[Guest]

I went over to my friends house today and had my first lesson in welding today. I have tried to get him off his lazy butt and fill the tanks for his cutting torch so we could cut and weld. He finally did. That oxy-acytelene, spelling, torch is a real pain in the a$$ to use correctly. We finally concluded that the torch was not cutting right. Then we graduated to welding class 101. I tried wire feed, I think it is also called Mig. I laid a perfect bead the first time I tried. Then I welded a few pieces of 1/4" scrap that I had cut together. I welded these, according to my friend, "damn near perfect." We then just goofed around welding some scraps here and there. As soon as I find the correct fittings for my York I will weld up the brackets for my 350.
I asked my friend how much more difficult Arc welding was that wire feed, he said much more difficult. Personally, I do not think of anything as being too much harder without at least trying it first. So, I would like ya'lls opinions. How much harder is arc welding that wire feed welding. I am asking b/c I have seen several sites that showed how to make your own on-board welder for dirt cheap. The basic setup was a $75 investment, and the pimp daddy setup was only a $150 investment and even had 110v ac power outlets on it, just like premier power welder.
Check out the site
http://www.huv.com/jon/jeep/Welder/on-board-welder.html

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif 1976 CJ-7,CHEVY 350, 33'S, 3" LIFT, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE MAJOR STUFF /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

 

[Guest]

Lee do you have the link to the welder with the 110 volt plug ins??????????????

 

[Guest]

First Jeep Lesson - Welders

Lee -

I have a Link-Arc - which is the same as a Premier Power Welder, but the original - it's like 20 years old. I got it for free from a hunting buddy, and it cost me about $250 to get everything rebuilt.

It's awesome! I've never arc-welded before, but am very accomplished with a MIG. The arc welding is a little trickier - no doubt. The one piece I do not have for the welder is the throttle adjuster - I just use my high idle switch, which I think I need to bump up. I think I've been using too little power, as my penetration has not been as good as I'd like to see.

There's really not all that much to it, and in researching the whole bit, I determined that it would be simple and just as effective to make your own. However - now take this to heart - get the most powerful alternator you can. Mine is a 190 amp model that is essentially a super-heavy-duty version of the Ford external regulator design. I recommend getting a Ford large case external regulator in 130 amp or more. I think this is what Mustangs have.

In Jon's article, he uses a standard Delco internal regulator design and that's why he has to bypass the regulator in there. You'll see his mention of the diode or maybe there's 2. Mine has 12. I think the standard large Fords have 6 - this is where you want to be - I think you'd pop one or two quickly.

I know just enough about this to be dangerous, but I do know it works great and the power tools work REALLY great off of it. However, the power and overall toughness of the alternator is key. The one that goes with mine retails for $550...

P.S. The welding with batteries will work - probably really well. I tried it in an emergency and failed - I got the parts to stick together, but there was no penetration. I was using 2 batteries and a coathanger (no flux). I honestly believe 3 batteries and some real welding rod would have gotten the job done. - Chuck

Chuck Hadley

 

[338]

Re: First Jeep Lesson - Welders

I used one of the ReadyWeld units about 3 weeks ago. Durring a run through a rock garden outside of Reno, the Sami I was wheelin with snapped the main leaf(no military wrap) on his driver side front spring pack. One of the other drivers was watching us from a trail above,came down and said he had an on board welder. Im thinking thats great, but how are we going to get the rig and welder close enough to help. Im thinking we could put a band aid on it using chain,clamps,a turnbuckle and a come along. So he comes back with a case about the size of cordless drill, opens it up and there is a complete wire feed mig in there. I have seen the advertisements for them but never actualy seen one. We disconnected the Sami's battery and borrowed one from my Jeep, used a couple of vice grips to hold the spring leaf together, using a Craftsman 1/2" wrench as the bridge. That little welder worked great and seemed like we got good penetration.The wire spool fits right in the bottom of the handle, and 10 minutes of welding didnt put any noticeable draw on the 2 batteries. The guy who owned it said the price on them had come down to $350 but Ive been pricing them at $500. If you were to set your batteries up for a quick conversion to a series connection, it would be very handy, plus you can still carry the welder to work if neccessary.
I have been borrowing a Solar brand portable welder on long trips. It has its own battery pack built into it and is said to be able to weld 6' of continues weld on one charge, but in my experience with it, it starts to get weak, after about 15 minutes of actual welding. The problem is, is that it cant run off of an external battery source, so if its ran dry it needs a 110v outlet for about 6 hours before its anything but dead weight again. It has came in handy in the past though, and it makes a great weld. I almost bought one when I was in Oregon around Christmas last year, they were on sale at a Jerry's Hardware for $299(and no tax in Or.), I usually see them for about $450, for a complete set(wire,hand held mask, etc). Having an on board welder,grinder,and a vice that can fit into receiver hitch can save your butt, and is more than a luxury on long trips.
Jeff 89 Wrangler

