose not matter. you are doing a fine job there weldfever.
Thank you, and please keep watching and commenting. Also, please visit the new website at www.weldfever.com.
Great video. I usually use old rusty, possibly painted steel from out behind the barn. It sure is nice to use new steel. Thumbs up! Thanks, Doug
+Doug Smith Thank you very much!
Dan you do a great job with your video's. I am learning to weld late in life. My problem is seeing and getting comfortable.
Thanks for watching. If your having trouble seeing, I might suggest you get a "cheater" lens to put in your welding helmet. This will add magnification and hopefully help you out. You can find them at any welding supply store. As far as getting comfortable, try using both hands to hold the MIG Gun (or whatever electrode holder you are using) and prop your week hand on something to steady yourself. If you take a look at some of my stick welding videos, I describe how to get into a comfortable welding position. Good luck and thanks again for your comment.
Fantastic informative video bud. Just wanted to say thanks. I'm a new welder and I have some vehicle seat subframes to make. This video has been a gold mine of information.I noted you pulled 3 welds and pushed the butt weld. I've got a new 135 amp welder and will be welding 2mm wall thickness 40mm square tube which looks pretty much like what you did here.
I'm glad you found it so useful!
You know what I find these days I do more riveting than welding. This is why square section is so much better for me. I even did some bucket seat frame entirely riveted and just so much less hassle. It's all good fun
I really enjoyed this. My hockey coach wants me to make some stickhandling fixtures for him. Thin-walled square tubing is just the ticket. Thanks!
Just found your channel today! You dobra great job. Very clear instruction! Nice to see!
Great video. I have just begun welding on box with new mig and this helped a lot.
+Zilch Great, glad to have helped.
Thank you. I just bought my welder and am going to build a nice cart for it. This helps. Thanks
Enjoyed the presentation it is very informative. Saw your video on repairing your truck tailgate-very impressive. I am attempting to work on my 99 Ranger fenders--your comments and procedure was helpful.
This is just what I needed. I will be mig welding square tubing.
jay pae Excellent, good luck and let me know how it goes.
Excellent video! Let's see the round tubing next.
+Marcus Lovelace Okay, I will put it on the list. Thank you.
Tight work, boss!!! I put your technique to practice and it was epic!!! Thanks a lot, bro!!!
+Benny Abreu Great, thank you.
Nice video and nice weld job. I'm a mechanical designer by profession and occasionally design structures using square and rectangular hollow steel shapes (ASTM A-500). The biggest problem with joining these shapes is that the outside corner radii can be quite large. This creates an issue for the flare bevel joint in that the fit-up might leave you with an excessive root gap. What I generally do to mitigate this problem is introduce a piece of flat bar in between the two hollow shapes. You weld the flat bar to the side of the one piece, laying in your flare welds. Then weld the second hollow shape to the flat bar. You can either butt weld all around or bevel the flat bar or end of hollow shape and weld all around.
Awesome I want to build my own folding kayak trailer soon, excited.
***** Great, I wish you luck with that and thanks for the compliment!
Good Info and camera shots. Settings for the Mig welder would be helpful
+Dale Thomas I usually don't mention setting, because they are generally different based on the welder being used., and most smaller units do not display inches per minute and true wire speed (including mine). In either case, thanks for the compliment.
Enjoyed the teaching technique and good camera.
Great video , thank you . I was going to buy a Miller 211 mig welder for welding square tubing for my weight lifting machines . Will it be a large enough machine ? Not concerned about duty period as it a hobby
Just subscribed. I'm just getting into the trade and make a career outta it. Nice tutorial, I look foward to more. Greg Brampton Ontario Canada.
As many others here, I'm learning MIG. Take a look at min 6:50. How do you get that result? You mentioned grinding wheel and sanding. Could you elaborate on the specific tools and how? A short video would be great and appreciated. Great job with the videos! Subscribed!
Sure, it's pretty simple really. You just use a grinding stone on your angle grinder and knock down the high spots of the weld material. Knock it down just before you it the surface of the plate, or in this case tubing, so you don't put a gouge in it. The, take a regular sanding disc, or a sanding flap disk (as I did) and finish the job to a high polish. The finer the final grit of sandpaper, the better the high luster finish will be. If you don't know what some of these items are that I mentioned, just google them and you'll get a ton of pictures and info. Hope this helps!
