Tractor Exhaust

[skyhightree1]

Well a limb decided to knock my muffler loose on a tractor while bush hogging I was driving the service truck with the welder " stick " on it. I let the exhaust cool and then proceeded to weld it with stick after burning a hole in it at 55amps dcep I decided to drop it to 40amps was hard to get an arc cranked it up to 45 amps still hard but better but managed to get it back together with no leaks and fixed the hole where I burned through. I didn't want to drive 30 mins back to mig weld it and drive back. Has anyone ever stick welded exhaust before are there any tips or tricks you can offer incase this happens again ? I used 1/8 7018 that's all that I had on the truck.

 

[Brute 23]

I just clamp that stuff. Saves a lot of headache. Our JD is made to slide on and off... no clamps, welds, or any thing.

I have never seen any one stick weld exhaust worth a ****. It always blobs up from being too cool. They rarely get a good tie in. With a little vibrabration it usually breaks.

 

[skyhightree1]

I just clamp that stuff. Saves a lot of headache. Our JD is made to slide on and off... no clamps, welds, or any thing.

I have never seen any one stick weld exhaust worth a be nice. It always blobs up from being too cool. They rarely get a good tie in. With a little vibrabration it usually breaks.

Its definitely not pretty but it was jarred and smacked by more limbs and hasn't broken yet. I am not saying it won't break but all the bouncing around and vibration it hasn't yet and I cut 30+ acres with it. The part that broke loose was the pipe going into the muffler. I will mig weld it if it breaks loose I just needed to get done as soon as possible.

 

[Nesikep]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

 

[skyhightree1]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

That's good to know 8)

 

[skyhightree1]

 

[greybeard]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

Yes. I call it 'sewing'. My father could do it much much better than I can, almost second nature.
No matter what, you have to move the electrode faster than you would normally weld at.
I've welded a lot of 14 and 16 ga by kind of skipping the rod along the seam pretty fast, depositing a bit of metal all along both sides of the seam. Some people call it 'padding'. Let it cool, wire brush it, then do it again, then going back and 'sew' it together using the heat sink rod.
Others do it a little differently:
http://survivalengineer.blogspot.com/20 ... n-002.html

 

[dun]

I welded those pieces together and ran the tractor for another 5 years till it finally gave up the ghost. Hardest part was not burning through

 

[skyhightree1]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

Yes. I call it 'sewing'. My father could do it much much better than I can, almost second nature.
No matter what, you have to move the electrode faster than you would normally weld at.
I've welded a lot of 14 and 16 ga by kind of skipping the rod along the seam pretty fast, depositing a bit of metal all along both sides of the seam. Some people call it 'padding'. Let it cool, wire brush it, then do it again, then going back and 'sew' it together using the heat sink rod.
Others do it a little differently:
http://survivalengineer.blogspot.com/20 ... n-002.html

Thanks for the info

I welded those pieces together and ran the tractor for another 5 years till it finally gave up the ghost. Hardest part was not burning through

Yea that is the hardest part If this last 5 years ill jump for joy.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Looks like a good weld to me, 1/8th" welding rod is to heavy for sheet metal.

 

[skyhightree1]

Looks like a good weld to me, 1/8th" welding rod is to heavy for sheet metal.

Thanks I agree it was too much what rod would you have used?

 

[Nesikep]

The biggest thing is to get the two pieces fused together first.. If you're welding on the edge of metal you'll burn through much faster than welding on the flat.. The extra metal deposited by the handheld rod will be a good heat sink for the next pass. I had to do a lot of it before I got a MIG welder, but I occasionally still have to use that technique with the MIG as well

Thinnest rod you can get!.. I have some 3/32nd rod, maybe even 1/16th for stainless, flows very nicely, but expensive.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The biggest thing is to get the two pieces fused together first.. If you're welding on the edge of metal you'll burn through much faster than welding on the flat.. The extra metal deposited by the handheld rod will be a good heat sink for the next pass. I had to do a lot of it before I got a MIG welder, but I occasionally still have to use that technique with the MIG as well

Thinnest rod you can get!.. I have some 3/32nd rod, maybe even 1/16th for stainless, flows very nicely, but expensive.

