Any way to weld the thin metal on tractors and attachments?

[newbury]

Have you looked into the new laser welders? They are supposed to do a good job on thin metals. Here is the link:

Handheld Laser Welding and Cleaning Systems | IPG Photonics

Handheld laser welder and handheld laser cleaner in one system. Up to 4X faster than TIG, able to weld a wide range of materials up to ¼” thick.

lasersystems.ipgphotonics.com

Starting from $20K MSRP.

 

[Hoho223]

Wait, what? ”The last time I tipped my tractor over”? Or has someone else already raised an eyebrow?

 

[TGD]

Lots of TIG mentions in previous posts and yes, tig is a good process for certain things and metal that you can get really clean, It takes more skill than some other processes and I don't use it for everything, just like I don't use flux core for everything.

I have for many years used a simple Hobart 140 120v mig welder for sheet metal and just about everything up to 1/8 with 0.30 flux core. The welder can be taken into the field and used both inside outside where processes which use a gas such as tig and mig cannot without special prep be used in a breeze or in a shop with fans running. It will also tolerate less than perfect weld prep and doesn't need to be near as clean as tig or mig. With flux core you can use a quick downhill drag (slag? you drag) to keep from burning through. If the surrounding red heat area starts getting really big, stop and let the metal cool a bit then resume or alter the machine setting to suit your travel speed and skill level.

You can use a stick welder if you have one with 3/16" 6013 rods. They work well on sheet metal.

 

[dennisharrison]

You can braze it. Heat the area and let the acid core rod melt/flow towards the heat rather than trying to melt the rod directly if you can. Just nice and easy, follow the weld pool.

 

[The Haymaker]

Body panels and the like can be welded to heavier metal. I do similar items with a stick.

You strike your arc and start your puddle on the heavy metal and flow it onto the thin metal. Your dwell time on the thin metal must be brief with each move.

You can also use low current and run a bead along the joint, focusing on the thinner metal. After a few passes, you can up the current and connect the base metal to the bead you built up.

Or... weld tabs on the heavy metal, then drill and rivet the body metal.

 

[bitseeker]

You COULD learn to weld or braze thin material.
It is fun and useful.
Welding skill takes equipment, time, training, and regular practice.

I suggest that you hire a local, trained and experienced welder to fix what's in need of repair now and develop a relationship for future repairs.

Will you please let us know how it goes?

 

[Stampeder]

MIG with small gauge wire. Must be a gas machine and stitch weld it. Or carefully braze it. Brazing takes same skill level as tug though.

 

[ohiogar]

If you have welders you ought to have a torch I would either clean all the paint off within
a half inch of the area to be welded and gas weld it OR
I used to take a thick piece of brass that fits up tight to the weld area and hold it behind the weld area(it absorbs the heat) and sputter the rod till you get some stuck. Once you have a little built up you can use that glob and enlarge it letting it cool way down every little bit. ugly but it is stuck together.

 

[Djwshady]

I have to constantly be fixing parts on the tractor such as the latches, seat, fenders, hood or attachments such as posthole diggers or rotary cutters, etc.. My buddy told me any welds would not hold on such thin metal for the like, but there has to be a way to do it rather than pay for a new part

Not a pro welder by any means but a Mig welder is what you're looking for. It's a wire spool fed welding filler that can be flux core (no shielding gas) or used with shielding gas. It's great for smaller and thinner metal. I've used this on a few spots on my thinner metal area of metal with no issues. It's also the go to for replacing rusted out floor pans in vehicles.

Edit: it does require a clean, bare metal surface for proper application.

 

[barts]

A MIG welder will likely do what you want. If the damage is the result of normal use, you'll want to reinforce the part - it isn't strong enough. Reinforce mounting holes w/ washers - spread the load. It's pretty simple to build up missing metal and then use a flapper wheel to make it look new again. MIG is probably the easiest form of welding to learn, so it's a good place to start.