As with various technological innovations, technology in the welding field continues to evolve at an ever-increasing pace. Let's take a look at the world of welding machines that can be enjoyed on a household power supply (AC100 volt outlet power supply). I hope that more Sunday mechanics will learn about the "wonderful world" that begins with a household power outlet = AC100V outlet, and the "world of non-gas specification semi-automatic welders.
- Semi-automatic welding machine with household power supply AC100V specification
- Importance of protrusion length and welding angle
- The first step is to search for conditions.
- Weld bead changes so much under different conditions.
- Self-made SST for fixing inner damper
- Repairing a rusted exhaust pipe flange.
- AC100V semi-automatic welding machine capable of welding even thin plates
Semi-automatic welding machine with household power supply AC100V specification
The evolution of welding machines for DIY users has been remarkable in recent years.
Ease of use = various functions that are easy to understand has become a matter of course. The best part is that it produces the most beautiful weld beads imaginable. The ease of use is quite different from that of old-fashioned manual welding. Here is a world that can be enjoyed with a household power supply.
The main feature of a typical semi-automatic welding machine is that the work proceeds while the oxidation of the weld zone is controlled by shielding with inert gas = carbon dioxide or argon gas. In manual welding, the welding rod is coated with flux, which takes the place of inert gas and covers the welding area as the work progresses. After welding, the flux is removed with a hammer or wire brush. The core wire of a non-gas semi-automatic welding machine (welding core wire wound on a roll bobbin) has a flux core inside the cylindrical welding core wire. Hence, it is also sometimes referred to as flux-cored welded core wire. The welding machine used in this project is a product of the American company LINCOLN.
Importance of protrusion length and welding angle
Even with the same welding conditions = settings, the beauty of the weld bead can vary greatly due to differences in torch angle, torch advance speed, and the amount of core wire (welding rod) protrusion from the nozzle. The basis of beauty is to blend in well and also to look good. For "Fillet Welding," where the base of the vertical wall is welded, the torch angle should be 45 degrees from the horizontal plate, and the work should proceed with the torch angle tilted about 20 degrees toward the direction of welding. The amount of protrusion of the core wire is adjusted according to the thickness of the board. The thinner the plate, the less protrusion is needed for a good finishing.
The first step is to search for conditions.
The setting data will be determined to some extent by the thickness of the plate and the thickness of the weld core wire, but there are also conditions of the primary power supply. Let's start with a test weld to see if the conditions are right. The shading mask allows the viewer to see the work in progress as it is being welded. You can stare at the welding area itself, as the core wire is fed in and the steel is melted. This melting spot = molten pool is called a pool. By listening to the welding sound like "clicking" while watching the pool firmly on the shading mask, you will be able to understand welding conditions to some extent.
Weld bead changes so much under different conditions.
When I welded a steel plate with a thickness of around 2.0 to 3.0 mm, the amount of core wire protrusion was about 10 mm. The amount of protrusion is the same for thicker sheets, but for thin sheets of about 1.0 mm, the data shows that protrusion of about 5 mm improves workability and finish. Naturally, it is important to remember that the finish will vary depending on the performance of the welding machine used and the power supply conditions.
(Photo explanation of test welding)
Three types of test contacts were conducted by changing the conditions on the same board. I can clearly compare and check its blending and serving conditions. The image below is the reverse side of the above image, but with stronger welding condition settings, it is possible to understand if the weld is being done well or not by the change in the degree of penetration.
Self-made SST for fixing inner damper
I decided to make a special tool with "bolt heads" to fix the seat pipe (damper pipe) of the upright front fork inner. Using a 3/8sq socket wrench of a size that I own more than one and don't use, I welded the head of the bolt. During the welding process, I used a C-clamp to hold it firmly in place while I proceeded with the work. The finished product is a seat pipe (damper pipe) holder for a special tool. If it is for temporary tightening, it could be used as a large size hex wrench. The bolt heads are made with 24/19/17/14mm bolt heads, which is the exact tool size.
Repairing a rusted exhaust pipe flange.
I'm going to weld up the exhaust pipe flange on my Yamaha Tricker, which is already in over-driven condition. The rust has progressed to the point where the base of the flange has become thin and cracked. Weldability is relatively good even for rusty parts, which is also a feature of non-gas semi-automatic welding.
AC100V semi-automatic welding machine capable of welding even thin plates
This is the welding of the exhaust pipe and flange fittings, which are now less than 1.0mm thin. Welding was completed while making subtle adjustments to the welding conditions. Even with a household power supply AC100V welding machine, it was possible to build up the overlay surprisingly well.
Even though the pipe was flimsy and rusty, I managed to get a good finishing on it.
The weld bead was not drawn for a long time, but was welded in one or two-centimeter increments, and then the flux was removed with a wire brush while the book material was cooled. Such repetition may be the secret of success. It was definitely a beautiful finishing touch. After welding was completed, I gently cut the welded area with the tip of the belt sander so that the exhaust pipe flange could be pressed firmly into place.
- POINT 1: Welding can also be done with AC100V from a household outlet. Best if you can provide a special outlet to avoid voltage drop.
- POINT 2: Do not weld immediately, but perform temporary welding in a trial operation to confirm conditions and ensure that welding conditions are correct.
- POINT 3: Removing dirt and oil from the welding area, as well as rust as much as possible, will definitely improve the weld finishing.
The most important part of the welding process is to ensure that the steel plates are firmly blended into each other to obtain reliable strength. However, there is nothing better than looking beautiful. If you can draw a beautiful bead, it is like a promise of weld strength (of course, both sides of the protruded steel must be fused together). Even with the so-called "snotty weld," the two protrude-joined steel plates appear to be one piece. However, in many cases, such weld marks are so shallow that the base metal is only "glued" to the surface. If you hit it with a hammer, it would probably peel off from the surface quite easily. In order to avoid such a bad finish, let's do a trial operation when welding and make sure the settings = welding conditions are correct before starting the actual work.
This is the first step in creating a beautiful weld bead with a non-gas semi-automatic welding machine, and I would like to report on some of the things you need to know. The quickest way to improve is to follow the basics and draw a weld bead on a test piece. Of course, there are cases where you can't get a clean bead even if you try as described. If you notice such a thing, is there a drop in primary voltage? Is the grounding during welding smooth? Let's check the welding conditions again and try to make a beautiful weld bead by setting and changing the welding conditions.
The use of a "shading mask" must be observed during welding operations. With a shading mask, you will be able to "see straight through" the welding point. It is not something that can be seen with the naked eye, and if you look directly at the welding sparks without using a shading mask, you will literally be burnin' your eyes out. When working, it can be as little as "dazzling." But when it's time to go to bed, my eyes get shaky and I can't open it. To avoid such a situation, you can use "clear safety glasses + shading mask" to avoid from eye-gouging.
There are various types of shading mask. There are old-fashioned types that incorporate a combination of shaded and clear glass into the welding surface, while there are also automatic shading mask that are normally clear but switch to shaded the moment it detects the light source of the welding spark. High performance products are available in a price range that is comparable to that of the welding machine itself, and it seems that the higher performance products are easier to use with fewer problems and breakdowns.
Working while seeing the weld core wire being fed in and the steel being melted will definitely improve your welding skills. Paradoxically, it is because of "using the shading mask" that welding can be done well, and without using the shading mask, it is extremely difficult to do welding work in good condition. During the welding process, you will definitely get a better finishing result if you weld with your eyes fixed on the molten pool.