WeldFever Thanks! Maybe a short video in the future?
Sounds good, in fact, I will make a video about grinder use in general. Stay tuned, I'll try to have it done by the end of this week!
WeldFever I suppose you would just learn from experience, but how do you know for sure that the penetration is deep enough to allow for the grinding of the high points without weakening the weld? I'm afraid of grinding the weld too far and not realizing that I don't have much actual weld left to be a strong joint.
one thing i noticed...I was told to always push when you mig weld.....i was told just lately to always pull when you weld with flux core wire. I noticed you pulled sometimes on your welds and they still turned out just fine. I weld mostly with flux core on high tensil galvinized pipe. Most of my welds are verticle. Whats the best way to weld them? So far Ive never had a weld break but a person can always improve, either on appearance or strength or speed or even just making it easier.
I typically push vertical up welds, however, MIG welds can be either pulled or pushed. Makes very little difference in penetration, that's all.
Matt Leigh "if there is slag, you must drag"... With Flux core wire feed, and with stick welding, always pull the puddle. If you are pushing, you will contaminate the weld and bury slag in the puddle.
Huge difference in penetration mate. Been welding for 12 years.
Matt Leigh Well... you were told.
Just got my first welder, the Harbor Freight 90amp flux core welder. First project will be metal fence railing, thin gauge metal. Any tips on how to join the corners as the railings will be a decorative piece? Mitre the ends to make the 99 degree corners? I do not want to show open ends and do not want to use caps on the open ends. Not sure on the gauge of the metal tubing, will be but will be about 1/16".
+Jeffrey Beyer Miters are about your only choice if you don't want to weld on caps.
+WeldFever Found plastic end caps to put into the open ends of the square tubing. Will save a bunch of work.
Thanks for taking the time dude!
Erik Switzer My pleasure.
Thanks for the great tips! Always good to watch it being done, Your giving people a great place to start!
+Tubergen MotorSports thank you very much for the nice comment!
Hi there, that's a really great video. Thanks for making it so clear and easy to understand. I have a question if you don't mind. I'm currently still learning and have just done my first set of butt welds. They looked ok but the penetration was poor. . . You could see the heat discolouration but you could also see the two joins and no weld coming through. This was easily resolved. . . I simply added a root gap and am now getting the exact penetration I need. However. . . I do my first steel tube weld next week and I'm unable to up the settings on the welder as I'm already at the max. setting. So as I can't have a root gap is the only option to grind bevels to leave a 'v'? This will be a table so good penetration is essential.
Nice video -- thanks. But there are a couple of things I was hoping to learn that you did not show here. First, how do you cap the end of the tubing? Second, do you need any special welding technique when you put together two pieces of square tubing at a 90-degree angle by beveling the end of each piece to a 45-degree angle?
A jig helps
Love your videos I'm a welder myself great stuff!
I thank you for that and I hope you will keep a look out for my next one, which will be coming soon!
You are welcome and I'll be keep a look out! Have a great day
I'm a welder, I construct gate an doors also protector.. , but with stick altrod , I'm learning how to make used of filo here in Italy, but I'm true with, it I love dis jobs so much it's the best
Whar adjustments to the spot-weld/tacking technique would be needed to prevent slag holes when going to do the final weld?
+Jeffrey Beyer Just make sure you clean everything well of anything that might contaminate a weld, including slag. I'm assuming you're welding with flux cored?
+WeldFever Yes, flux core welding. My only option until can afford a mig welder.
For the filet weld you said that you went in an up and down motion. What motion did you use for the butt and flare bevel welds? Thanks!
Your video is great and straight forward. I have a cheap HFreight 90 amp welder and found some upgrades to make it DC W/bridge rectifier 3 phase and a capacitor. I wonder what you suggest on that subject. I haven't converted it yet but would like to be able to make weld somewhat close to yours. If that's even possible w/low buck HFREIGHT welder. Thanks for help.
Russ Larson unfortunately, I am of no help to you on this subject, because I am not really into modifying welding machines. Frankly, i don't know if a HF welder can be improved much, but whatever you decide, I hope you'll
Can you show the exact same exercise but use flux core. The welds look very different with more spatter and different techniques may need to be used. Could you also show welding the vertical inside and outside corner uphill/downhill as well. Thanks. Great video, very helpful.
