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richriggins OP t1_j0xav4q wrote

Reply to comment by Spartacus777 in I made a honeycomb firewood rack by richriggins

Do it! You can get started for about $300

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c1e2477816dee6b5c882 t1_j0ywdrx wrote

The metal itself is so expensive!

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Tableau t1_j0z8rdt wrote

If you buy it at the hardware store. They mark that shit up crazy high. If you go to an actual metal supplier it’s much more reasonable

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reddof t1_j0zwtks wrote

This is incredibly important, but so easy for hobbyists to overlook. I had been buying metal at hardware stores and online for a while (I wasn't using much thankfully). I wanted to build a nicer welding table and needed thicker metal than I could find at usual sources. I tracked down an metal supplier locally. They cut some of the pieces to size for me and then helped load the plate into my truck. I went to pay and was bracing myself for the total. It was about 1/5 of what I was expecting. I was amazed at how much I had been overpaying. They get all my business now.

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Flimsy-Statistician3 t1_j0zizhq wrote

My dad also made a forge for relatively cheap. From there collecting scrap metal that people throw away or that you salvage from broken things becomes a hobby in and of it’s self.

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outflow t1_j0z15wr wrote

You got that right. I have many welding projects I want to get started on but I might as well just make it out of pure silver or gold, the way steel prices are lately!

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fkn51 t1_j1eivg9 wrote

You can generally find mostly free scrap metal from farmers or even check with scrap yards

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FactoryBuilder t1_j0yen5v wrote

That cheap? I know how to weld, took a class in high school, but didn’t realize the equipment was so cheap

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reddof t1_j0zx49w wrote

There are some exceptionally good hobbyist grade welders available for dirt cheap.

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nagi603 t1_j10suxi wrote

Check on youtube for videos cheap kits. Prices have plummeted quite a lot contrary to popular belief, and the cheap ones are not all bad, not by a long shot.

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randomvictum t1_j0xxknt wrote

Did you get your machine for $300? I've debated getting into this and would be open to suggestions.

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marsrover001 t1_j0yt91c wrote

Harbor freight, get the $150 flux core wire feed welder. $80 auto darkening helmet (the one that comes with the welder is garbage) $22 spool of flux core wire. $8 gloves. $free some old long sleeved shirt.

Have at it. Yeah your welds aren't gonna look great. But by the 2nd spool you should have the hang of it.

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captain_carrot t1_j0yy0n5 wrote

I'd recommend getting an actual welding jacket with a protective snap collar and made out of actual fire resistant material. I think I got mine off Amazon for like $20, it doesn't need to be anything fancybut after the first couple hot pieces of slag got down my collar I learned my lesson lol

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randomvictum t1_j19c5go wrote

I had been looking at a Forney MIG welder for about $300 but yeah that Harbour Freight is hard to beat. You have and use that exact machine?

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marsrover001 t1_j19p1j0 wrote

I do. Still have yet to upgrade as despite some spatter it still handles fine. Gone all the way to 1/4in and still got acceptable strong welds.

I'm about to do some frame rails and I don't think I'll get enough penetration, so I'll be borrowing the neighbors stick welder that runs on 220v. But other than that I've not needed anything different.

Grinder and paint, hides it fine.

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rewardsthroway t1_j0xtuow wrote

I have a dumb question because I don't weld. If the stitch welds are so close together why not just do the full way across in the first place? Is it a difficulty thing, expensive, or something else I'm not thinking of? I'd just like to understand is all.

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rdmille t1_j0xul41 wrote

To do it all the way across, you do it in one pass, and the metal gets really hot and warps as you weld (unless you are very good at welding). The best way around it is to do a short weld, move to a different area far away, do a short weld, move, do a short weld...

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Shovelfuckurforehead t1_j0xxvfh wrote

I mean, the best way around it is to just Tig weld it and you can move around from spot to spot and nothing gets to hot. If you did want to weld it all in one go, just do your proper tack welds and then clamp everything down so it doesn't move. U/rewardsthroway

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[deleted] t1_j0xv5xe wrote

[deleted]

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richriggins OP t1_j0xwjz6 wrote

Well, the reason they gave isn't the reason I had. Warping wasn't a concern as these are big pieces of 1/8" steel. Time and effort were the bigger concerns.

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[deleted] t1_j0xyhpd wrote

[deleted]

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N_Inquisitive t1_j0ysti1 wrote

They weren't responding to you at all there. You're also not owed an answer.

Try not being rude, and try looking things up. You would do well to save your comments and think before you post.

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richriggins OP t1_j0xuci9 wrote

There outside of each joint is welded fully. The inside has a handful of long stitch welds. Reason: see above, not going to space.

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object109 t1_j0y95zh wrote

All the answers you got so far are correct but another reason is that welds are strong, a proper weld is stronger than the material around it. Most stuff doesn’t need all seems welded.

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