arc welding - advice neededHi

[lansalot]

Hi

Am going to be fooling around with an Oxford RT 180 tomorrow to get a bit of practice in, but one of the things I want to accomplish its reattaching the pin on the tailgate of my defender 90 truck-cab to the actual tailgate. Can anyone advise what sort of rods I should be buying for this as I've done a bit of reading and even watched an instructional video off the internet to no avail.

Thanks

[Astro_Al]

Hi. I'm not sure exactly which part you mean, but I thought I'd mention that if its a galvanised steel part you need to make sure you grind off all the zinc coating around the area to be welded - well back away from the weld and thoroughly cleaned down to bare steel.

Welding galv gives off very nasty fumes (cyanide? - can't remember). If you do feel ill afterwards, drink loads of milk.

Hope it helps a bit. Good luck.

Al.

[lansalot]

Thanks Al, but it's not galvanised (would give it a good go with the grinder first though - and thanks for the cynanide warning, I never knew that !)

It's the pin that is attached at the lowest part of the hinge, that slides along into the eye on the cross-member. Pin is steel, so is the bracket (tailgate aluminium) by the look of it.

Sample circled here: (not my vehicle, obviously).

[Redhand]

Thanks Al, but it's not galvanised (would give it a good go with the grinder first though - and thanks for the cynanide warning, I never knew that !)

It's the pin that is attached at the lowest part of the hinge, that slides along into the eye on the cross-member. Pin is steel, so is the bracket (tailgate aluminium) by the look of it.

Sample circled here: (not my vehicle, obviously).

2.5mm mildsteel rods will be fine I'd say about 70/80 amps but as each welder is different Have a test on some similar thickness scrap metal 1st.

[lansalot]

Brilliant Redhand, I'd done a bit of reading and had come to pretty much the same on the rods. Will test on similar metal first so I don't blow holes in the good stuff straight off the bat

Cheers

[Guest noggy]

to be honest as long as you get the amps and the movement of your hand correct, the rod diameter doesnt make a great deal of difference, unless your trying to fill a massive hole with a tiny rod.

[clbarclay]

Don't buy cheap rods and don't let them get damp either. A decent dry rod makes arc welding so much nicer and far less likely to stick when you stike the arc.

[hoss1720]

You shouldnt have any problems with an oxford welder,nice smooth flow of power.

2.0 or 2.5 mild steel rods will be fine.

If youve got a large number of rods to keep dry,I used to use an old fridge with a 100watt bulb inside.The fridge was airtight and the bulb provided just enough warmth to keep the rods dry.

good luck

[lansalot]

Thanks all

Took my a while to get my hand in, but mission (eventually) accomplished. Don't think my welding in this instance will win any beauty competitions however...

[paintman]

Metal fume fever

http://www.twi.co.uk/content/jk30.html

[disco tony]

read this too late but E6013 was what you needed, as said probably a 2.5dia.