Re: Outdoor Welding

On 6/23/2025 3:14 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:103cf65$1gkqk$1@dont-email.me...
 
Interestingly, I welded on one jack one day using stacked weave tacks
and it looks like it won't fall off.  Couldn't get vertical up or
vertical down to work at all.  The next day I welded on the second jack
with all the exact same settings and ran two 12 inch beads vertical up
continuous.  Neither looks like a pro welded it I am sure, but I don't
think either jack will fall off.  It was breezy both days, so MIG would
have not worked at all.
 
Maybe it was a little breezier the first day?  I don't know.
Bob La Londe
 
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I like to divide weldments into manageable sections that bolt together,
and disassemble to modify, repair or replace. This saves me from
questionable out-of-position welds. The size limit for me is how large I
can accurately drill or mill after welding.
 
In building custom industrial machinery there was a lot of manual
alignment and drilling/tapping of bolt holes which is easy to do
reasonably accurately with a set of transfer punches and a Portalign
drill fixture (or freehand with practice). Taper and aircraft length
drill bits in 1/8" pilot and optionally tap and shank sizes can avoid
obstacles and span beam flanges. I've never needed a magnetic base drill.
 
Use bolts long enough to put the shank in the shear plane between
assemblies for full strength. I assume the bolts aren't tightened enough
to gain grip from friction between plates, and thus their shanks bear
the full load and they are reusable.
 
https://www.engineeringexpress.com/wiki/steel-bolt-edge-distance-
requirements/
 
https://site.alliedbolt.com/files/ShearStrength2.pdf
 
https://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html?
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/145781854112?
 

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I'm not sure how that is relevant to welding on a complete jack assembly
to a complete trailer assembly.  I guess I could have welded on flanges
and then bolted the flanges together, or perhaps made up an assortment
of plates and u-bolts and cut some holes in the deck to run the
fasteners around the frame. I'll just have to live with my welds and see
if they fall off.
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Bob La Londe
CNC Molds N Stuff