Scott Goessling Check out this video to see if what you requested is already there: th-cam.com/video/M5z2osw6EbA/w-d-xo.html
Great looking welds. The main problem I have with welding tubing is trying to keep things square due to warping. Any hints? Obviously the longer the material then the more apparent the warping is but am I better with lower current and voltage or raise it all and move the gun quicker?
What I usually do to counteract warping, or pulling, is to lay down some weld on one side of the piece first (like a long tack, or perhaps a few stitch welds, depending on the size of the material), then I weld the entire opposite side. Lastly, I go back and weld the original side and this usually seems to do the trick. Alternatively, if the part is small enough, you could but some clamps on it, or if too big for clams, you could tack to your welding table (temporarily) while you fill in your welds. Thanks for your question, and thanks for watching! Make sure to check out our website at www.wedfever.com and join the forum for more welding discussion!
I wish you and others would tell us quickly what amp's and wire speed your set at, would be a big help from us beginners. I do like your videos, your good. thanks. dw
What kind of welder are you using and is it an argon hook up?
Kong Her I used a Lincoln 175hd that I no longer own and I used a 75/25% argon/co2 mix.
Thanks for the info.
is this only for small peaces or both large and small like let say I'm welding a 36" peace to an 8" peace would it still pull or no ?
Great video and very helpful as well, thank you for sharing with us!!!
I liked the welding you did on that square pipe,I bought sections of that pipe at Home depot and I guess I bought all of it because they don't have it anymore.Where's a good place to buy this kind of piping from?.I need it to finish a skeleton flooring system I'm building in the back of an elcamino? Thanx for any direction you can point me in...
good job! what speed and heat mode do I need to have on for that beautiful weld? I have a Lincoln HD 120 volt? thank you.
In all honesty, I can't remember the settings I used since it has been a while, but your welder should have recommended settings under the hood, or in the manual. Also, you can find settings online at the major welder manufacturer's web sites, or from the free apps they offer. Good luck.
I like your vids,i am a beginner more into auto body refinishing, my ques is what setting would you recommend when welding tubing,i have a Hobart auto arc 130, any advise.
+Thakurdat kishundial I'm afraid, that's too hard to answer without more information and without knowing the settings on your machine. Look under the lid of your machine and it will recommend settings based on the thickness of the part being welded, the wire you are using and the shielding gas. If your machine doesn't have it, go to Hobart's web site and get a copy there. Good luck!
I just got my first MIG Welder in the mail this week (Millermatic 211), I am brand new to welding, mostly been a wood worker but always wanted to get into this. I need to go get some shielding gas next week and some steel to build a cart and welding table. My question is this: when you grind down the weld bead for "looks" at the end of the video, doesn't that weaken the weld joint and subsequently weaken the strength of how much it will hold? Thanks.
+choprpilot76 It all depends on the type of weld and the skill of the welder. If you get good fusion and complete penetration on the butt welds, then added reinforcement will not add substantial strength. This may be true of the flair bevels also. For a fillet weld, removing the weld would be catastrophic, since the weld bead is integral to the welded joint. In terms of a decorative piece, or something that won't hold much weight, it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference. Hope that helps, though I know it's a lot to digest.
Learned to well years ago in arc and gas. I have a MIG and I hav e trouble getting the same results. Don't have gas setup so I use the flux core. I see the small "e" technique but what is drastically different for me is the right to left motion when I am used to the left to right. Any real reason why L to R ? Also just how close do you position the tip? Does it matter?
+David Clink You must drag when you weld with flux core and not push. Actual direction is irrelevant. You must read the manufacturer's suggested stick out length for the wire you are using, but flux core stick out is generally longer than solid MIG wire. For .030 NR-232 wire, I usually have about a 3/4" sick out.
I'm pretty new to welding, would I have to do anything different with a gasless mig?
damn glad I stumbled on your channel.
This is my first subscription
Well, I'm glad you did too! Thanks for the comment and please keep watching.
When you say you "sanded" it at the end to produce some shine, what grit did you use and what type of sander? Thanks!
John Tucker It's been a while, but I believe I started with an 80 grit flap disk and probably ended with a well worn 120 grit.
hi, we want to weld hollow cylinder or you can say pipe ST-52 having outer diameter of 30mm and thickness of 1.8mm with the same material and another hollow cylinder or you can say pipeof outer diameter of 25mm and thickness of 1.8mm so what is main basic parameters to set like current and voltage etc. ????
