My Class V Receiver Hitch for M35A2

[Hainebd]

I purchased a ReadyWelder. It is Military issue and came with NATO slave plug. Welds steel, stainless, or aluminum and runs off your batteries up to 36 volts. It is very handy cause you can run flux core for steel. Works great but is not for fab shop. We weld once or twice a week here and have several machines to use but the RW gets used the most. Frame building we always go 70xx and stick weld. As for liquid wrench I prefer the PLAZMA cutter. Consumables are expensive. With clean dry air and no paint or rust it will cut. Frame rivets can be cut out better with a gouging tip for oxy/act torch.

nice hitch and beautiful welds. What prep did you do to parent metal for strength? What grade plate did you use?

 

[gimpyrobb]

-Is there any real good reason to switch away from oxy-acetylene if the use is real random and occasional?

Nope. Most other methods are made for time reduction(mig) or exotic materials(tig). If you can weld with oxy-fuel, you are better than most folks that call themselves welders. You really have to know puddle control when you use oxy-fuel to weld.

 

[Another Ahab]

Nope. Most other methods are made for time reduction(mig) or exotic materials(tig). If you can weld with oxy-fuel, you are better than most folks that call themselves welders. You really have to know puddle control when you use oxy-fuel to weld.

Good to hear (because I didn't really want to be out there buying up more of anything).

And I'll tell you, my welds aren't always beautiful (puddle control is not my strong suit), but they hold and that gets the job done.

Thanks for the good advice, gimpyrobb.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Yeah basically oxy/acetylene welding is the same concept as tig welding except instead of the electrode to melt the filler and base metal you are using the torch.

I would prefer mig over a torch but if you already have it then just use that, plus your open to a lot more types of welding with a torch you can't do with a mig well not with out a torch anyway. When I started my 4 yrs of welding and fab in votech, that was the first thing we had to learn was a torch before we were even allowed to pick up a stick welder. Using a torch is a dying skill even for cutting, a lot of places have switched to a plasma cutter, but my opinion a torch is always better and more versatile

 

[gimpyrobb]

I agree about the torch being better than a plasma(for a broader range of cutting- especially for scrap) . I have both and they both have their place.

 

[Another Ahab]

Yeah basically oxy/acetylene welding is the same concept as tig welding except instead of the electrode to melt the filler and base metal you are using the torch.

I would prefer mig over a torch but if you already have it then just use that, plus your open to a lot more types of welding with a torch you can't do with a mig well not with out a torch anyway. When I started my 4 yrs of welding and fab in votech, that was the first thing we had to learn was a torch before we were even allowed to pick up a stick welder. Using a torch is a dying skill even for cutting, a lot of places have switched to a plasma cutter, but my opinion a torch is always better and more versatile

Yeah, being versatile is mostly why I stick with it. And also because it's just that I'm old school (I mean, kind of literally, my vo-tech instructor was a welding supervisor on the Alaska pipeline; THAT might give you a chuckle).

But I appreciate hearing the endorsements for the torch. I mean, sure I'll stick with whatever works, but if something really improved comes along then this dog will learn any new trick that makes the job easier. I mean why not, right?!

 

[Hainebd]

Speaking of using a torch, one thing that can be one with a torch and not much else is to cut an nut off without shaft thread damage. I have cut 3/8-16 nuts off and 3" nuts off right down to the shafts thread with no damage. I have tried several times with plasma with no luck, and carbon arc forget. Oxygen lance maybe. Also works for stuck wheel bearings on spindles. If cone is stuck as sometimes happens, run a bead of weld in the center of race bearing face. It will fall out. I like a torch. I do not know what filler and flux u are using so weld strength is not know. I gas welded tons of exhaust till my first mig. Now I mig. You can get a nice mig for under $100. My first came with a tank and wire. It is small 110/220 unit. I would trade that for something for my deuce.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Sorry I missed a few posts here


thanks guys, like I said I'm not the best welder but I can definitely hold my own.


All the the material was a36 structural steel, all 1/4" thickness. Like I said I looke and copied my bosses Reese class V hitch and it's built way better then that thing is. As far as prep I just cleaned up the mill scale around the weld area and that's it, that's our procedure for welding finished product where I work. Gets down to good clean metal.

here is my aluminum mig, and steel tig

 

[Another Ahab]

Nice bead.

Steady Freddy. You got a good hand.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Thanks but it's actually Dan the Man lol

 

[rtk]

When it looks like a row of NICKLES ,you are right on the money . Very nice !

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Actually not, each row is a a cold lap. Cold lap is a bad thing, that is a place for a stress crack to start. That comes straight from my miller rep. We do a slight whip in aluminum for the appearance cause that is what the owner wants which is fine I like the texture too. But all our steel is run in straight passes no whip or weave at all. This is how that looks

 

[Another Ahab]

Actually not, each row is a a cold lap. Cold lap is a bad thing, that is a place for a stress crack to start. That comes straight from my miller rep. We do a slight whip in aluminum for the appearance cause that is what the owner wants which is fine I like the texture too. But all our steel is run in straight passes no whip or weave at all. This is how that looks

Who knew? I had always heard the "nickel" story also.

 

[dburd72]

Have you thought about selling any ?

 

[Hainebd]

I do believe Lt Dan is using a robot to weld. In a day way in the past I could I a good day lay a bead like that but now?? Very nice. And you make me one too?

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Well idk... I've been down that road before.... I used to make mounts for dirt bikes that relocated the shock for a different swing arm. Then people brought up the liability crap and I stopped. I could make a few I suppose but what are people willing to pay for them? I'd probably be in the $175 to $200 range plus shipping or maybe you guys would be willing to pick them up? Materials would probably be in the $100 range