:nod:

 

[callmefence]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

Yes. I call it 'sewing'. My father could do it much much better than I can, almost second nature.
No matter what, you have to move the electrode faster than you would normally weld at.
I've welded a lot of 14 and 16 ga by kind of skipping the rod along the seam pretty fast, depositing a bit of metal all along both sides of the seam. Some people call it 'padding'. Let it cool, wire brush it, then do it again, then going back and 'sew' it together using the heat sink rod.
Others do it a little differently:
http://survivalengineer.blogspot.com/20 ... n-002.html

Gorilla welding... I've welded plenty of exhaust, a couple cracked hydraulic lines and grandmas wheelchair... with stick

If you can't sew a half inch gap. You can't weld

 

[Nesikep]

I can't weld, thus I can sew the 1/2" gaps!

On a big hole, lay a piece of rod across it, tack the two ends.. burn the rest of the rod off, then lay the rod beside the one you just tacked in, and repeat until you have it filled in!

 

[callmefence]

I can't weld, thus I can sew the 1/2" gaps!

On a big hole, lay a piece of rod across it, tack the two ends.. burn the rest of the rod off, then lay the rod beside the one you just tacked in, and repeat until you have it filled in!

usually the 1/2 gap is caused by the knucklehead doing the fitting.
I carry 1/2 by 12 gauge flatbar for filler.
Sounds like you know GORILLA WELDING. Never ever never hire a welder to build fence. They just can't do it.

 

[True Grit Farms]

My best advice is to take another rod, smack all the coating off it, and use that as a heat sink.. you hold it like you were oxy acetylene welding, with the handheld rod in the arc.. really handy for filling big holes too.. heaven knows, I've made lots of them!

Yes. I call it 'sewing'. My father could do it much much better than I can, almost second nature.
No matter what, you have to move the electrode faster than you would normally weld at.
I've welded a lot of 14 and 16 ga by kind of skipping the rod along the seam pretty fast, depositing a bit of metal all along both sides of the seam. Some people call it 'padding'. Let it cool, wire brush it, then do it again, then going back and 'sew' it together using the heat sink rod.
Others do it a little differently:
http://survivalengineer.blogspot.com/20 ... n-002.html

Gorilla welding... I've welded plenty of exhaust, a couple cracked hydraulic lines and grandmas wheelchair... with stick

If you can't sew a half inch gap. You can't weld

Why would anyone ever have to fill a 1/2" gap. Sounds like someone doesn't know how to fabricate, or read a tape measure. I know I can't weld a 1/2" gap over head in one pass.

 

[Nesikep]

I was talking about big holes burnt in thin metal.. In any other circumstance of course I'd put a filler piece in.

I worked at a fab shop for a while and was the guy cutting the steel, I was always getting in trouble for cutting it the right length, they said it's much easier if it's 1/4" short and to fill in a 1/8th gap on each end!

 

[callmefence]

Yes. I call it 'sewing'. My father could do it much much better than I can, almost second nature.
No matter what, you have to move the electrode faster than you would normally weld at.
I've welded a lot of 14 and 16 ga by kind of skipping the rod along the seam pretty fast, depositing a bit of metal all along both sides of the seam. Some people call it 'padding'. Let it cool, wire brush it, then do it again, then going back and 'sew' it together using the heat sink rod.
Others do it a little differently:
http://survivalengineer.blogspot.com/20 ... n-002.html

Gorilla welding... I've welded plenty of exhaust, a couple cracked hydraulic lines and grandmas wheelchair... with stick

If you can't sew a half inch gap. You can't weld

Why would anyone ever have to fill a 1/2" gap. Sounds like someone doesn't know how to fabricate, or read a tape measure. I know I can't weld a 1/2" gap over head in one pass.

You'd be surprised the things you run into when you actually work for a living.
You go on and keep playing like you do and running your mouth.. every time you open you just show how much you don't know.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I know how to cut and fabricate metal somewhat, and aluminum and SS better than most. It takes the same amount time to make the right cuts and fit the pieces together properly, if you know how to lay out, fabricate and read a tape measure. This is a case of do as I say not as I do, but it's a fact. A good layout man is way harder to find than a good welder.