Nice video Dan thanks for sharing your expertize!!!!!!!!
You're welcome!
Hello , what the correct settings to setup my welding to stick 1,5 mm metal tubing with flux 0,8 guys?
Fantastic video! I'm just starting to learn 'how to weld' and this was great! Thanks!
+Tim Walz Thank you and please keep tuning in.
Great video man. You had some really helpful tips.
Brett D Thank you, I'm very glad you found it so helpful, and I appreciate you're letting me know that.
Very nice welds. What are the pros and cons of cutting the tubing at 90'? I have only been welding my projects at the 90'. Thanks
+Don Welcker Honestly, I don't think it makes much of a difference structurally, provided good welds are placed on it. Astetically, it might not be as Nic to look at, and there is usually apthe extra step of having to cap an end if using 90's, but that's about it. Perhaps some of the viewers can chime in?
Could share your setting on your welder? Gas,amperage and wire speed.thanks for the good job on the videos
Most smaller welders do not provide the actual wire feed speed, nor the voltage, but rather give you a couple of dials with arbitrary numbers, or letters to be used with a chart they provide. Having said that, I was welding on about a 14 gauge walled square tubing, so my settings were probably around 200-250 inches per minute for wire speed, and 17.5 volts, using .030 wire. That would equate to around 100 to 125 amps, give or take. My shielding gas is 75% argon, 25% co2, with a pressure of 15-20 cfh. Hope that helps!
What heat, wire speed and amperage were you running during the video?
MIG welding would work for window frames, is that correct? I need to learn how to make these for a shipping container I plan on purchasing. Thanks!
+Billy Barton Yes it would work.
can you tell me, where did you put your grounding while welding.. if it is on the welding table ? am i safe to touch my workpiece without any electrical shock ? please help me to understand that. thanks.
I put the ground on the table. The principle of an electric circuit can be complicated, but essentially electricity chooses the path of least resistance, and traveling through a human body is not usually that path. Still, you must be cautious about water, touching the electrode holder, or ground clamp, and in any way putting yourself between the path of the electrical circuit. I recommend you find a book on weld safety related to electricity and study it well. This is not the forum to provide that kind of safety related information.
+WeldFever thank you so much.
Great video and explanation. I noticed you dragged all but one weld, which was pushed. Does it matter? I'm a novice (even taking a fcaw course at local college) but can't get a definitive answer on push or drag. The guide on my Handy Mig says drag flux core (fcaw) and push gas (gmaw). It also says not to weave but to move in a straight line. All those beautiful welds you see were not done in a straight line; they were produced by making "c"s or loops.
+Steve Scott Great questions. With flux cored, you want to drag to avoid possible slag inclusions. The old welder's adage states, "if it makes slag, you must drag." A simple yet effective rule to weld by. As far as MIG welding goes, pushing and pulling is fine. The difference being that when you pull you get more penetration than when you push. So pushing is best for thinner material and vice versa. You might see comments from people who disagree with me on this one, but all the welding books out their and the major welding machine manufacturer's can't all be wrong, and that's where I got my information from. Good luck.
forgive my ignorance, but on the inside, do you need to complete another weld to increase strength or the wend from the outside will seep through and bind the inside also?
+kevoau1 You should weld around the perimeter of any tube for proper strength. I hope that helps.
What type of welder and what are your settings at.. Am learning to weld.
Thanx....I'd like to become certified...even tho I've been welding for about five years now n don't really have time to school for it. Just wondering if theres a way to do it without the schooling
Where do you live?
how many Ampère is yourte welger giving out presse, Il have a 80A out And need to le Arnaud. thx boss
I have a question,
I am welding a lever for a small gate in my backyard. the steel I have is quite thin and I was wondering if tacking every inch or so would work? not looking for quality, just functionality
You wouldn't want to run a bunch of tacks, or squirt weld, anything thick or structural, but if the material is very thin, and you ae not going to put much of a load on the piece, it should be fine. Just make sur you burn hot enough to get some fusion going.
