Preheat advice requested

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Shield, that's a slightly different sequence than I'd thought, but no way I'd argue with experience :thumbsup:

By the comment, "Make sure you make the opposite weld each time", do you mean "weld each side of the same joint before welding the next joint", or something else?

Really like the small dowel/clamp idea, for one thing the PUSH would probably take care of any leftover "arch" -

With all this great advice, I'll probably only make a few DOZEN boo-boo's instead of a few HUNDRED

Shield Arc · Jun 3, 2014

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Your weld sequence will most likely work too.

See how I made all the short end welds on the gussets first? Then #9, opposite side to the gusset is #10. Then #11, and opposite side #12. Then jump to the other far side, and do the same thing. Then jump over to the gusset that has #3 and #4 end weld. Moving around to opposites side is key to countering warpage. These welds are all short, other wise I would have you back stepping the welds as well.

As long as the metal is over 50-degrees I wouldn't worry too much about pre-heat, but some pre-heat never hurts. Another good trick is to pre-heat the bottom plate under those welds on the vertical plates.

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Shield, I'm startin' to wish I was your next door neighbor like everyone else you've helped, but for YOUR sake it's probably best this way :laughing:

I looked at your sequence markup again and realized what you meant, but thanks for the extra clarification.

On preheat - those pics were shot with fill flash, but most of the light was from clear infrared lamps, 3 x 250watt - I'd guess if I hit it with the IR gun right about now, the temp is around 200f. I know from experience with previous use of that setup for quick-curing paint.

From your comments, I'd call that temp "chicken soup" - (as in, "couldn't hurt") so I won't bother commandeering the wife's oven

Got lucky on mounting the male "tee" - my HF press is almost exactly 1.5" diameter, I'm using 1.5" dia. hot roll for pins and found some 1.5" ID solid shaft couplers at belarus tractor (4.5" long, 2 set screws) for about 30% of what everybody else wants - one of those will be perfect to mate the "TEE" to the HF press, gonna order a few more at that price.

Hopefully I'm gonna be ready for a test push by the end of the day... Steve

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Oh, the reason I don't wanna weld the insides of the "push channel" is that I may want to use this jig for smaller radius bends later, and just add "shims" of, say 1/4" or thicker between the uprights... Steve

Shield Arc · Jun 3, 2014

With all the weld volume on the gussets you most likely won't need to weld the inside of the vertical plates. But no reason not to weld the vertical plates between the gussets. Like you said, if it bows you can use your press. Or you can use your torch to heat shrink it back to shape.

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Welding's done except for between the gussets, gonna wait til it's cool for that so I can handle it easier. It was kinda interesting (snug) doing the inside welds, but they look mostly OK for penetration.

At 10-15 minutes after the last weld, measured distance between the uprights - 2-9/16 at the base, 2-19/32 at the top. I'll take it, if it doesn't get any worse than that after cooling. No cross-ways welds, so no real surprise. After it cools, I may do a few touchups but I'm mainly concerned with strength... Steve

Shield Arc · Jun 3, 2014

While it's cooling you could take your air compressor and blow air down the center between the vertical plates, that will pull the top of the vertical plates together.:thumbsup:

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Could, but 1/32" ain't gonna get my panties in a bunch

- instead, I'm gonna track down that wierd shaped piece of 1" plate I saw the other day, clean it up if it's big enough to make better press plates than that bondo-filled cast iron crap HF gives you with their presses - guess it's (almost) worth what it costs.

Right now I don't have the room to store any more steel and I'm not ready for the projects that need 1" plate yet, my steel supplier only sells full sheets/sticks or sticks it to ya. Need to make a run to Cherry City in Salem one of these days, there are 3-4 things I wanna do without storing 17 feet of a size I don't use that much

I'm still relatively new to mig welding and never claimed to do more than drag a rod, so I'd appreciate any laughter, etc, on what you see in my welds - and thanks again fer all the support (borrowed from Bartels & James commercial

)... Steve

BukitCase · Jun 3, 2014

Besides, they may pull together that much when I weld the insides of the gussets -

Found the piece of 1" plate, it was in the shape of maybe 1/4 of a donut (not jelly-filled, sorry

Measured and the two inner points were 11" across, will just span the crossbars of my press. Outsides are much further. I put it in the vise of my Jet saw, centered the blade on it and now have two 1" steel plates.

Maybe I'll use the HF crap for wheel weights or somethin... Steve