Dang! Any Experienced Welders in Denver...This Weekend?

[Fischer]

Well the welder I had arranged to weld up my carrier/bumper from CoryL is gone this weekend. Arse head friend dropped the ball.

All is bent, cut and notched. Instructions and all included as well as me helping as much as possible. Possibly weilding the welder if allowed. I was planning on doing a mod to allow for towing. 2" boxed steel spanning frame connected to receiver...

So I will be needing someone to help me if possible. He was willing to do it for some beers and such. Let me know if you feel up to it and what you will charge. Cory says it is "Pretty Much Idiot Proof" and ready for welding. No addl stuff other that a few holes need to be drilled which I will take care of.

Here is a Pic of what you will be getting into. Go here for More Pics on Bumper...

 

[88vert]

Sounds like fun

If I was closer I would help in a sec

 

[Fischer]

DOH! I welded as a child w/ my neighbor and he said "Whoa man, I ought to have you come over and weld for me"

Not too sure if those skills hang around for 10+ years as I was about 13 at the time. I was thinking of renting one. Possibly a gas one as I don't have 220 to the garage.

So Cory and whomever else is a good welder; Can I take this on my own?? heh heh.

 

[88vert]

I was a iron worker welder for 5 years

You can do this yourself.You can rent a good 110 that uses gas or like you said go for the gas welder just grab some scrap steel and practice a little it will all come back to you very soon.

 

[Fischer]

I might do that....May the Force be With Me..LOL

 

[88vert]

Good luck

Just take your time and keep a mini grinder on hand for any mistakes you might make

 

[Fischer]

Now, I am unfamiliar with welding so thanks for the help. My friend has a "stick" welder 220V. But apparently those spaltter a lot.

So I am thinking of MIG with a argon gas?? I just need any details if at all possible on what to rent or find through friends.

I know CoryL uses a 220V MIG Miller Millermatic 185. I would like just to rent one of those.

Also these are tubes I will be welding so if there is anything I should know about that I woud appreciate it. I know that bibycle welders sometimes do a C on one side of the tube, move to another piece and then come back and weld the other half to prevent heating the metal too much and warping it. But this is for thin wall Aluminum.

 

[88vert]

you can also use a 110 with gas and yes you have to watch your heat becase you dont want to burn through if you do it is not the end of the world just turn your heat down a little and do a few spot welds intill you fill in the hole.And you are right on the money about warpage always tack both ends so one side does not pull on you

 

[Fischer]

Okay so I dry fit it.

Tack it on both sides, then do a sequential type weld; half of tube on one end, move, half of tube on other end, return and complete circle on first half. Repeat as necessary throughout the whole piece.

I am looking at some rental welders....

180 Amp. Gasoline $35 a day. "Mulli Quip"

-----or-----

250 Amp. Propane Powered $47 a day. "Miller Bobcat 225"

Whacha think. Are those good prices or shold I keep looking?

 

[410Fortune]

Are you sure you want to weld together a bumper that may be used for towing as your "first" welding job?

 

[Fischer]

Uhh... I am still wondering that myself. I am sure that it is Possible...but how good it will look...well I am not sure yet. My friend has a bunch of stell at his disposal so I will have some "practice materials" first.

I have always had the Pioneering spirit. It has gotten me through class 5 rapids when I had never guided them, but I was a riverguide for years. LOL

 

[88vert]

Have some faith in yourself,and take your time it will turn out great

 

[410Fortune]

Fischer if you are not so pressed for time I have a couple of friends who can wled them up for you, but I will have to get ahold of them and see what their schedule's are like. The guy who helped me is a friend of a friend, he;s got the setup on the back of his truck and he busted out my rear 8.8 axle (from spring under to over with new pads, and BII style shock mounts) withthe correct pinion angle for my lift in about an hour, drinking beers while we let it cool and measured.

