Electrode Selection

Certainly the 60 series will burn right through the galvanization and in the process create zinc fumes that can poison you.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb (jdslocombatgmail)

Any of these would work with or without grinding the galvanzing. The

7014 and 6013 would give nicer looking welds, the 6011 is more aggressive and bites through the galvanizing better. Best choice would be grinding the galvanizing off and using 7014 as first choice and backup with 6013. Use the 6011 if you choose to not knock the zinc off. If you choose the no grind option, be sure to weld with lots of ventilation (outdoors with the breeze at your back is best.

This would be a very small amount of fumes, unlikely to poison the OP.

i

I thank each and every one of you for your suggestions.

Nadogail

I used to weld a lot of thin .065" ornamental metal with 6011 in the field for repairs on pool fences and such. Just make sure the stinger is negative, and for that thickness, you will want to turn the heat waaaaaay down so that you have a pool only about a little bigger than the end of your

3/32" rod.

I have butt welded two pieces of .065 together with no burnthrough, but you have to do it in 1/8" to 1/4" sections. Too much more than that, and you'll have a hole. Practice on some similar material before you do your box. It is really a lot of fun to play with, and you have to have a tiny puddle, and whip a lot, but once you get it just right, you can lay a pretty weld on there.

Now, as to the issue of galvanization and paint. I personally would electric wire brush what I could away. Mostly the paint, as that is what is going to make the weld puddle foam. The fumes from the galvanization will cause "weld fume fever", look it up in Google, when breathed in great quantities. The best thing is to put a fan blowing on you from a distance of about eight feet, but not strong enough to disturb the molten puddle. It only has to be enough to blow the smoke away from your face. Doing it outdoors would be a good idea, but the fan will help you from breathing a lot of it. Do it in short bursts, and hold your breath for ten seconds or so.

You want to do it in short staggered welds anyway, or it will distort all over the place.

Again, playing with 6011 stinger negative at low arc voltage on thin materials will teach you a LOT about welding, the welding puddle, whipping in and out of the puddle, and that can be carried to heavier metal, where you will use identical movements at times.

Good luck, and practice on junk first. Low voltage, just enough to get a puddle, and whip in and out, going for that "stack of dimes" look. It ain't worth nothing on thick metal, but on this thin stuff, it is fun and impressive.

Have fun.

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

Depends greatly on how many ammo boxes he welds. But seriously zinc poisoning is not a joke and should not be ignored because, "I'm only welding a few". Rather like "Oh, I'm only tacking this", as a reason for not bothering with a helmet.

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb (jdslocombatgmail)

He plans to weld one ammo box.

I would not lose sleep over him tacking something to one galvanized ammo box.

i

One of the principles of ALL welding is managing the risks. There are MANY. With knowledge and experience they can be MANAGED, but never eliminated. There was a big recall of 6011 in the late 70's or early 80's IIRC because of traces of arsenic. Any time you melt metal with electricity, there are hazards, no matter how you do it.

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

Thanks again for your inputs, I appreciate your experience and advice.

Nado Gail

Having read your advice, I will increase the ventilation in my workshop.

Gail

. Any time you melt metal with electricity, there are

X2

As always, keep the wind at your back and your head out of the smoke. Holding your breath helps in some situations for small jobs, respirators can help IF you have the correct filters. Chewing sunflower spits can help to keep the metallic taste off your teeth.

Good luck, YMMV

Sure, he can weld one ammo box and probably not have a problem... and he probably can weld two, or three.... but sooner or later he may decide that as long as he got away with it before there won't be a problem this time and will end up in the hospital.

I used to know a guy, that before the automatic helmets, used to tack things without a helmet. Said he had "strong eyes". The glasses he wears today look like the bottom of coke bottles.

The time to take care is before it blows up :-)

Cheers,

John D. Slocomb (jdslocombatgmail)

"J. D. Slocomb" wrote

I am endlessly amused on American Chopper by the amount of unshielded tacking that takes place. And then, miraculously, an hour later, the bike is all done and ready to go to the chromers. I think there's a lot they don't show, and a lot of worker bees that rush in there in masse to clean up their tack welds and guesswork fabrication. Too many times, I have seen them tack something ......... "Uh, there, that looks just about right, what do you think Vinnie? ............ Yeah, uh, that looks perfect ............ yeah, that's perfect ..........."

In your dreams, Santa.

Steve