My adventures into welding (Few questions ;))

[littlestwoo]

Hi Terence,

Don't buy the el-cheapo angle grinder from argos, or anywhere else, a good known make is the only way to go. I used to go along with the idea that every time I burn one out I'd get a knew one on the garantee, this becomes an absolute pain in the middle of jobs though! So far I have found that the best compromise between cost and something half decent is a Bosch (you can get these from B&Q, don't be tempted by there own supposebly more powerful and cheaper makes though), I have been using a 600w Bosch for over a year now and it is still going strong. What seems to kill angle grinders is rotary wire brushes, which come in realk handy when cleaning up metal for welds, the cheaper motors just can't take the strain of these.

Also make sure you get some eye goggles, ear defeneders and good gloves (i wear my welding gauntlets), plus always make sure the disc is properly tightened on, potential for serious injury if not careful!

Happy grinding, welding etc, etd,

Steve

 

[TerenceSharp]

Thanks for your help!

I'll Have a look round B&Q, get me a some tools !

 

[Alex]

Try Axminster for cheap machine tools.

LIDL and ALDI suprisingly sometimes have some cheap power tools that aren't bad.

 

[TerenceSharp]

Well, after MUCH thought over my gokart and welding. I came up with this chassis design:

(Orange box is engine, to scale)

This lends itself to easy steering (Chances of a lock-up VERY unlickely), i decided to ditch the live-axle and go for for one wheel drive (Gonna weld sprocket to the wheel's hub)

As for tools, I am going to get a cheap-ish arc welder (Not the very bottom range, but not best)... and a bosch Grinder

I inspected my dads tools for their metal potential, the only tool that was suitable was the pillar drill, as it goes WAY down to 500 RPM!
I assume you can use an angle grinder for light cutting
The maximum steel thickness I will be welding/cutting is 3MM

Got quite a bit of a shopping list now ... metal work seems so much fun, I found wood interesting, but metal seems more... in tune... i dunno.. just better!

Update:
I have seen 100Amp welders for £35, For this price, i could afford to get one just for this project, then buy a beefier one if it happens i need it

But is 100A up to the job of 3MM steel?... Duty cycle isnt an issue, I like me Tea/Coffee ... dont mind even modding a 120MM Computer fan on the side... Aslong as it joins metal

Ifnot, Whatg abput 130A?(£50)... 160A(£70-80)?

If only the market was not so saturated with the obscenely chea makes, that seem to spend £5 on materials of poor quality... >_<

 

[Ratty]

Welcome to the forum Terence, you asked about scrap steel...I got the most amazing scrap from a local laser-cutting/fabricating place. Some really big pieces. Two huge skips full of shiny steel plate, rod & tubing. When I begged a little to practice my new mig they said 'climb in and help yourself'. Check out your local yellow pages, get on your bike and pay them a visit, the larger the company, the more waste they'll generate and the less precious they will be. Chat them up, get the guys interested in what you're doing, don't be disheartened if the first place you try is not friendly, if you persevere you will find some really helpful people who are only too glad of a little distraction from their usual routine. Try and do it under your own steam initially (why I said bike but don't forget to take gloves!), I reckon that will impress them more. Then get a friend to pick up your gleanings in a van. That way you will be seen as having a lot of initiative and are not presuming - turning up in a van - on being given stuff. If going in cold to ask for freebies is a little daunting, ask if they will sell you a bit of steel or ask advice and explain your project then you can ask about waste stuff.
As to learning..read all the tutorials on here and check out http://www.millerwelds.com/education/library.html lots of very good tutorials.
Happy hunting!

 

[TerenceSharp]

Ah, Yes, well tomorrow i am going to a steel mill/stockist/thingy, they may have some scrap (or even the companies around them, it's an industrial estate )

We will see!

 

[Alex]

I wouldn't go inwards so much at the front as you'll find the chassis will twist length ways a lot more, either you bulk it up with more frame structure or move them out nearer the wheels more.

I got a 150amp Clarke ARC for £56.00 and its fine, even on a 13 amp plug socket.

 

[Davek0974]

Yes, keep the side rails just wide enough at the front to allow full lock on the wheels without touching the rails.

Dave

 

[shenion]

Agreed, maybe add a strut from near the end of each front back to the main tube. Would create a "V" notch for the wheel to turn into.

 

[Davek0974]

I'd go with that, it would help strengthen the front corners. It's looking good, i fancy making one myself now:-)

 

[mbcoupe]

Oh to be 15 again... all i can say is .. if it doesnt LOOK like a decent weld it probably isnt.. use caution when first driving the cart because one of your welds may break at the worse possible moment.. i would consider using small brackets with bolts at critical areas along with the welds just in case....im talking about cheap corner brackets..

 

[chunkolini]

Antique thread gets revived.
Oh welcome aboard.
Pop into the intros section and say helloooo.

 

[steveo3002]

i use the argos grinder ..its fine for limited diy use , and remember theyre easy for returns there if you do kill it

you can always have 2 or 3 as you can afford them , one with flap disc , wire wheel and so on its way nicer than changing discs

 

[BillJ]

Oh to be 15 again...

He's 20 now, if he survived the go-kart project

 

[stuvy]

He's 20 now, if he survived the go-kart project

probably got a saxo 'innit'

 

[Mikes1670]

My opinion would be to go for a MIG welder. I can arc (MMA) weld but from my experience it is best for thicknesses of 3mm and thicker. The small hobby type MIG werlders are much easier to use on thinner metal. I have a Clarke MIG 130 EN welder from Machine Mart, you can use it 'with' or 'without gas' so very flexible -it also runs off a domestic 13amp 240V supply and I highly recommend it. I will say though for best results I find using an argon/Co2 mix gas works best me on mild steel. A disposable gas bottle is about £14 and gives you about 10 mins welding time so it can get expensive. Unfortunately, making compromises does impact of the quality of the finished welds so you pays your money and takes your choice.

The automatic self darkening masks are excellent - I bought mine off Ebay (solar powered). Once you have had one of these there is no going back to the stab in the dark/flash in the eye alternative!

Best of luck.

 

[BillJ]

Mike, you're not reading the whole thread - the original project was 5 years ago and was resurrected a couple of days ago by someone else who wasn't paying attention