a weird lull in building energy, and some progress but ugly welds

[emzdogz]

Did you ever get to a point in your project where you just really ran out of steam for awhile?
Well I have that....big time. But given a warm day, I went back at it today some. What I did was grind down the bullet end of a couple of bungs so they were a bit thinner, and shoved them into the nubs of open pipe left on the downtube of my frame. I guess most people with choppers just close these off. Anyway, I'd left the "nubs" there, thinking they might come in handy as mounts for, for, for.....hell I dunno.

So at this point I'm hoping to use one as a grounding point for battery. And the chain side one as an attachment point for a minimal kind of chain guard I want to make.

Then I welded a coped bung coming off the right side of the downtube, below where the air filters will be, to attach starter solenoid to. For now I'm using a rubber washer, regular washer and a kind of spacer made of 3/8 think nylon. (like cutting board material)
I'd really obsessed for a long time about where to put solenoid, so today at least I finally committed to this, and same for those 2 holes.

Only thing - it was really hard getting nice penetrating welds - not sure why. I had what should have been really good grounding places for neg cable. I guess it's just the awkward positions I was forced to try and work, I think. I REALLY look forward to going over all my welds and re-doing some, when I take this thing back apart prior to painting.
It will be great to be able to turn it over, and put it in diff positions while welding and grinding, etc. These pieces are basically firmly attached now, but they will need to have the welding gone over, for sure. There are gaps and generally it's crappy.

But, this is a mock up, so for that I guess it's OK.

Question: on stock key switch, how many positions are there supposed to be that you can turn the key to? Mine only has on and off, and I can pull the key out while in the on pos. Is that correct?
Trying to decide whether to use old stock ignition switch or get an aftermarket one. I guess if it works, I might as well use the old one.

Anyway here's a pic of the things I welded on. I know, I know there are huge gaps....

Another thing I thought I might use one of those bungs for is to attach a fuse container.

 

[littlebill31]

I have an '81 so there are 4 key positions: on-key doesn't come out, off-key comes out, lock-key can come out and handle bars can be locked, and park- key can come out.

 

[angus67]

what welder do you have? sometimes it helps to preheat the metal. is it cold there? the thickness of the bung can cause penetrating problems. try preheat with one of those hand held bernz-o-matics.

 

[Gordon]

Aunty,
Your switch is probably an older type, so as long as you can't turn it on with a screwdriver, then I'd use it. Nice bunch of grape's ya got there, sometime's that happen's. Sometime's the available house circut ( from the pole) is down a few volt's due to whatever, and a lower voltage will cause some problem's welding, esp. if you have a 120 volt welder. Did you remember to turn on the gas? Been there, done that myself. That's a BIG OPP'S, & I feel so stupid when I find it off.
On a better note, got the ol' heads off the ironhead today. The piston's and cyl. look ok, valve guide's are kaput. So I gotta put in 4 guide's and fit the valve's to 'em. Read that some here are sick of the snow already, I think it's gonna be a long winter, as all the lakes here are already frozen solid. At least the silly season is over.

 

[gmiller217]

lakes frozen over? I'm jealous ... can't even walk on the ice here and most lakes are still open I want to do some ice fishing this year ... on the welds ... yeah I have found that heating the work even just a little bit helps out tremendously

 

[emzdogz]

thanks for the responses, guys. You know I DID have it plugged in through a long extension cord through a circuit lots of stuff runs off of. I DO have a dedicated circuit with outlet just for the welder, but did not use it yesterday. Maybe that's it.

I was wondering if the steel of the bungs are different enough of steel from the stock Japanese frame steel that it would be a problem.

Need to do some reading today on where the small copper tip should be, relative to the end of the gun. It's about flush now.

Here's another question: why would a bottle of argon require different plumbing than a bottle of CO2? Wanted to get argon last time, but the guy at the counter told me my connection was the wrong type to use with bottles of argon, and that it's cost me about $250 to get the necessary adapters. Does that sound true?

Yes I did have the gas on, lol...done that too though.

