Welding

[Vince Carucci]

I've got most of the parts cut and shaped for the landing gear and now it only needs to be welded. So I sparked up the torch and started practicing . Yikes!

I think I need more practice.

[kalazzerx]

I decided to learn the TIG - It has been interesting but rewarding in the long run.  It was a real pain at first with a lot of youtube watching and lots of trial and errors but slowly getting the hang of it.  I am by no means an expert or anything like that but I can weld better now that I ever had before.  I have never really done Oxy-Acetylene welding so this worked for me.  Oh, I even am starting to learn to weld aluminum although the thin stuff kicks my butt.  I was going to weld my 0.040 aluminum gas tank but that was not working!

[jrbirdman47]

I know what you mean, Vince. I gas welded clusters to pass my Airframe practical test, and I was really good at it. FORTY YEARS AGO!    I haven't touched a torch since then, but I'm about to take it up again. I expect lots of ugly before I see pretty again.

[CHARLES DEBOER]

Check out some of the comments on the MECO torch for welding small parts.  It is light weight and has small torch tips. Search in off topics. Or try taking a course in welding at a community college just to get some practice to get you back in the grove.
Off Topics and General Interest / Re: Meco Midget Torch
Off Topics and General Interest / Re: Meco Midget Torch

[Vince Carucci]

Now for the rest of the story:

I have been practicing with a torch I bought on Craigslist. The tip I've been using is labeled "0", and is most certainly on the Victor scale (.035"). My wife bought me a Meco Midget some time ago. I recently ordered the Premium N-Series Tips [N0 & N1] and I'm waiting for them to arrive. I believe the tip I'm using is far too big for the .032" sheet metal, at least in the hands of a rank amateur. It's like setting furniture tacks with a sledge hammer. I will continue practicing until the welds look like they should. Only then will I shift the flame to my frame.

[Dan_]

... It's like setting furniture tacks with a sledge hammer. I will continue practicing until the welds look like they should. Only then will I shift the flame to my frame.

Vince,

I don't know if you have seen this post or not.  It will help with setting the minimum and maximum flame for any tip...

Perhaps you could practice on something heavier in the mean time.

Also, practice getting the right torch angle.  Edges are going to melt before faces as well as thickerer vs thinerer...

Try an arbitrary angle and apply heat until you see color then remove heat.  Both pieces should loose color evenly if the bias angle is correct.

[914pete]

I don't know what it is about welding two pieces of metal together. Its so damn satisfying and fun! I bought the HF O/A torch set for my XL fuselage build and probably spent a couple weeks and a tank each of oxygen and acetylene practicing controlling the flame/puddle and eventually got it. It took weeks of practicing everyday though before starting on the fuse. Now I can pick up the torch after months of non-use and its just like "riding a bike" again. My welds aren't pretty, but they are strong and no burn throughs. I think if I do it again I will buy the meco midget torch only because I think the smaller flame would be more manageable for aircraft thin wall tubing. The HF kit worked fine and I use it often around the shop at work. I did buy an even smaller tip though, #00, which I tend to use for everything now.

Again, welding is so enjoyable I just bought an AHP Alpha Tig 201XD (my 4th welder) and again, I've already burned up a tank of Argon and countless Tungsten rods practicing welding thin aluminum. Tig is a WHOLE other animal but I'm just beginning to get the hang of it. Still working on "stacking dimes" though. Practice, practice, practice. My first project with thin wall aluminum will be a carb heat box for my Zenith.

[Dan_]

Attached is a welding tip size chart.  It compares various manufacturers tip sizes.  Also it recommends the size for metal thickness...

[Vince Carucci]

Thanks Dan, good info as usual.

I put in some time this evening running the bead! He's running the bead I tell ya! 

It went well. I was working the puddle well enough to introduce some filler rod. A little too much going on at one time for this beginner. I kept burning a hole in the sheet metal. At least now I know what to practice. I also stepped up to thicker metal and had much better luck with that. Too bad this plane wasn't built with 1/8 angle iron.  

The tips and hose for my Mecco Midget shipped. I can't wait to try out a smaller flame and lighter torch.

[13brv3]

With the comments about the Meco Midget, has anyone looked at the JSP torch?  It looks very similar, but there's not much info available. It appears to be much cheaper though. 

http://jsp.cc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23539
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JSP-TORCH-BODY-WITH-3-TIPS-so404/174044877105

Thanks,
Rusty