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Thread: help needed

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
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    adelaide
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    Default help needed

    im keen to start some arc welding.has anyone got or used a boc smootharc 130amp arc welder. I need to weld some 40x40x3mm square tube.any tips would be great.thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Country West Oz
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    Default

    I have that welder, great little machine.

    Tips? Difficult without knowing your level of experience, and what exactly you are trying to do.

    More info would be good.
    Regards
    Bradford

  3. #3
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    May 2011
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    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Default

    It's not so much the welder, but the operator. I've seen people buy a top of the range welder, and put down pigeon poo, another person take the hand piece and put down a perfect weld. Using a good quality electrode helps a lot, how far from the power point will the welder be? As Voltage to the welder can drop, if the distance is too great. For that size welder, I'd use a 2.5mm electrode satincraft or similar.
    Will there be any out of position welds, ie vertical down, overhead? As these could require a different electrode also.
    If you are looking at welding something structural, trailer or similar, get plenty of practice in first, as your insurance could be a problem if something goes wrong, don't think bog and paint will hide bad welds.
    Kryn

  4. #4
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    Apr 2015
    Location
    adelaide
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    Default welder

    does that welder cut out much and is the duty cycle any good. I have a cheap buzz box its all right .ive heard the inverter welder are heaps better to use.im going to weld steel up to 3mm- 4mm square tube for frames roof racks shelves stuff like that but it has to run on a normal house hold outlet. thanks

  5. #5
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    Apr 2015
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    adelaide
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    Default file:///C:/Users/kdalton/Pictures/2015-04-23%20welding/welding%20004.jpg

    first time after 10 years. any tips

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kdalton1 View Post
    does that welder cut out much and is the duty cycle any good. I have a cheap buzz box its all right .ive heard the inverter welder are heaps better to use.im going to weld steel up to 3mm- 4mm square tube for frames roof racks shelves stuff like that but it has to run on a normal house hold outlet. thanks
    An inverter will be a quantum leap over an AC buzz box and will allow you to run any electrode within its amperage capabilities. Not sure if the BOC Smootharc 130 has a VRD (voltage reduction device), but some VRD's take a little bit of getting used to, nothing major though.
    Given that inverters run DC current, you will need to connect the leads up correctly so as to run the correct polarity. With few exceptions, this will be electrode positive.
    According to the data sheet for the welder, the duty cycle will be about 60%@ 105A or 35%@138A. To place that into context, few operators would reach 60% when stick welding once electrode changes, slag chipping and head scratching is factored in, meaning that the Smootharc 130 will burn 2.5 or 3.2 electrodes for you as fast as you can throw them at it. You will probably find that you can run most 3.2's at the 105-115A mark quite happily and I doubt that you will max out the amperage dial very often. The Smootharc 130 will run anywhere that your old buzz box did and probably some places that it wouldn't, as inverters handle voltage drop and extension leads better than transformer based power sources.
    An inverter won't improve your skill levels, but it will allow you to achieve more at that level.
    I would have confidence in a 130A inverter stick welder anywhere from 1.2mm to 12mm thicknesses.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Perth
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    My tip would just be to practise practise practise.
    Get some scrap and glue it together. If you've got plenty of that tube to spare, play on short offcuts of it.
    Try different settings. What blows through the steel quick, what looks like it's sitting on the surface not bonded, try different things like feeding the rod into a spot, quickly moving it along, weaving like mad or letting natural shake do the work. Weld pieces together and see how hard they are to break apart, weld them together and then cut across the weld to see what it looks like.
    Each to their own, I just know that for myself, when I know how to spot the wrong things, then I can truly master doing the right thing.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    australia
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    Default thanks

    thanks for the advice guys

  9. #9
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    Oct 2012
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    australia
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    Default any tips

    [IMG]file:///C:/Users/kdalton/Documents/welding%20004.jpg[/IMG] any tips on first time in 10 years

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    australia
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    Default help

    im trying to put up some photos of my welds.how do you do it. thanks

  11. #11
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    Nov 2008
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    North Brisbane. Qld. Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by kdalton View Post
    im trying to put up some photos of my welds.how do you do it. thanks
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=168803

    Nev.
    Nev.

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