How the heck do you weld around a circumference?
On Thursday, April 18, 2013 10:33:02 AM UTC-4, Jon Danniken wrote:
Hello,
I am working on an exercise contraption that has a number of pieces of
horizontal pipe, welded on the main structure, which provide a
convenient place to hang the weight plates when they are not in use.
I am at the part where I have to weld the pipe sections on to the main
structure. The pipe sections are five inches long, and are 1.25"
schedule 80 pipe, and they will be fillet welded around the
circumference where they join the main structure (the main structure is
made from 2.5" square tubing).
So I'm all ready to weld these on, I have the main structure laying on
supports on the shop floor, and I have the first one clamped up, ready
to be welded around
Here's my question: how the heck to I maintain the correct rod angles as
I go around the circumference?
I played with a couple pieces of scrap yesterday, and while I can get my
weld started just fine, when I go to move *myself* around the work, I
find it nearly impossible to maintain the proper angle/distance/speed of
my electrode.
So how do you do it in a situation like this? Is the trick to give up
on the idea of doing one continuous bead, and instead do the weld in two
or three sections, so that you don't have to move your entire body while
trying to weld at the same time?
What's your technique?
Jon
Just last week, I had an exhaust leak in my car. The source of the leak was a flange connecting two pieces of pipe between the catalytic converter and the muffler. Since I don't currently own the proper equipment to do this myself, I took it to a local muffler shop.
The guy cut out the offending flange with a sawzall and spliced in a new piece (about 5 inches long) of pipe. He supported the existing pipes with some pretty neat adjustable jackstands and then tacked the new pipe in place. Then he migged the circumference of each joint in four or five sections. The part of the joint at the top of the pipe had barely enough clearance to fit the torch, and I was a little worried about the quality of the weld there. The guy gave me a mirror, and I took a look. I have to say, I'm impressed. I could not see where one section of weld ended and the next began.
Though my upcoming welder purchase will almost certainly be a TIG, I now have a new respect for MIG.
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