Propane tank build

[curtisimo81]

Well I haven't had much time lately to work on the build but did get the legs welded on. I'm not sure what was going on with my welder but it just wasn't wanting to allow me weld a decent bead.

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• curtisimo81
• Jan 3, 2015

 

[lendecatural]

What kind of welder/process are you using?

 

[smokingunny]

Len, he's probably at work but it's a Harbor Freight flux core welder, no gas option. He'd have to give specifics as far as the amperage range.

 

[lendecatural]

That helps a bit.. Those aren't bad as long as you aren't trying to weld anything too thick (greater than 1/4"). The main problem with them is the ground clamp, in short, they are terrible. It is best to cut them off and get a good old school copper ground clamp and make sure it is attached to clean, freshly ground metal on the work piece. If you can't get your hands on a good clamp, crimp (or solder) on a copper lug and attach it to clean, freshly ground metal with a pair of vice grips. Most of the MIG problems I've run across have been rooted in poor grounds. Give that a try and report back, it should clear things up for you.

 

[curtisimo81]

It's actually a job smart welder 125amp. The clamp looks great but it might be the clamp.

 

[lendecatural]

Here's a good video on using a small welder. I like this guy and have a couple of his TIG products. He does a good job of explaining using small machines and their limitations.

 

[curtisimo81]

Thank you Len for the video.  I will try to go get a better ground clamp tomorrow when I'm off and try some of those techniques.  It just baffles me why the welder worked fine a week ago but now is spattering so bad.  Thanks for your help.  

 

[daveomak]

The ground clamp is as important as the stinger clamp.. both need to be cleaned for good electrical contact, as does the metal the ground connects to and the metal you are welding... electricity does not flow through oxidized metal....

 

[curtisimo81]

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• curtisimo81
• Jan 7, 2015

Got the hinges welded on. My welds look like a 2 year old did them. It's clean metal good ground and still having problems. It must be operator error. Lol. Who knows. I know I can grind them down and clean them up to look decent but I would rather not have to do that.

 

[curtisimo81]

Ok so I got the flat bar welded on for my seal. Yup the bottom part of the door warped out because I didn't think about leaving it attached until I welded them on to keep it from doing that. (One to many adult beverages. Lol). So any suggestions on fixing this. It's about a 1/2 out on the bottom. I thought about fire rope around the flange but not sure if this would since its flush up top.

 

[lendecatural]

Do you wear reading glasses to read a newspaper? I have to wear glasses to weld in order to see the puddle. The bases of those hinges are thick and that welder doesn't have enough amperage to get good puddle started on thick metal. You can help that by heating it up with a torch and move the puddle very slowly to get some penetration.

 

[daveomak]

YEAH !!!!!!! Reading glasses makes all the difference when it comes to seeing the puddle......

 

[curtisimo81]

Lol......fortunately I'm not wearing glasses yet!!! I actually welded three 1/8 steel prices together to make the base. Well on one because I didn two on one and it wasn't high enough( the left side). I thought about cutting it out and welding another 1/8 piece but it works. Lol. I'm kinda a perfectionist so I'll prob fix it. But I'm still having issues with this welder. I went to buy a new ground clamp but the one I have is the same kind that I would buy. If needed I'll take a pic of the one I have but I got told the one that comes with my welder is a great clamp. I've welded before but it's always been with gas and a mig never this flux core. I wonder if that's my problem. Maybe I should have spent the extra money on a gas welder.

 

[lendecatural]

Wait, you used this welder with gas before and didn't have a problem? If you switch from gas and solid wire to flux wire on a compact machine you must reverse the polarity of the leads in the machine..... 

 

[curtisimo81]

Oh I also wanted to thank all of you on this website for all the help you all have given me so far. You all have been awesome!

 

[curtisimo81]

Len no this welder doesn't use gas. It doesn't have that option. The other elders I have used were mig welder with gas. I've never used flux core before this welder. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[curtisimo81]

Len no this welder doesn't use gas. It doesn't have that option. The other elders I have used were mig welder with gas. I've never used flux core before this welder. Sorry for the confusion.

Welder not elder........

 

[daveomak]

Check the tip to see if it is the same as the wire diameter.... An 0.035 tip will not work with a 0.030 wire etc.....

 

[curtisimo81]

Check the tip to see if it is the same as the wire diameter.... An 0.035 tip will not work with a 0.030 wire etc.....

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Dave thanks for this tip but I did that. I have the .035 on it and using .035 wire. I'm wondering if it might be the wire. I bought it from tractor supply. But I figure it should be decent wire. I had smokingunny on FaceTime while I ran a bead on some scrap and he agreed the sound was consistent but it didn't look like it was penetrating the metal very weld. I mean I feel 125amp should be big enough to this build. The welder is fairly new too. I'm starting to wish I would have just bought a Hobart

 

[lendecatural]

Take a picture of the ground clamp if you don't mind and check if the wire connection to it is a copper ring terminal. If so, you can remove the clamp, grind a spot, and clamp the ring terminal to the metal and try that. Can you still take it back to Tractor Supply and exchange it? They are really good at standing behind their stuff.