[QUOTE=caged;3037841]i have a really nice 140a lincoln 110v welder. it's the 140c from a welding shop and i wouldn't use it for anything more than welding up exhaust and body panels.



I'm curious- do you use flux core or a dual-shield type wire in the 140?

I've used Esab Dual Shield in a Hobart 140 with excellant results up to 3/16", and I wouldn't be afraid to go up to 1/4" with some preheating.

I'm not a fan of FCAW, I'd rather just stick weld, but adding Co2 is a game changer.

 

i run 75/25 gas, so solid wire for me in both the 140 and the 210.

i would weld 3/16 if it wasn't a safety structural bead and maybe 1/4 inch if it is just a welding table or something like that, but definitely not a bumper or suspension part with the 140.

but my 210 fabricator, i will burn 1/4 inch all day long.

 

Just picked up this bad boy

 

that's a friggin nice machine. i used to have the older version of that one. kinda wish i kept it.

 

Much appreciated, thanks!

 

Bass, have got started burning wire yet?
I forgot to mention that with a very small welder like that, you'll struggle to get even 1/8" penetration so you'll need to bevel and preheat pretty much everything.
Good luck!

 

Here is a power steering reservoir I made for my project.

Untitled by frankthewelder, on Flickr

 

Oh yeah. I've done a little practicing on it with some thinner stuff - sorry no pics of that... was too ashamed lol. But I did weld a 1/4" plate to my trailer tongue to act as a spacer for the tilt function on it... not the prettiest welds, but for what purpose the spacer is there, it's there for the long haul...





This shot is after filing the crap out of the welds on the side. Which is unfortunate because the welds on the sides looked the best and I forgot to snap pictures of them before I started filing them down (I say filing and not grinding because well... that's all I have right now - a metal file). I didn't take into account about the clearance of the frame channel and the tongue when I cut the plate, so my beads wound up being to thick to fit.



Painted and finished product.

 

Looks good!

 

Thanks!

Well, my welds failed me this weekend. Exhaust pipe wound up falling off from the cat where I welded it on. Pretty sure where I went wrong though was lack of prep. Lesson learned... anyone need a bendy-straw?

 

Prep work is #1 in welding. Especially on rusty metal.

 

No where in any welding code book does it say anything about pretty welds or ugly welds. It is the fusion of the filler material and the base metal that matter. Just my 2 cents.

 

No but there are standards to meet.

 

Sure there is. The wording may be a little different however (lack of fusion, undercut, cold...). Visual inspection is always the first step for a weld inspector.

 

[QUOTE=TheCK4x4;3051269]No but there are standards to meet.[/QUOTE


There's a saying in the motorcycle world that kind of applies here.

"Chrome won't get you home"- Neither will pretty welds, if the beauty is only on the surface- NOT penetrating deep.

The best welds are those that hold, anything beyond that is just window dressing.

Believe me, Bass, even the best welders don't always lay down perfect looking beads.