He is a great guy, the welds are STRONG as I found out in Moab when I dropped my pass side shock mount off a 3' ledge directly onto a rock (Micheal was behind me and informed me of what hit, hard!) not a scratch.

Let me know if you want me to call him up....

Also Brett has a welder and is quite good at it but he's got so many projects right now he is booked solid for a few weeks, I know because he is helping me, I am helping him, and we are helping Joe, the usual weekend schedule around here...

Personally I wouldnt trust my own welds when pulling a heavy trailer!!!

 

[Fischer]

I think I will leave the actual frame connections and reinforcement to a pro. at my buddys work. This weekend is just a opportune time for me as my girlfriend is out of town and the bumper materials arrive tomorrow (God granting).

Right now I am game for just about anything. If nothing else I may rent, though I would rather not as the learning curve just to get it functioning would be about 1/2 a day at least.

It would be nice to have someone who knows more than I helping; which is just about anyone that has "touched" a welder while it was plugged in. LOL Supplying beers and food and whatever else is preferred is no prob w/ me.

Honestly it will probably take less than an hour to weld up. It is all bent, cut, notched, measured. All that needs done is prep (me) and welding (me and help) and installation and painting (me and Can of Herc.)

I would appreciate anything. I may have a self feed welder to borrow and could definately borrow a stick welder (much harder I think).

 

[Fischer]

I'll let you all know what I come up with. Have a good weekend if I dont run into anyone.

If anyone stumbles on something call me at either
303 694-9227
or preferrably on cellular
719 237-4754

Thanks for all the help and support.

 

[CoryL]

1) Do not rent a 110v MIG welder. They suck for anything thicker than sheetmetal or exhaust tubing. You won't burn though the bumper tubing with one.

2) Do not rent a 110v flux core welder. It will penetrate fine, but the beads look very poor, even if you are a good welder.

3) Unless you are very experienced with a stick welder, I'd avoid that too.

Can you wait for your friend to do it? Is it that big of a rush to possibly fawk something up or not weld it together properly?

I understand your excitement, but I wouldn't try to completely rebuild an automatic tranny just because the parts showed up.

 

[Fischer]

Yea. I won't do it if I can't make a nice bead on the scrap steel. I would only use a 210V with 180+ Amps.

I am just kind of brain storming here.

Both of those stated above as rental are rated as 210V right? At least that is what they told me.

I mean I am not completely tarded in regards to welding but true I am a novice. I feel if I can do it I will, if not I will have to wait until next weekend or possibly longer, which sucks. I do want the welds to be nice, clean and STRONG. The thing is who knows if the guy I have do it isn't a shotty welder himself?? Aghhh!

I should have just had you do it Cory. This is beginning to give me a headache. ****e!

 

[410Fortune]

Fischer, Ia m telling you let me contact my buddy, he works for a 30 pack of Busch, he will use a stick, and he's a DAMN good welder. They will come out looking like it;s a Cannondale mountain bike, and they will hold up, I can attest to their strength.

Also you might try PM'ing Brett, he;s busting out the new welder he bought now and then and for a little $$$ he might be able to help. He;s always willing to help, just pressed for time.

Let me know if you want me to call up my buddy Ed and see about some possible times......

 

[Fischer]

Originally posted by 410Fortune
They will come out looking like it;s a Cannondale mountain bike, and they will hold up, I can attest to their strength.
Let me know if you want me to call up my buddy Ed and see about some possible times......

It's worth a shot. If I can't get it this weekend then I will just wait and have the guy on vacation do it for me. It isn't that big of a deal, it just seems like all but one of the "moons" are aligned. No pressure though, seriousely.

Thanks everyone again for helping me out on this one.

------------Off the Subject------------
About the Cannondale thing, they grind the welds smooth, which I think is sort of dumb. I like the Yeti welds and Fisher hand made frame welds which look like a stack of dimes laid flat. Art!

 

[Fischer]

So Yes. Please call your friend.

Call me if you like at 719 237-4754 or 303-649-9227??