Angus, it's a little Lincoln WeldPac that my father gave me. Next roll of wire I think I'm going to try thinner stuff. It's just not forming a puddle until there's this huge BLOB.

Gordon, have fun with that ironhead! can't wait to see pics.

 

[emzdogz]

ok something just occurred to me. The bike is sitting on rubber tires on a wood riser. Could it be I'd get better welds if I ran a metal cable from bike directly into the earth to somehow ground it better? (in addition to using my neg cable as per usual)

 

[swbill]

Lol thats a new one, No that would not make a difference. What mixure of gas are use using? Should be 75/25. What size wire? Are you sure you have the welder internally wired to run gas and not flux core?

ok something just occurred to me. The bike is sitting on rubber tires on a wood riser. Could it be I'd get better welds if I ran a metal cable from bike directly into the earth to somehow ground it better? (in addition to using my neg cable as per usual)

 

[Gordon]

Hi Ya Em,
no, that would not make a difference, not being directly on the ground. I think your problem was a combo of not welding for a little while and using a long extension on a multiple circuit. An extension is ok, better result's on your dedicated circut. Also, the steel difference should also not be a problem, unless it's really crappy stuff, and the frames are made of some pretty good steel.Penatration is usually heat related, surface prep, and your surfaces looked pretty good. Keep at it, girl, your doing a real good job!

 

[emzdogz]

am just using pure CO2. That's what came with it. The welder is set up according to the manual for use with gas. It calls for use the other way if using flux-cored wire. The wire is L-56 (.025)
I think it must just be I can't get the gun positioned right, etc. Once the engine is out and I have bare frame, I bet it will work better. (hope so!)

Gordo! thanks for the encouragement. MUCH appreciated.

 

[swbill]

I think you should really be using 75% argon/ 25% carbon dioxide. I only say that because i have never used straight CO2.
When you welding things like this just tack it all together. After everything is complete then strip it all down and final weld everything. It makes it much easier to get at everything not to mention its easier to make changes when its just tacked in.

 

[emzdogz]

hey swbill, yeah that is basically my intention, just to tack...but then I think well, maybe I could go ahead and lay a nice bead of weld there...and it just ain't happening. But once it's stripped down and I can move the frame around, I have faith I can make the welds really good. And if I can't I will take it to a pro, because I want this bike to be a strong rider. thanks for all your input!

 

[swbill]

Ya i know the feeling, I have many welds that i should have waited on but ya never listen to yourself until its to late.They make flap wheels just for people like us,lol

 

[emzdogz]

funny you mention the flap wheel..I really didn't know what it was until recently. I thought they were for polishing! I can do damage with the flapwheel...I have to be careful. Essentially I ruined my effort at welding my pipes by (accidentally) making my right pipe paper thin in places....so then I kept blowing holes with them.
You know, I'm pretty old now and will very probably never build another custom bike (altho I have cafe thoughts) but if I DID, it would done better.
Lots to learn!
but yeah, love the flap disc! and they last forever!

ps I wish they made something like a flap dis for the Dremel, for tight spots

 

[DLD1]

Em,

If you're getting large blobs and not getting a good puddle, slow down the wire feed. Try doing some practice welds on scrap metal, and dial in the wire feed speed until you get a nice puddle going.

DLD1

 

[emzdogz]

Em,

If you're getting large blobs and not getting a good puddle, slow down the wire feed. Try doing some practice welds on scrap metal, and dial in the wire feed speed until you get a nice puddle going.

DLD1

I've actually done that. I can get lovely beads of weld on a piece of scrap similar in thickness to my frame. But I think my problem is that trying to "get at" the places where I need to weld, I'm not able to hold the gun steady enough in the correct position, or move it evenly maintaining correct position.
I think what I will try next time is doing it with all tack welds one after the other.. Like bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt..stop...bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt...stop...bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt.... like squirt, stop, squirt, stop.
Will try the lower wire speed too, but at one point Saturday I did have to turn it up some.

and THANKS, btw!