 

[Guest]

Greg, I thought I bookmarked the other page that showed the really nice setup but I did not. I think someone on this list posted it within a week ago. You might try a search. If you locate it let me know so I can bookmark it again. The other page had a link to the page I marked, I just marked the wrong one. It used a converter from Napa that ran $99.99. That is about all I remember.
Good Luck

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif 1976 CJ-7,CHEVY 350, 33'S, 3" LIFT, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE MAJOR STUFF /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

 

[Guest]

Re: First Jeep Lesson - Welders

H8Mondays, do you happen to know where a person can find a wire feed welder like the one described. I like the idea of a wire feed. I know I can look up the company and ask them if they sell just the wire feed and handle. I was just wondering if there were many companies that made the little hand help wire feed handle that a person could adapt to their own homemade, onboard welder.

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif 1976 CJ-7,CHEVY 350, 33'S, 3" LIFT, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE MAJOR STUFF /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

 

[GreenMachine]

Re: First Jeep Lesson - Welders

http://www.brwelder.com/century/cent131.htm this is a link to info on the century model of portable welders. A guy loaned me one of these to make a stop for my springs last year and the stops are still there. Worked as good as the real one I have in the shop. The best price I have seen on them is $399 and I couldn't find the link. You should be able to search by model # though.

GM[/SIZE]

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Lee......my moonguys/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gifare laughing at your description of welding and they say that you are no welder at all till you have holes burned in your underwear/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif Remember this:...it's ACE-TYLENE for the spelling. And if you are having trouble cutting, it's 40 and 8 for the Oxy and Acet regulator setting for cutting routine stuff. And another thing....you aren't heating up the steel and blowing it out of the way....the torch is an OXYGEN LANCE ....it cuts by oxidation. Once the cut is started, you can have a buddy turn off the acetylene and if you're really good, the cut keeps going. Most beginners use too much flame. Keep the blue part small....use as little acetylene as you can. I could teach you this in fifteen minutes. Less if I had some sober moonguys/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif to help me.

CJDave
Quadra-Trac modified by the crack moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif transfer case team.

 

[Guest]

I let my friend set the torch for me. He showed me that you start off with the flame letting off a lot of black smoke, then got the flame to produce very little black smoke, then he tweaked the oxygen, i think oxygen, until he could hit the oxygen trigger and the small blue flame would not get larger.
BTW I found a few things at the yards today. I found the fittings I need for my onboard air. I also found another york with mounting brackets on a waggy. I found two different kinds of yorks on the waggys complete with mounting brackets. I will get back as soon as I can to find to see whether they are the highoutput versions, there were also a lot of other Yorks just laying around.. I also found what looked like a Dana 60 with 3.73 gears and a locker of some sort. There were so many large axles there that I was in awe of the place. There were just stacks and stacks of 44's and a bunch of other ones that resembled 60,70, and definately some 9 inch and 14 bolts. I am curious, are there any 8 bolt nine inch axles, or 8 bolt 60's?
Happy Jeepin'

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif 1976 CJ-7,CHEVY 350, 33'S, 3" LIFT, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE MAJOR STUFF /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

 

[CJDave]

/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif Lee......when you get real good at this, you can bleed in just enough oxy that when you light up it doesn't create all that "flak" that floats around the shop. Sometimes it's necessary to do the final adjustment at the regulator.....but that's in Chapter three and you're in Ch one./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif What did you do, Lee....find the elephant's graveyard of Jeeps?/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

CJDave
Quadra-Trac modified by the crack moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif transfer case team.

 

[251]

8 bolt 60s yes,
I cant think of any 8 bolt 9 inch axles...



OzarkJeep
77 CJ5, in a bunch of sanded and primered pieces

 

[Guest]

I just started looking around the yard now that I know, kinda, what to look for. I was just stunned at the amount of axles laying around. I saw so many axles that looked like a large 44 with eight lugs. A couple even looked as though they would fit under the jeep.

/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif 1976 CJ-7,CHEVY 350, 33'S, 3" LIFT, THAT COVERS MOST OF THE MAJOR STUFF /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif

 

[338]

Lee,
Here is the info you asked about on the hand held, battery powered mig. Its made by a company called ReadyWelder and being distributed by
Oasis Off Road Mfg.
Lake Forrest, CA.
888-96 OASIS
www.oasis-off-road.com

I just picked up a D44 axle today, for a soon to be transplant into my YJ. I've been going over it, and just checking it all out, all evening.
Jeff
89 Wrangler