air arc welding

I thought you said she could operate it well?

(sorry, I HAD to say it before somebody else did.)

I used to use an AirArc quite a bit but I don't remember ever reaching inside a crack to cut something. The whole rod is conductive and it seems it would be difficult to keep it from arcing on the sides of the gap you are working through. They are great for gouging welds though. Steve

The cutting rods they use underwater are insulated with tape the whole length, and I believe they work fine above water with the only caveat being that you can't put them out so the whole rod will burn. They feed O2 down the center, not air.

Good point, i'll have to lay a sheet of something non conductive on one side. From google it looks like I go DC straight, hi amps as I can, and undercut gouge to blow molten material away. Any other tips?

Karl

Have a good fire extinguisher handy and watch out for your hydraulic lines.

John

Wrap the rod in electrical tape to insulate it from arcing to the sides.

Bloody Hell - why do you guys insist on making things so complicated?

Karl - - try and cut through the crappy welding you refer to - thin blade, whatever size angle grinder it needs, or oxy the thing out from the OUTSIDE - you'll be left with a big crappy hole, but the other method leaves you with a smaller crappy hole - just takes longer, thats all. You will be making up cover plates over the original (elongated) holes, so why be so fussy? And whats the bore on the bucket pin holders like? - see how eccentric/ worn/just plain stuffed they are. (Hope the rest of the machine isn't a wreck as well - sounds like the previous owner(s) weren't into maintenance....

Mate, is this thing a tool , designed to earn its keep, or a project?

Andrew VK3BFA.

...

thanks for the great tutorial.

karl

Ive got an Arcair K3000 torch and some 'trodes. Ive only used it twice..but nothing else would do the job.

Sorta fun and sorta scary the first couple times

Gunner

It sure did the job for me. Melts and blows metal out WAY faster than the torch. I'm pretty messy with it, not a clean cut like the torch. Experience may solve that. But I've owned the unit over ten years and forgot about it. May never need it again.

On another note, I hit my honey with a sledgehammer today. She was holding a

1-1/2 inch pin so I could hit it with the BIG sledgehammer. it got cocky and a blow slid off hitting the vice grip she was holding. Amazing - the lady is still talking to me. But it may be a while till I get help with a metal project again.

Karl

All machine tools, from bandsaws to backhoes come into the category of "toys"

:-)

Mark Rand RTFM

I readily concede your point re toys Mark (we wouldnt do this otherwise) - but its important to distinguish that which puts bread on the table and something thats interesting to tinker with. Andrew VK3BFA.

Tawm sez: "I don't know why the hoe hadn't already fell off the tractor.

I thought you said she could operate it well?"

Tawm,

You bagged me with that one !

Bob (busted a gut) Swinney