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 Post subject: Blow through on frame? How to fix?
PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:29 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2012 10:45 am
Posts: 21
Location: Portland, OR
Hi all!

I've started my locost! First time welding so I practiced it up on some scraps and then jumped to the real deal. I was doing well on the bottom frame (very well once I got my wire tension right), but then my last two weld before closing shop for the night blew through.

How does one fix that? They are pretty small, but still large enough to be a gap that I don't think I could "fill" it in.

Thanks!

**edit** And I suppose more importantly, does fixing issues like this on the main frame have any safety repercussions?


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 Post subject: Re: Blow through on frame? How to fix?
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:13 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:40 pm
Posts: 688
Location: Novato, CA
I blew through a few tubes on my frame early on. I still come close on occasion. I think any hole can be fixed, especially with MIG. Start a bead on the outside, and wind your way in. Then get out the grinder.


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 Post subject: Re: Blow through on frame? How to fix?
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:02 am 
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Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:43 pm
Posts: 443
Location: Portland, OR
Yeah, just start laying beads on one side of the hole and fill it in. You have to wait between passes (longer than you'd like) to keep things cool. Turn down the voltage relative to the wire feed speed and that'll help with the material buildup (obviously, you don't need penetration when you're fixing a hole). I've filled in 1/4" gaps on my frame and other projects. Like Nick said, just get your grinder out afterwards and pretty it up.


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 Post subject: Re: Blow through on frame? How to fix?
PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:50 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:17 am
Posts: 107
Location: Lincoln, NE
if you have been welding a lot on an enclosed structure... ie a tube frame, and your reaching your last few welds. the air inside that tube heats up, hot air expands. and blows out the last seam you are trying to weld.

trust me...

lol its hard to explain unless you see/know whats happening, the positive air pressure mixes with the motlen puddle from the bottom side (inside the pipe), (its like trying to weld when you forget to turn the gas on) but its on the bottom side of the weld, you cant see it, and porosity filled puddle doesnt have enough strength to hold its self in suspension, before it solidifies, and then it drips through, looking you burned a hole through it.

next time, weld all of it except for one/two welds. let it cool off, then finish welding


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