Recent content by Gary Fowler

To avoid warpage to the least amount, double V bevel (bevel equally from both sides) and alternate welding the front and back side of the joint. I would use the 7018 as you get much better ductility than with 60xx series rods. You can use a minimal gap if you grind the back side of the weld...

I like the 7018 also, but, it is very susceptible to porosity if not welded over clean metal. Rust & grease are the worst things to weld over with 7018. 6010/6011 have better compatibility with contaminates without suffering weld quality. As always with any welding process, clean metal is...

I have no doubt that Hobart, Miller and Lincoln to name a few of the big names are great machines and have an adequate service area. However, many folks just use a welder occasionally and dont have deep pockets to afford these $2-4K machines. I use the HF Vulcan OmniPro machine in my welding...

TIG is always 100% argon. MIG can let you experiment with different gas mixtures depending on the wire that you are using and the quality of welds that you can accept. As for back purge gas on stainless, Nitrogen can be used instead of pure argon if you want cheaper option. It is a bit harder...

My first auto dark was a speedglas lens (1990 era)that I inserted into my Hobart welding hood. It got ruined when the batteries leaked in it due to lack of use and My stupidity for not taking out the batteries. After many years of not welding, when I retired and got back into the welding game...

After your confirmation of the name and the 4 mm thickness, I think the OP just has a regular lawnmower, either push type or maybe riding lawnmower. Either way, heating to straighten would just be a temporary fix, good for short term use till new blades can be bought. I have successfully...

Properly heating and cooling carbon steel (mower blades, etc.) has no risk of causing breaking. The biggest change could be lack of hardness if improperly heated and cooled which would make them more susceptible to bending rather than breaking. I am amazed at the number of folks on a welding...

If you aren't completely removing the zinc coating, flux core will be your best choice when using a wire feeder process, regardless of inside or out. It is more forgiving to contaminates in the weld. MIG would just be full of porosity. Of course SMAW is always best when metal is dirty. As...

I dont think that technology will ever be at a price point for hobby welders. There is and has been technology for many decades that work well for us. That is to say MIG and TIG gets the job done for 99.999% of the time. For the other .001% it is much more reasonable to take that work to a...

Big name welding machines are good but not necessarily better welders. Recently Project Farm (check out his Youtube channel for other test also)tested several, Miller, Lincoln, Vulcan, Titanium and Arc Captain to name a few. Vulcan rivalled all the big name ones and did it at about 1/4 if the...

I think, Aussie "slasher" is slang for USA bush hog. Someone correct me if I am wrong. However 4mm thickness is more like the thickness of my lawnmower blades for mowing grass and small weeds only. I wonder why the OP hasnt commented on this.

I am not sure of the term slasher but assume from the size of the blades it is some type of light duty mower. 4mm is a lot too thin for USA bush hog type of mower so I think you have blade similar to a lawn mower. With that assumption, you might be able to put it in a small camp type fire to...

Use a larger cup size also for better gas coverage.

With the price per pound of rods these days, a good rod oven is just about the best investment you can make. Phoenix electrode ovens are top of the line and come in 10#, 50#, 300#(the one I have)and even 900# varieties. I got mine from a shop going out of business for cheap. A 50# oven would...