Zen and the sticking RG-45 rod

It would seem that my last post drug out every old lurker that's ever
been on RAH (except Chuck... what's he up to these days?) Even BWB
sent me an unearthly vibe the other day.

But now that I have the torch, I've got a serious welding question.
Two actually. Number one is: anyone ever get firebrick from the Borg?
I've looked, but not scored any.

Second question: It seems that every time I dip the filler rod into
the puddle (shuddup and think about welding for a minute), every time
I dip the rod into the puddle, it sticks to the base metal and I end
up melting it off with the torch which I know isn't right based on the
shower of sparks. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? For the record, I'm
using the standard H-F torch, thier size "0" tip, and I've had the
same experience on both 16 ga. flat sheet (just trying to run a bead,
not joining) and on 2" square tubing (butt joint). I've got less than
15 minutes experience so far, but it would be helpful to know what I'm
doing or not doing wrong.

Thanks in advance,
Harry

BTW, Veedub, I'll add those practice exercises to the program. Sounds
like good advice. In a few months I'm hoping to have enough skill to
weld a few old bicycles together. Boulder has its own Kinetic
Sculpture race/challenge that we're trying to save from the scrapheap
of yuppiedom. I'm set to become the treasurer and accountant of a non-
profit we're in process of forming to administer the event. I'm
thinking of a steampunk dirigible theme for my sculpture. Something
like LZ-5, but with twin 14" battleship guns and a pipe organ! moohoo
hoohoo haha haha.

I'll get to airframes soon enough. Mebe a Wilden 9 or a Vuia monoplane?

wright1902glider wrote:
It would seem that my last post drug out every old lurker that's ever
been on RAH (except Chuck... what's he up to these days?) Even BWB
sent me an unearthly vibe the other day.

But now that I have the torch, I've got a serious welding question.
Two actually. Number one is: anyone ever get firebrick from the Borg?
I've looked, but not scored any.

Second question: It seems that every time I dip the filler rod into
the puddle (shuddup and think about welding for a minute), every time
I dip the rod into the puddle, it sticks to the base metal and I end
up melting it off with the torch which I know isn't right based on the
shower of sparks. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? For the record, I'm
using the standard H-F torch, thier size "0" tip, and I've had the
same experience on both 16 ga. flat sheet (just trying to run a bead,
not joining) and on 2" square tubing (butt joint). I've got less than
15 minutes experience so far, but it would be helpful to know what I'm
doing or not doing wrong.

Thanks in advance,
Harry



Are you pre-heating the rod as you bring the puddle up to temp, Harry?

Sticking a cold rod into the puddle is guaranteed to freeze the puddle.
So bring the rod in close enough to the flame that it's is approaching the
melting point too.



Read Budd's "how to" article - Zen and the Weld Puddle.
A humorous but very helpful piece.

http://www.airbum.com/articles/ArticleZenWelding.html



Richard

On Feb 19, 1:38*pm, wright1902glider wrote:
It would seem that my last post drug out every old lurker that's ever
been on RAH (except Chuck... what's he up to these days?) Even BWB
sent me an unearthly vibe the other day.

But now that I have the torch, I've got a serious welding question.
Two actually. Number one is: anyone ever get firebrick from the Borg?
I've looked, but not scored any.

I got my firebrick from Denver Brick. If you can't get it from a
brick company, check with fireplace outfits.

Second question: It seems that every time I dip the filler rod into
the puddle (shuddup and think about welding for a minute), every time
I dip the rod into the puddle, it sticks to the base metal and I end
up melting it off with the torch which I know isn't right based on the
shower of sparks. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Yeah, you're in too much of a hurry. Gas welding is sloooow. Don't
stick the filler rod in the puddle, just hold it a few mm above it and
wait for the heat to melt off a drop which should fall into the
puddle. You want fill metal to drip into the puddle

Are you still in Longmont? If so, maybe I can ride up with my welding
goggles and we can melt some metal together.

Hi Harry,

I got my firebrick at the local block and brick store here in Southern
Illinois. I made a frame with old bedframe angle iron and filled it
with firebrick for my welding table top. Works a treat and cost me
about $6!

Puddle problems? Never dip the filler rod into the puddle. It will
instantly bring things to a halt. When welding iron and steel, just dip
the filler rod into the flame above the puddle and melt some off so
that it drips into the puddle. It must be molten when it hits the puddle.
Then just lead the puddle where you want it to go with
a little heat. It will follow the heat.

Sometimes, when torch welding aluminum I just flux the rod and
lay a bit of skinny rod along the seam before I weld. Then melt the
rod into the joint. Use this with real thin aluminum and you are not
so likely to blow holes in the aluminum! :-)

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport, PJY

"wright1902glider" wrote in message
...
It would seem that my last post drug out every old lurker that's ever
been on RAH (except Chuck... what's he up to these days?) Even BWB
sent me an unearthly vibe the other day.

But now that I have the torch, I've got a serious welding question.
Two actually. Number one is: anyone ever get firebrick from the Borg?
I've looked, but not scored any.

Second question: It seems that every time I dip the filler rod into
the puddle (shuddup and think about welding for a minute), every time
I dip the rod into the puddle, it sticks to the base metal and I end
up melting it off with the torch which I know isn't right based on the
shower of sparks. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

"Highflyer" wrote in message
...
Hi Harry,

I got my firebrick at the local block and brick store here in Southern
Illinois. I made a frame with old bedframe angle iron and filled it
with firebrick for my welding table top. Works a treat and cost me
about $6!

Puddle problems? Never dip the filler rod into the puddle. It will
instantly bring things to a halt. When welding iron and steel, just dip
the filler rod into the flame above the puddle and melt some off so
that it drips into the puddle. It must be molten when it hits the puddle.
Then just lead the puddle where you want it to go with
a little heat. It will follow the heat.

Sometimes, when torch welding aluminum I just flux the rod and
lay a bit of skinny rod along the seam before I weld. Then melt the
rod into the joint. Use this with real thin aluminum and you are not
so likely to blow holes in the aluminum! :-)

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport, PJY

"wright1902glider" wrote in message
...
It would seem that my last post drug out every old lurker that's ever
been on RAH (except Chuck... what's he up to these days?) Even BWB
sent me an unearthly vibe the other day.

But now that I have the torch, I've got a serious welding question.
Two actually. Number one is: anyone ever get firebrick from the Borg?
I've looked, but not scored any.

Second question: It seems that every time I dip the filler rod into
the puddle (shuddup and think about welding for a minute), every time
I dip the rod into the puddle, it sticks to the base metal and I end
up melting it off with the torch which I know isn't right based on the
shower of sparks. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?




More than "just curious", HF. What lens do you use when gas welding
aluminum? Blue?


Flash