@WeldFever Hi,after you finished that piece off and grinded it all down, what would you paint on the bare metal to protect it,if it were going outdoors in the rain to prevent rust etc
SP330Y - Cheap and easy would be after cleaning the surfaces, apply two layers of zinc spray followed by two or three layers of your preferred top coat color. It should hold quite well. ;-)
thanks,zinc is very good,i since found a product GALVAFROID and also ZG90 its cold galvanising paint and is the ultimate for rust prevention
finally a tutorial with a properlly set wire feed:)
svedr Well thanks for tha!
is Mig welding more popular in the job industry compared to all the other welding processes?
I would say so in the fabrication and manufacturing industries, but that's just an opinion.
WeldFever thx bro
What amp welder are you using? Is it AC or DC? If you are not running gas, are you using flux core, if so, what size?
Thanks
Idk bro
what kinda lens did you use in front of the video cam?
what do u set your gauges at for this weld?
+Eddie Regory 15-20 cfh (cubic feet per hour)
what are the name of welds being applied to each side? I couldn't tell the differences.
Moon Cake
Fillet ,Butt, Tee ,Flare
Really there were only 2 welds used. A fillet weld and a groove weld. There were, however, 3 different joint types. They were a T-joint, a flare bevel joint, and a butt joint. A little confusing, especially when we all tend to use the names of the joints and the welds interchangeably. Hope that helps.
Thanks!!
Thanks!
what is the WPS for this procedure ?
What about if you want to join two pieces at a 90 degree angle, but the two square tubes are cut at a 45 degree angle so when you put them flush together its a 90 degree. This way you don't need to add a cap and use less material. I think it would be two edges coming together flat and flush. How would you want to weld that?
GoldStarTech Start by tacking in the center of both sides 45 degree angles. Then continue to tack around the piece so the heat when welding won't cause it to move. If you tack on the inside, or outside corners first, then the heat will pull the piece and you'll have a gap on the opposite end. Good luck!
is it possible to do that kind of welding with a lincoln mig pac 10 i can't seem to get that kind of weld all i get is pigeon poop would you be able to give me an idea on what my settings should be at &yes i am a beginner. thanks
+nick diaz If MIG welding (solid wire with gas) make sure your polarity is set to DC+, which means the lead from the MIG gun is on the positive lug in the machine. Then make sure you have at least 15-20 cf. of shielding gas, and that there are no winds in excess of 5 mph while welding. Finally, keep the stick out to between 1/4" to 3/8" and fight the urge to lift the nozzle to get a look at what you are doing. Hope this helps.
ok but your saying that the solid wire is it the same as flux or wire with the gas in it already cause i use argon co2 i don't quite understand sorry for being so stupid
+nick diaz No need to apologize, this stuff is tricky and complicated, especially when just beginning! Flux cored, has flux inside a hollow tube wire and generally does not require shielding gas (argon/co2). MIG uses a solid wire, and requires shielding gas to keep the weld from being contaminated. The two processes are not the same. So, follow my instruction from my first response, and you should be okay. Good luck!
thanks a lot bro wish could send you a case of beer lol your so cool
I"d like you to make a video of how to weld square tubing of 1/2 inch thick..Thanks
Ignacio trujillo Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep it in mind.
What is voltage and wire speed. There is nothing but fab shops near my house and school and i struggle with this
You know, its been a while since I made that video and I don't even have the machine anymore! Needless to say, I can't remember the settings, but you can download an app from Miller, or Lincoln, or go to their websites, that will list all the wire speed and voltage settings based on your material thickness. Hope that helps, sorry I couldn't be more exact.
Thanks for this very informative video. Quick question: Do you use .024 or .030 wire for the thin wall square tubing? Thanks again!
+Matt Doyel The recommendation is to use .024 for material thickness up to 12 gauge and .030 for up to 3/16." Hope that helps.
Great informative video! I am thinking on learning to weld and was wandering if you think that it would be OK to start with a relatively cheap mig welder to practice and see if i actually like it, or would you say that cheap mig welders are not up to scratch even for beginners? Thanks
ie. with a cheap welder could you ever expect to get similair results as to you did in the video? Thanks again
Ruan Urquhart Take a look at the videos I did no the longevity machine. I think that might answer you question? @Yq_3lNtQR7E
hi weld fever, do you always haves to have the gas tank to weld with mig weld?
thanks
+jose mejia If you are going to use solid wire, GMAW, then yes you will need either an argon/co2 mix , or straight co2.
how thick was the wire how thick was the tube , what size was the tube. All questions a beginner would like to know. Maybe even wire speed and heat setting? great vid
Where was your settings?!
