Bush Welding - Theres gotta be a better way!

If you had trouble striking and maintaining an arc, I'd suggest you had too much resistance in the cables connecting the batteries (1 & 2), & not allowing enough current (ampage) to flow... shoulda removed one o' them jumper cables and seen how ya went...

Yeah you can buy an adjustable air or water cool rheostat but not to sure of price....I would expect $500.00+ and you can get them quite small around 300mm X 300mm X 300mm should handle the load.

Remember you are dealing with 600 plus amps so a welding rod is trying to be a fuse.

I would just keep using what you are using at the moment.

Or buy a 2 plus Kva generator and a small 140 amp inverter stick welder.

Tell me you weren't welding with oxy goggles as that's how the photo looks.
Your eyes must be sore.
To measure the amps put an ammeter in line with the load. This will only measure what you're pulling.
To vary the amps you need to either adjust your voltage or your load.The rheostat suggestion fits the bill.
When you trimmed the rod,was there enough flux left at the end to start your weld?
Are you striking a match and keeping a small gap between rod and job?

Maybe a better welder at the stick end.

Scottie

Put a short (300mm) length of normal automotive wire with the insulation removed in the lead to the electrode.
It will get bloody hot so you need to suspend it in the air and keep anything away from it.
Amps are adjusted by removing individual strands to get the right resistance.

G'day Mick

Always difficult to diagnose for others from affair and in retrospect.
But here are a couple of things that I have experienced over the years...maybe there are some minor differences here that may get some thoughts and feedback

Rudall River some years ago...broken both main leaf springs on a trailer..used 2 batteries, earth positive but with "weldall electrodes"...I preheated the springs in the campfire before welding....also supported the leafs either side of the weld....with purpose made flat bar brackets bolted on (straddled either side of spring) that I made up and carry just in case......my jumper leads are very heavy welding cable and I didnt find the need to fiddle with the amps......I carried the gear for years and never got around to testing the theory until I had to........ I am however a competent welder in 240v and from memory I was able to strike and carry the ark easily ..but recall breaking the run and starting again frequently...as it was getting too hot...the welds assisted by the clamps held successfully...got me 3,000k's home

A couple of years ago I purchased a 12 /24v MIg welder and once again never got around to trying it out...just relied on my welding expertise should the need arise.........this year on the GRR I assisted a chap whose spring hanger had gone....and so its first test was seroius repairs.........biggest trouble was the lack of light it generates when welding (common for MIG when compared to stick) and a few times the welds were not where they were supposed to be !...they were untidy but very hot penetrating welds.......using 0.9 wire.........in future i will make certain that I have an extra light source aimed at the job to ensure the bead is where you think it is.!!

I always carry a welding glass wrapped in something protective and snug in an old Benson & hedges tobacco tin (probably a collectors item itself)...for a mask I simply cut a hole in a breakfast cereal packet and looking like Ned Kelly but it works

maybe my heavy welding / jumper leads (3m in length each) contributed to the stick success?....

just my experiences if they are of interest

cheers

Bungarra

Mick

I watched one of our crew reweld a wheel carrier bracket out in the GSD this year. Used my aux battery and one other. We also had a genset and an angle grinder to clean up job. Though not a welder by profession I think that John has some experience in welding as he did a near perfect job...only to proclaim that this was his very first DC welding in the bush!!!

I have all the right gear and hope it will work for me should the need arise!



Cheers

I`m no expert either but can weld reasonable at home.
But just a thought did you try different sized rods ?
A 2.5mm rod only needs around 90amps to run.
When I went to the cape I brought a range of rods and the stick holder off my welder, and threw a welding helmet glass in the glovebox. But never had to use it.

Gday Mick,
We've had to weld a couple of times in the bush - once for a broken axle near Mount Finke and once for a broken rear axle control arm on a Prado on the Madigan line.

3 batteries worked well - too many herbs really, but in short bursts, was all good. We prefer to use good gear - I take the handpiece and cable off my home welder, a full welding mask, two short leads for joining batteries, and use the jumper lead for the earth. Assorted rods, but only really use the GP 2.5mm. All this makes up a small package.

I think practice counts for a heap. Anyone who builds stuff with an arc welder will have a huge head start on how to prepare the material and strike and hold an arc. I take some fencing wire to reduce amps (vary the length), but haven't used it.

Cheers
phil

Mick won't offer any advice as I haven't done any welding since high school. Was pretty good back then from memory. This subject though is a worthy topic well worth further discussion.

Bush welding may affect us all at some time in our travels. Has anybody seen or heard of say one of the 4WD accessory retailers running a bush "survival course" that includes a bit of bush mechanics and welding.

I'm sure that if somebody ran one it would be well attended. I'd sign up on the spot.

Mick. good to hear you made it..

Welding, metal work not that easy!

Took me 4 years learn how to do it and 30 year later I'm still learning. LOL

Have never had to do it in the bush, but as everyone is saying it will only get better.. :-)

Richard

I haqve no welding skills, or equipment, whatsoever. My easier way for doing joining jobs in the bush is a Clamp-it. I have seen some astonishing repairs done with these and a bit of ingenuity. Not sure that it would have dealt with this problem, but I think the bigger model might have managed it, as long as you had another piece of steel from somewhere to "splint"along the frame.

Mick
You might be interested in this.
bush welding

When I look at this site, one concern I have is affect on / precautions needed to protect car computer and to stop fuel igniting etc. Just couldnt imagine welding on car itself.

cheers JD

In Bill Andrews book Explore Australia's Great Inland ISBN 0-86777-071-6 Bill writes on page nine as regards a portable welder " there is a excellent one on the market that weigh's only a kilo and runs off a car battery "but unfortunatly he doesn't give any further details as far as brand or where it was available !