AuthorTopic: Dangged Japanese steel  (Read 6314 times)

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Offline Blackwater

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Dangged Japanese steel
« on: October 02, 2015, 06:13:03 PM »
I've asked this over on my build thread, but I figure I'll come closer to getting a good answer here.

Does anybody but me find it hard to weld certain Japanese steel frames and suspension pieces??  This NISSAN truck frame I inherited when I bought the project is annoying the HELL out of me. No matter how well I clean and prep certain parts of this frame, the welds are not as clean and pretty and it seems really hard to strike an arc when I start a new weld.

I've tried higher heat settings and different wire speeds and sometimes it just WON'T start like it should and it will spatter and clump or just not weld right. Without changing a setting on the machine, I'll move to all new bought steel or even old rusty stuff I'm reclaiming and it'll lay down a beautiful, smooth bead just as pretty as you please!!



 
« Last Edit: October 06, 2015, 10:26:40 AM by Blackwater »
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Offline IlikeImpala's

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2015, 08:59:10 PM »
I have a neighbor who runs a machine shop. He always complains about the crappy aluminum, steel, and bronze he gets from China these days. He used to get only American made metals in years gone by. But sometime not that long ago things changed and most of his supplier businesses went out of business. Thus most of his product is now from over seas these days. Back then the metals would cut in even spirals of waste metal. Where as now it cuts in saw dust like flakes of contaminated base metals that constantly dulls his cutters/end mills. Thus his American made products have lowered in quality from the base metals being of questionable quality. Its not a change for the better......and your welding issues is further proof of this sad reality.

 

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2015, 03:30:11 PM »
I'm looking for solutions here. There has to be something I'm doing wrong or something I'm not doing. Either my technique (which has been good for years) or my materials are wrong.

Anybody got an answer? I hate to have to clean off and re-weld something three or four times to get a satisfactory result.
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miraclepieco

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2015, 08:33:53 PM »
What's wrong with you whiners? My welds are as good as ever   :P :-[ :-\ :-X



[imghttp://i.imgur.com/Q3Es2wr[/img]
« Last Edit: October 05, 2015, 08:35:48 PM by miraclepieco »

Offline hotwheels

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2015, 09:20:10 AM »
Holy cow, that is horrible.
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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2015, 10:25:08 AM »
WELL.....................  Mine don't look that bad!!  8) 8)



I'd have to grind 'em off if they looked like those!!
« Last Edit: October 06, 2015, 10:28:53 AM by Blackwater »
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Offline hotwheels

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2015, 08:08:15 AM »
Lol, I didn't even think to ask if those are some ones welds that you know. If they are, I would grind em down and see if a person can lay down a cleaner look.
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miraclepieco

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #7 on: October 08, 2015, 02:25:01 AM »
Ha ha, I think you guys are loosing sight of what rat rods are all about. They are not supposed to be pretty or finely crafted. That would be street rods or HAMB rods. Rat rods are supposed to be in-your-face offensive!  As such, after I lay down a good weld with penetration, I go back over it with the welder on cold setting so the welds look like crap. This does wonders to offend the sanctimonious purists, street rodders and HAMB types!

Offline hotwheels

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2015, 12:54:59 PM »
Lmao. If it's like you do it, that's one thing. I would just want the weld to be safe. I know someone that believes they can weld, cold rolls everything and I can remove the freshly welded pieces off the car by hand. I don't say anything, I just agree that he's an awesome welder.
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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2015, 08:21:36 PM »
I've laid down some really ugly welds in the past that would withstand the sledge hammer test!!  My dad used to carry around a 16# sledge with the handle sawed off at 12" or so, and if he suspected a poor weld, he's slam it two or three times with that hammer. He used to call my overhead welding "Gorilla Welds!"  Ugly as hell but strong as a 500# gorilla!

I mostly got better, but this damned NISSAN frame is pissing me off!!

Oh well!  I going to a shooting match for the next couple of days and ol' Lockjaw will get it's tail kicked starting Monday.

It's a day early, but y'all have a great weekend!!!
« Last Edit: October 21, 2015, 05:31:11 PM by Blackwater »
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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2015, 05:33:35 PM »
I got 'em done!!  Heated the factory steel with a torch and turned up the heat on the welder and added some wire speed.  They passed the hammer test and I put the rear shocks on.  MUCH BETTER NOW!!!
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Offline hotwheels

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Re: Dangged Japanese steel
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2015, 04:26:36 AM »
Glad you got welds to work with that metal. Awesome.
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