A new tool

[ArdWrknTrk]

Today I picked up a little oxy/acytalene setup.
It had been sitting outside for a LONG time.
I cleaned up the cart and picked up some new hose at HF.
I get gas for free so I swapped the B tank and the 60 for fresh fills.

I have a torch set on order from eBay.

Given that I have no real electricity (800W 2stroke generator) the ability to heat, cut and fuse is a huge step in the right direction.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Has anyone ever tried using stick welder rod for gas filler?

I suppose I could buy a few pounds of rod, but I have dozens of pounds of electrode in the Super Duty that are going to be scrapped.

[Gary Lewis]

I’ve often thought I need a set of those bottles, if nothing else then for brazing. But being able to weld small things would be a big advantage. After all, that’s the way I learned to weld so surely could do it again.

And I have used old welding rod for oxy welding. I scraped off most of the flux first, but it worked well. If you have lots of it then give it a try.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I was thinking about how much the heat would help in getting the exhaust manifolds off my donor engine.
My plumbing torch is good for solder and most brazing, but is not as fast or controlled when things get thick.

Gas welding and brazing is how I learned too.
Cutting and heat for bending is going to help a lot as well.

It's a little pos, but it's mine.    

[Gary Lewis]

Heating exhaust manifold bolts is what came to mind yesterday as I was trying to get the dip stick tube out of the 90’s pan. I could see that I was going to break something if I did it cold, and my MAPP gas torch wasn’t going to work in the engine compartment when all the lines and hoses are still in place.

Besides, it really isn’t “surgical” enough to heat a bolt red hot without getting the surrounding part hot as well, and that’s not the best approach. So, the little tanks with a real welding torch would be ideal. 👍

[ArdWrknTrk]

I have a REAL plumber's torch with a B tank, and another with an M tank for small spaces.

But the added oxygen brings the object to glowing much faster even if the straight acetylene tip and flame are the same size.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Do you think I could get a start with this?

[Gary Lewis]

Wow!  That's a lot of rod!  But they are probably "wet", so are ruined for arc welding.  However with the flux broken off they should work fine for oxy.  

[FuzzFace2]

Gary Lewis wrote

Wow!  That's a lot of rod!  But they are probably "wet", so are ruined for arc welding.  However with the flux broken off they should work fine for oxy.  

I was thinking the vary same thing, wet and no good
With the flux broken off has to be better than using coat hangers for welding rod LOL
Dave ----

just figured out the quote
and smileys

[Gary Lewis]

Coat hangers?  They work really, really well.  Used them on my very first welding job - in 1964.  We took a '47 Chevy panel truck, pulled the body off, rebuilt the engine, and sectioned the frame 3'.  Made a dune buggy.  The welds never gave us any problem, in spite of jumping the thing, twisting it, etc.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

I've welded exhaust systems 'back in the day' with coat hangers but I doubt I'd use them structural welds.

I need to sort them out and find an efficient way to get all the flux off.
There's a lot of 6010 and 7018 in a few diameters. And what appears to be some stainless or nickel rod.
MR means low hydrogen, right?
Fleetweld 47 is a kind of jack of all trades stick that I've seen used for trailers before.

I don't really know much about stick welding, but I know i have many choices.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well, I have 272 pounds of welding electrode!!!!!

I upscaled the crappy little cart with HF's finest wheels.
I moved the axle back by using a piece of 1x2 box, which helps keep the cart from tipping backwards.

[Gary Lewis]

👍

[PetesPonies]

Gary, even though you cannot precisely heat the part you want to expand without heating the rest, the expansion and contraction of all the materials will often break the bolt loose. For example, an exhaust manifold bolt . . text book expanding would say, expand the hole . .in the head  :)  HUH ?? Heat that bolt cherry red and it will back out with ease.

[Gary Lewis]

I agree completely. My point was that my MAPP gas torch doesn’t put out enough heat with a small flame to quickly heat a nut or bolt. So I have to turn it up and it heats everything, which isn’t as effective as heating the just the fastener.

In contrast, Jim’s little oxy set will heat the bolt quickly with a small flame, leaving the surrounding parts relatively cool. That much more effective in breaking something loose.

[PetesPonies]

No argument with the choice of heat, no doubt oxy is best. It often isn't as important as where you apply the heat than it is how much heat is available. I won't show a pic of my BIG oxy setup . . actually lucked into to it many, many, and even, many years ago. Sometimes good things just fall into your hands.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I picked up a rosebud tip at harbor freight yesterday.
Some soapstone sticks, magnetic squares, and brazing rods too.

I replaced both regulators since they were not close to right.

I need to find a better way to remove *all* the flux off these stick electrodes, or give them to someone who makes art.

Anyway, I'd almost forgotten how much I like (love?) to gas weld.
Take your time. It's so forgiving.

[Gary Lewis]

It is certainly a slower pace than when you have arcs shooting everywhere.  Sounds like you are having fun.

On the flux,you need a tumbler with rocks in it.  

[FuzzFace2]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I picked up a rosebud tip at harbor freight yesterday.
Some soapstone sticks, magnetic squares, and brazing rods too.

I replaced both regulators since they were not close to right.

I need to find a better way to remove *all* the flux off these stick electrodes, or give them to someone who makes art.

Anyway, I'd almost forgotten how much I like (love?) to gas weld.
Take your time. It's so forgiving.

I wonder if you could bake the rods to make them usable?
I have not been around that type of welding in a l o n g time to remember if you can or not.

If water made them junk I also wonder if you were to soak them in water if it would come off?
Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

The rods never got rained on or anything.
Many of their holder ends are not rusty.

Gary,
I have a case tumbler, bit I don't want to cut the rods into 4" pieces