The Score Of The Day Thread

[aigheadish]

I will say that with the thin-ness of the plates that I'm welding to the galvanized (with a gasless mig welder) that I'm hitting the galvanized for a much longer time, just trying to make a puddle, to stick the plate to. The plate almost burns through immediately. I'm not seeing much smoke release though. I won't say none but other than the shine of the plates darkening my helmet prematurely seeing through smoke was not an issue. 

Thanks, guys, for the tips!

[Corley5]

If I need to weld something galvanized, I hit it with an angle grinder first and knock off the galvanized where I'm going to weld. Much more pleasant

[aigheadish]

Yeah, I've done that too Corley!

I tried a blow torch to heat the area I was about to weld but it wasn't terribly useful. I could have tried an oxy-acetylene torch but I didn't want to waste the gas while I was welding or have to refire it every time. That, and as I reach over to weld I find my stomach hitting parts that are a bit warm, if I used a real torch I'd likely burn myself pretty good. 

[caveman]

The last time I welded a lot of galvanized was early September.  I felt terrible the following days.  I drank milk, which usually helps, but after three days, I still felt bad and just about everyone in my family (mother, grandchildren, children) tested positive for Covid the next week.  I doubt that I contracted it from welding, but I felt bad and  DanG near killed my mother.  She had a tough time with the virus.  

Generally, I grind off as much zinc as I can, have decent ventilation and try to get it done.   

[aigheadish]

Welp, I ran out of my HF wire, and thought I'd be smart and buy a 10 lb. spool on cramazon. It showed up and sat waiting for me to get the motivation to weld some more plates onto Mr. Discopants. Today was the day!

I put the wire in and found it to not work very well, even though it has great reviews. I can't get it to stick, I can't find the right power setting or spool feed speed, it's throwing the breaker multiple times, all kinds of problems. The HF wire I got was gasless flux core and I don't think the new stuff is for gasless at all... I guess I learned a lesson. Boo.

It's on a 15 Amp circuit breaker. It seems like maybe it'd be good to swap out for a 20 Amp... 

[barbender]

You can't MIG weld (gas shielded, solid wire) if you're not set up with shilling gas. My little wire feed is only set up for flux core, if I tried to run regular MIG wire through it, it would work like using clothes hanger wire in an arc welder- not at all😊