Hi

What I want to do is join some scrap metal together to make a sculptural
object for the garden (don't ask). A mix of sheet, rod and lumps. I
won't be able to accurately identify the type of metal - probably steel,
iron maybe some brass? (no aluminium). I need to get acquainted with the
methods I could use to do this. So far the likely methods seem to be mig
welding, tig welding or brazing. A quick search show some tools that are
basically electric and a different type using 2 bottles of gas. Since I
will be joining lots of different objects I need a method that's as
versatile as possible. Is there a dummies guide somewhere. Which of
these methods should I be learning about?

"DaveH" wrote in message
m...
Hi

What I want to do is join some scrap metal together to make a sculptural
object for the garden (don't ask). A mix of sheet, rod and lumps. I
won't be able to accurately identify the type of metal - probably steel,
iron maybe some brass? (no aluminium). I need to get acquainted with the
methods I could use to do this. So far the likely methods seem to be mig
welding, tig welding or brazing. A quick search show some tools that are
basically electric and a different type using 2 bottles of gas. Since I
will be joining lots of different objects I need a method that's as
versatile as possible. Is there a dummies guide somewhere. Which of
these methods should I be learning about?

An arc welder with rods that are Indiscriminate will do this. The rods are
a touch more expensive than normal ones, but they will allow you to use
differing metals with no problems.

Great on stainless steel to other metals as well. :-)

BigWallop wrote:

An arc welder with rods that are Indiscriminate will do this. The rods are
a touch more expensive than normal ones, but they will allow you to use
differing metals with no problems.


WTF are you on about?? I've never, ever come across rods that can be
used to weld steel to anything other than other steel. You can get
dissimilar rods, which allow you to weld different types of steel
together, including mild/stainless combinations. But welding steel to
copper alloys??


--
Grunff

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
BigWallop wrote:

An arc welder with rods that are Indiscriminate will do this. The rods
are
a touch more expensive than normal ones, but they will allow you to use
differing metals with no problems.


WTF are you on about?? I've never, ever come across rods that can be
used to weld steel to anything other than other steel. You can get
dissimilar rods, which allow you to weld different types of steel
together, including mild/stainless combinations. But welding steel to
copper alloys??

Grunff


Oh right. I better take these ones back to the shop then. Thanks for the
heads up.

LOL :-)

BigWallop wrote:

Oh right. I better take these ones back to the shop then. Thanks for the
heads up.


Good plan.


--
Grunff

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
BigWallop wrote:

Oh right. I better take these ones back to the shop then. Thanks for
the
heads up.


Good plan.

Grunff


Well, they do work beautifully between Aluminium Drop Forged Brackets to
Stainless Steel Camera Housings, so I think I'll keep a couple on hand for
now, if you don't mind that is?

:-)

In article ,
DaveH wrote:
What I want to do is join some scrap metal together to make a sculptural
object for the garden (don't ask). A mix of sheet, rod and lumps. I
won't be able to accurately identify the type of metal - probably steel,
iron maybe some brass? (no aluminium). I need to get acquainted with the
methods I could use to do this. So far the likely methods seem to be mig
welding, tig welding or brazing. A quick search show some tools that are
basically electric and a different type using 2 bottles of gas. Since I
will be joining lots of different objects I need a method that's as
versatile as possible. Is there a dummies guide somewhere. Which of
these methods should I be learning about?

If you stick to steel, then ordinary arc welding is cheap. If you need to
join two different metals, and they're compatible, you'll need brazing.
And brazing sets are as you say two types of gas and much more expensive
to buy and run.

--
*My dog can lick anyone

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
brazing sets are as you say two types of gas and much more expensive
to buy and run.

Why can't you use carbon pencils and an arc welding set?

On Tue, 05 Jul 2005 17:23:51 +0100, Chris Bacon
wrote:

Why can't you use carbon pencils and an arc welding set?

Because they're rubbish and they never worked well.

You might get these to work on steel, although the resultant "brazed"
joins are brittle and weak, owing to over-heating and the resultant
dezincification. On aluminium, forget it.

Andy Dingley wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jul 2005 17:23:51 +0100, Chris Bacon
wrote:


Why can't you use carbon pencils and an arc welding set?


Because they're rubbish and they never worked well.

Not IME. I always use carbon arc brazing for building up metal or
joining thin sheet steel without the problems of arc welding when not
using mig. I find it quite a forgiving process and have not found
problems of brittle joints.

Regards
Capitol

Don't buy the kit, borrow it or find a course somewhere. It'll be
cheaper, plus the other advantages.

If you just "want something welded", pay someone to do it. If you're in
Bristol or South Wales, mail me.

Gas welding costs a fortune because UK bottle rental is a rip-off. It
applies on a smaller scale to MIG welding too. OTOH, oxy-acetylene kit
would let you use welding for steel-steel joins and brazing for
steel-brass/copper, all with the same kit.

Electric welding is cheap for manual stick (1/4" steel and upwards,
maybe 1/8" if your hand is good, but not really much lower thickness).
Wire-feed (MIG) welding is great for sheet and thicker stuff too, but
it's not cheap equipment if you want to do it right. Don't buy any new
MIG machine for under =A3300 (Cebora, Murex) - if you're getting a
Clarke or similar, buy it S/H and save some money - they're all a bit
rough at that price range.

You can't afford TIG.

You can't electric weld anything other than steel. Cast iron with
difficulty and expense. Forget it for non-ferrous cuprous, aluminium,
stainless or mixtures.

Stainless steel with silver solder beautifully with O-A, or even
propane, but the materials are pricey. For other methods it gets
difficult - wire-feed will do it, if you do it right (right wire, right
gas, right machine).

Welding is the easy bit. There's also the cutting and shaping first.
This is harder and takes a ridiculous amount of time (it has just taken
me 3 days to make two sets of hinges!)

There's no "dummies guide", because this isn't a process for dummies.
The best single book I know is Gibson's "Practical Welding"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0333609573/codesmiths