Rod recommendations...

If you think it's structural, 7018, which is roughly as hard as riding a bike. If you think it's not, 6013 if it's clean (you'll run a grinder and make all parts bright before welding) and 6011 if it's going to need to get past rust/dirt. 6013 is prettier, but does not tolerate the sort of crap that 6011 will...

The skin of a container is a structural member. If you cut a hole in the skin and want to maintain the structural integerity of the container you will need to add re-enforcement around the hole that you cut. If you don't and it gets supported by its hard points, the thing may buckle at the corner points of the doors.

John

Also check to see if the container is made of Corten steel. Corten is designed to rust and seal itself, and may require a special rod.

It all depends on what you are going to use. The stuff is fairly flexible, and even walking on the roof causes it to bow. I cut a side door in mine, but the door did not require any welding, just bolting. I am now welding on some trusses to cover two containers with sheets of profiled steel. I am using wirefeed, but am welding them on only at the side top corners where the steel is the thickest.

I would suggest MIG, and making a series of hot tack welds over continuous runs.

The "skin" of a container is the web of an 8' high I beam essentially. You can put a pretty big hole in the web of a beam without weakening it. These containers are also in a fixed location and will never be loaded with 50,000# of cargo, perhaps 15k tops.

I'm not building a container, just grafting some doors into it. We're talking a handful of 1" long beads to secure the door frame, and just caulk the rest.

You've got a crummy container or are rather overweight then. I've been on top of four different 40' cans and none of them had roof panels that had even a little give under my weight.

I don't have a MIG.

Safe to assume you got rust and paint to burn through. if so, 6011 by far the best. Too large a rod sticks like a stone bitch if you have to set the amps low to avoid burn through. I'd guess 1/8 from here maybe even 3/32.

Karl

I've got some 3/32 6013 on hand. The Syncro 250 has "arc control" that should prevent sticking. I've got a grinder to clean up the weld areas.

"Pete C." fired this volley in news:4e16eed3$0 $29575$ snipped-for-privacy@newsreader.readnews.com:

I don't know what rod is recommended, but I do know that there's a very special alloy used in Conex containers.

It's branded "Cor-Ten alloy" (US Steel tm), and the container makers almost universally put a sticker on each box warning that ONLY Cor-Ten should be used for repairs.

Cor-Ten is a "weathering" steel, and calls out for a lime-based flux rod, though I couldn't find the specific rod number with just a single-click search.

Were I you, I'd check it out before you burn.

LLoyd

"Pete C." fired this volley in news:4e16eed3$0 $29575$ snipped-for-privacy@newsreader.readnews.com:

Ahhh.... (quoth):

"Welding COR-TEN can be welded both manually and mechanically, provided the general rules of welding practices are observed. A prerequisite for obtaining identical mechanical properties in the weld and in the base material is the application of suitable welding consumables and the choice of appropraite welding conditions. To consider are EN 10025-5 - Technical delivery conditions for structural steels with improved atmospheric corrosion resistance.

Recommendations for welding are also given in EN 1011 part 1 and part 2 - Welding, Recommendations for welding of metallic materials-.

Lime basic electrodes, inert-gas welding wire, and wire/power combinations equivalent to the tensile strength of S355 are used as welding consumables.

For unprotected use care must be taken that the welded joint is also weather resistant. This is possible by using welding consumables matching the base material.

If due to design or building specification stress relieving is required, it should be performed in the range temperature from about 530°C to 580° C. "

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" fired this volley in news:Xns9F1C531511D68lloydspmindspringcom@216.168.3.70:

ER80S-Ni1 mig wire, A588, A606

LLoyd

Here we have a container that sits in Pete C's backyard. A little spray with welder's cold galvanizing spray should take care of rust.

I would just use 6013 or 7018, whatever Pete likes best.

i

Except I don't have a MIG...

Actually, it's three containers in a friend's back yard.

That was my thought, since this is just to fit some side doors and whatnot.

That's the thing and why I'm asking, I do 99.999% TIG, so I don't have a favorite stick rod.

6013 is the easiest stick rod to use. It works great for most applications. 7018 looks a little better and is stronger, which is not that relevant in your case. But it is a bit harder to use. i

I've got some 3/32 6013 on hand, hopefully that will do the trick, and the "arc control" on the Syncro should make it that much easier.

I've got some 3/32 6013 on hand, hopefully that will do the trick, and the "arc control" on the Syncro should make it that much easier.

use what you got. 6013 welds easy. Only strong if clean. Takes the small extra step of running a grinder or power wire brush before welding.

Karl

Should be able to TIG with the MIG wire if it isn't coated. TIG can be creative.

Mart>

You will blow holes with 7018 because you have to maintain a puddle. My use of 6013 is limited, but I am going to get some and see what the fuss is about. Maybe I'm missing a good rod.

On this thin material, you have to use a rod that you can whip in and out like a 6010 or 6011. On mine, I use 3/32" 6011, stinger negative, the polarity being against Hoyle, but it does work. A steady hand that can either maintain a small puddle, or whipping in and out will work. It depends a lot on your machine as to just how the rod will burn. If you work slowly, do small welds, stagger them, and not get a large HAZ, it will be easy. I used to butt weld .065" square tube with the 6011 combo above. Just like anything else, it takes a little practice.

I am going to be doing some work on my containers, and have lots of door cutouts to patch in for rain protection, etc. I may have to get a smaller DC machine, as my SA200 seems to be a little hard to dial in to get that small puddle. IIRC, 6011 is also available in 1/16" rods.

There is a lot of discussion here about matching the metals metallurgically. I really think that it could be MIGged with E70S or similar, and it would hold. A little cover paint or cold galvanized, and it should be good to go. It would be very easy to stitch the welds by using short spot welds.

I believe the suggestion by manufacturers to use matching CorTen is so that the galvanic rusting rates of the patch would be equal to the original. For the amount of time most of us old timers have left, I don't think it will make a difference in out lifetimes. A good weld is one that holds, although it can have many other faults.

Steve

Cor-ten is officially designated A588, and can be welded with 7018 just fine for single pass welds. Enough of the alloying elements will diffuse into the weld metal to share the weathering properties.

For multi-pass welds you have to use match> "Pete C." fired this volley in news:4e16eed3$0