Question for our metal fabricators!!!

[ccm399]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I own an Optrel Satellite.

Perfect thanks Greg!

Optrel's site says the e680 replaces the model you have. That is exactly what I am looking for. You are so right about the sun burn. I used to weld cylinder heads quite a bit back in the day and many time my arms would get tanned sometimes a little red. We are talking a couple hours of welding though....

You are also right about 9 being a little dark. It is OK for aluminum but on low amp steel not so much.... I figure I will keep my current helmet for MIG welding and only use the new one for TIG.

Thanks again!

Chris

[ccm399]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I forgot I was going to share a little story at my own expense....


I've had the Optrel for maybe 5 years.... picked it up to do some work and the dang thing wouldn't darken... so now I'm looking for a battery to change... can't find anything... so PO'd I head for AirGas... the guys there know me well... and I tuck my helmet under my arm and storm in there...and I'm already frustrated because it's messed up my afternoon (you guys know what I'm talking about here)... and I ask -- "hey guys... where the dang battery in this POS?!"....


Well.... the helmet is SOLAR POWERED... and hadn't seen sunlight since the day I brought it home. Pretty long lasting on "one charge" I'd say. I hadn't used it for a couple months maybe -- and she just finally gave up the ghost. Set it out in the sun for a few hours the next day and bingo.. all good to go.

I didn't ask and haven't researched - but TIG will give you a "sun burn" (ask me how I know?) so maybe if you just TIG enough and frequently enough - that will keep it charged up?

So a little more digging on the e680 specs and it looks like they added battery backup for the solar cells... I am guessing you were not the only one with this issue. Good to see a company improving their products. I'll have to call Tom over at Airgas to see what they can get me this helmet for.

Chris

[CRCRFT78]

I'm a little confused, maybe I missed a post while reading, Greg mentioned to snip the wire at an angle before welding. Now I'm assuming most of these posts are about TIG welding. Are you using MIG wire as your filler when TIG welding?

[ccm399]

Hey Jose,

Greg was talking about MIG at the time. They were discussing using MIG for the tack welds and TIG to finish them out. Snipping the wire results in a cleaner weld. Also trimming after each tack ensures you have the correct "stick out" of the wire. The angle cut helps the arc start.

Greg if I missed anything please fill in the blanks...it's early yet....

Chris

[ironworks]

I only recommend MIG wire when TIG welding for someone just beginning. It helps you control your heat. And helps with learning to feed the rod quickly. But once you get things going, regular rod is preferable. I remember running out of small rod and one of my really good welders used something like .090 rod to weld 18 gauge and did not have any warpage issues. But he knew how to control is heat. See he is using bigger rod the the material thickness, so it's easier to burn through the sheetmetal then melt the fill rod.

It is all about fit up and putting the least amount of heat in the panel and then learning how to fix what heat you do put in the panel. Once you get the TIG figured out, you will never do sheetmetal work with a MIG unless you have to. Some times you have to use the MIG if you can't get behind a panel.

[GregWeld]

I'm LOL --- but would ADD to Rodgers post on TIG vs MIG....

Once you learn how to TIG - You'll prefer it for EVERYTHING not just thin sheet metal. It's just so clean and such a much nicer finish... and is so much more fun to do. MIG welding feels like you're some kind of production worker compared to TIG'n on something. I can't put it in words but it's just a feeling of satisfaction being able to control the weld. Then you stand back and look at that stack of dimes and it is something YOU did.

Having said all that -- I totally understand the reasons for only owning a MIG and there is NOTHING wrong with using it to it's max and becoming skilled in using it.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by ccm399

Hey Jose,

Greg was talking about MIG at the time. They were discussing using MIG for the tack welds and TIG to finish them out. Snipping the wire results in a cleaner weld. Also trimming after each tack ensures you have the correct "stick out" of the wire. The angle cut helps the arc start.

Greg if I missed anything please fill in the blanks...it's early yet....

Chris

Give this man an A+ !!

[CRCRFT78]

Thanks for the clarification Chris. I've heard about using MIG wire as filler but wasn't sure if I got sidetracked or not.

[War]

All In all this is a fun thread but.....there is no way welding and metal finishing sheet metal can be discussed or written about here were you can become proficient at it. There are alot more aspects to it than just welding. Like Rodger keeps stating, FIT UP, first. You have to master this and with what tools to do this. Hammer work, like Greg mentioned, is very important. This alone I have found is probably the most important and will take the longest to learn. Finesse with the tools, where to hit to do different things, what dolly to use,(sometimes you have to make your own tools), what hammer to pick up. When and how to hammer the weld. And of course the welding. I think lots of people have different methods. I don't wear a hood when I tack with the mig and sometimes with the tig. and I don't snip the wire.

Education is never free. You can pay for a class, talk to pro's and do what ever to repay there time for showing you, study GOOD work in bare metal, ask questions. But at the end of the day you still have to put in the time if you want and enjoy doing the work. The price of education.

I am not a pro fabricator by any means but feel the more I do the better I get which was why I started to build my car I the first place. Driving it will just be icing on the cake.

There are quite a few really good people in this industry who are more than willing to share some knowledge, all you have to do is listen and apply it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Maybe some of you can get a shop like Roder's talked into opening up a class on the weekends. I would go for sure.

[Sieg]

Well said Jason.