Home fab front uniframe stiffeners. Welding tips

[Demonoid369]

Please move if this isn't fabrication enough.
I'm in the process of making front uniframe stiffeners, 3/16" steel

Now I've been practicing welding 3/16" on to sheet metal to prepare for this task and I'm pretty sure I got it down but I do have a few questions to ask.
1. Has anyone done this with flux core? I'm using .030 Lincoln flux core wire, but my welder does have hook up for gas shielding.
2. I've also read about dual shielding, should I fill my tank for this task? And should I use straight co2 for deeper penetration or do mix?
3. Or should I run standard wire and gas?

 

[POSJ]

If you're looking for advice generally go to modified tech.

 

[Demonoid369]

If you're looking for advice generally go to modified tech.

That's what I thought but wasn't sure, the sticky on top kinda confused me on what gets posted here. It says modified for bolt on topics but I know my uniframe stiffeners ain't bolt on lol

 

[xcm]

3. Or should I run standard wire and gas?

co2 aint bad, but 75/25 is great. No idea what dual shielding is, but its not needed. Dont over think this.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

75/25 mix is fine, drill some holes in the stiffeners for rossete welds.

 

[94xjsport94]

75/25 mix is fine, drill some holes in the stiffeners for rossete welds.

This. You'll be golden.

 

[Jbh97009]

Did you buy a welder Larry?

 

[Demonoid369]

co2 aint bad, but 75/25 is great. No idea what dual shielding is, but its not needed. Dont over think this.

Dual shielding is using both regular shielding gas and running flux core wire at the same time.

Did you buy a welder Larry?

Nope I've always had a welder, got a Clarke 100e from my dad when he passed away. It's a good welder, 3/16" is at the Max though.
So I thought the bottle that was connected to my welder was a empty bottle, turns out there is still some gas. I'm positive though it's pure CO2 as the weld seemed a lot hotter and a lot more spatter lol

 

[Boostwerks.com]

With a small welder like that, definitely take your time between welds. The duty cycle is probably around 30% if that.

 

[xcm]

Dual shielding is using both regular shielding gas and running flux core wire at the same time.

Yeah, but why? No need for that unless you absolutely must weld your stiffeners on in a wind tunnel.

 

[Demonoid369]

It's supposedly give a much deeper and stronger penetration and weld but I've been reading many different things like normal flux core wire can be used but also read that that statement isn't true and a special flux core wire needs to be used with shielding gas.
I'm actually trying to read back up on it as I love welding and doing this stuff lol

 

[Boostwerks.com]

Dual shielding wire was designed for in shop production welding of large steel structures, vessels, ship building...etc. The flux'd wire allows quicker and easier out of position welding (vertical/overhead), while the gas increases penetration while also cutting down on spatter. It has nothing to do with wind resistance.

In all honesty though, there is no real reason for the average hobbyist welder to be using it. The fumes are fairly toxic, and the regular flux core/mig wire will be more than enough.

fwiw, I worked in a structural steel shop for several years using both mig and dual shield. We wouldn't use dual shield (specifically Lincolns ultracore) on anything less than 3/8" plate.

 

[xcm]

Might as well be asking about spray transfer and autogenous welding.... those have just as much to do with mig welding frame reinforcements on... Get out of the welding books.

 

[1-tonxj]

There is no "deep" in 14 guage ...You don't need to worry about burning in deep when your base metal thickness are 14g unirail and the very edges of 3/'16th plate ...welding to the edges of something like plate steel leaves very little place for the heat you put in to go so melting the base metal is very easy with a very little machine a 90 amp hobo freight unit will be able to blow through that .