Good deal, man. Very helpful.
I'm a minor and about to turn 18 and I want to get into welding it looks fun and something different to do and learn it pays good and you don't have to go to college just finish the course in the welding union
what type of wire did you use ?
I wish I could find a channel that demonstrates how to weld thicker materials with a smaller mig welder. I know it can be done with multipass, but there really aren't any videos showing how to do it properly.
I have a Hobart 140 mig and am looking to weld some 3/16 and 1/4 plate. I want to do it right, but don't want to go flux core either.
Okay my friend, I will make this my next video! Thank you for commenting and keep your eye out for it in the next week or so, and please keep sending suggestions, as I sometimes find myself wondering what to demonstrate next!
WeldFever i want to become a welder and i need to know if what are the fields where should i go to school or just go to a welding shop, please help
popeyeyougottumorsonyourarms notmuscles I don't want to knock anyone who wants to further their education. But here is my experience with welding classes. 4 weeks of watching videos, reading books, and learning safety procedures, 4 weeks of watching someone else weld, and one week of actually welding yourself.
In my opinion huge waste of money. Especially for what schools charge for these classes.
There is no substitution for experience. You can teach yourself to weld just as easily as an instructor. Especially with all of the quality youtube channels out there.
If I wanted a career in welding, I would just practice, practice, practice. And then when I thought I was good enough to do it as a career, I would go take a certification test. That will let you know if you are good enough to do it as a career. Granted a lot of employers won't except the certification, but it is still a lot cheaper than going to school. Most employers will want to run you through their own certification prior to hiring you.
The video you have requested is now up and ready to be viewed! I hope it answers your questions and thanks for the request!
bkpickell i can't speak for every welding school out there, but when i went, we were in the shop with a mig gun in hand from day one. and stayed that way for most of the time...
I know this is just an example of how to join the two pieces, but wouldn't that be a much weaker weld because of where the welds ended (on the corners) than it would be if you were to start and stop each of your welds in the middle of each flat stretch of metal? Basically starting your weld in the middle of one of the sides and wrapping the weld around the corner to the center of the next side surface. Maybe I'm wrong on this, if I am, I apologize for wasting your time with this question.
+An American Prospector You are no wrong, and many welders suggest your technique. I do agree, that on something much heavier/thicker, that would be structural in nature, you're suggestion would probably prove to be stronger. However, on something of this scale, we would most likely be fine and the strength difference between the two methods would probably be negligible.
I can agree with you on that. Thank you for taking the time to reply.
How weak does it make the welds if you grind them down?
John Rambo It depends on how well you fused, how deep you penetrated, and how much you grind off.
Use an angle grinder with wire brush, mate
How do you weld 2 peaces of thin metals together using a meg welder?
Nabria Barr watch my videos friend, there are numerous explanations within them. Thanks for watching.
I'm looking to buy a MIG welder, don't have a lot of money any recommendations? I am going to be welding mostly square tubing, with small exceptions being thinner sheet metal here and there.
How strong is the weld in this video? I want to make a tire holder for a 37" 100lb tire for the rear bumper of my vehicle, thanks!
Amariah Invictus It is all based on the strength of your material, the tensile strength of the filler material you are using, whether the item will be static or dynamic when put into use, the heat put into your weld, and the size and quality of your weld. So you see, there is no clear cut answer to your question.
Hi im a beginner welder but i just wanna know how u get the wire to stay straight? When i weld. It pops all over the place which make my welds look sloppy
Jimmy Nava Make sure to keep the contact tip to wor distance low, raising the gun too high off the work piece is usually the culprit for the symptoms you described.
WeldFever thank you that helped alot
Jimmy Nava Great, glad to hear it!
Jimmy Nava Your stickout sounds too far out.
John Rambo yea i fixed my problem. My welds are coming out better
Hey weld fever great video. I've never, never used a welding Machine before, what machine did you use for this weld? I've been looking to buy a welder I was looking at the miller's and lincolns but would like to hear from an experienced welder. Thank you. John
I want to learn welding strictly for home projects and repairs. I do not want to do this for a profession. Where could I go to learn this type of welding?