Featured Customs Mig or stick weld mount brackets

I have the option of either mig welding or stick welding motor mount brackets on this project I am building. What would be the best and if stick welding what rod number? I can do a very nice job with my experience with either.

 

Might want to remind us what the project is?

If it wants to look old, and the metal is thick, stick would be neat. I haven't used a stick welder for 35 years, though. but it is how I made my first set of engine swap mounts for my old truck in the late 70s.

 

I go slow with my 140A mig, but it is fine for typical 3/16" plate.

 

If you are proficient in both it would be your call.

 

I haven’t stick welded anything since 97 when I got my mig. I’d mig them.

 

Give me some help as to metal thickness , position and experience of the rod burner

 

Depends on what welder you have. If you have an old "tombstone" Lincoln like I have it would be great, I also have a Hobart 140 but between those two I'd choose the Lincoln. I have another Mig welder, a Lincoln 256, which if you have a similar welder I'd probably use it. What ever gives adequate penetration is preferred.

 

Really either is up to the task .

I asked the machinist / fabrication company we deal with why they prefer stick welding .

his answer was stick is more forgiving if your base metals are dirty ( oil , paint etc )

but either mig or stick are the same when done by a competent welder .

 

Got me to thinking, haven't used my AC buzzbox since the 70s, but it might be cool to use it for some of the heavy stuff. It's been in the dry all these years, wonder if it still works?

 

If using a stick welder I’d make a hot p*** or two with 6010 or 6011, clean the weld up with a grinder and cap with 7018. IMO that’s the strongest weld on mild steel.
The biggest problem with MiG welding thicker steel is getting enough penetration.
Just my 2 cents.
Dan

 

Working with 1/4” brackets and frame thicknesses

 

You sound like an industrial pipe welder. We used 6010 for the root p*** and 7018 for the cover p***es. Usually 3/32 rod. We do bevel the steel to get proper penetration.

 

My question would be of the OP is if you have this welding expertise in both stick and mig, why do you need to ask the question of which procedure to use?
Either mig or stick, with the correct prep of the metal. with the correct machine and settings will produce an excellent result. Usually, stick is used outdoors where you may have to run 100's of lead and have to put up with wind and rain. Production fab shops use mig because they can control the wind and mig is considerably faster and time is money. Being a pipefitter and working in industrial settings, Tig is almost all we use.

 

And here's some HAMB instruction, circa 1962.

 

When I bought my first welder it was a tombstone. I built several cars with it and could produce structurally sound welds but they looked like **** compared to the welds I did at work. The light bulb came on one day and I realized my Tombstone was an AC machine. Sold it for $100 and got a DC machine and never looked back. I see that they have AC/DC Tombstones but they sell for several hundred dollars more than the AC models.

 

1/4" seems like an awfully thick frame. Most frames I've dealt with are 1/8" and occasional 3/16"

 

I’m not or wasn’t a pipe liner but worked in industrial maintenance and plant engineering all my life. I’m a fair welder but never certified on pressure vessels.
I’d practice on s**** until I was satisfied then weld the mounts in.
The biggest concern is penetration, vibration would likely be the source of causing cracks IMO.
Dan

 

If you need to question what to use , probably need to allow someone else to weld with knowledge . There is so much more to welding correctly that reading answers to questions . When welding on a frame correct welds and safety is of top priority .

 

¼" frame? WTF is it, a Duesenberg? That's the only ¼" ch***is I've worked on in decades. Got a Packard Super 8 in the shop now, it's not even ¼, my 39 Ford isn't ¼. My 3500 Duramax might be close but I don't think it is either. Anyways, grind everything clean and break out the squirt gun. You asked so...

 

I think he meant the bracket is 1/4” and the frame is whatever it is (unmeasured?). The frame is probably 10 or 11 gauge, and welding the two dissimilar thicknesses is not straightforward. Could require a bit more finesse. I’d say MIG.

 

Hallelujah brother! Let me hear you testify.

 

The OP expects us to choose what to use when we have no idea what equipment he is working with.

If the Mig is an offshore 110v welder, you get a different answer then if its a name brand 220v in good condition. Same deal with the stick welder, is it an old tombstone Lincoln, or an off shore, cheap 110v, half used up stick welder, or is it a good machine. Equipment matters.

Asking which rod to use with the stick brings up a few concerns about the stick welding proficiency. Is there actually the ability to work with either piece of equipment? We have to accept that he says he can actually use both pieces of equipment correctly with no background information.

Then there is a matter of where the welding is going to take place. Inside a properly prepared shop provides a different answer then outside in the wide open, windy, moist, air.

I have 30+ years of professional welding background and another 10 years of welding non-professional welding experience. I am not qualified to provide an answer to the questions, given the lack of important information.

 

Agree Gene. We have to ***ume a little I guess . I know about ***umptions
A cheap 110 v cracker box is next to worthless. Hopefully he has a decent 220v DC unit.
My concerns about enough penetration with a MiG revolves around 110v units. Excellent for sheet metal and light gauge metal. I have an old Matco 110v unit and 3/16” is really pushing it. If I weld uphill it does OK.
I don’t think motor mounts are highly stressed or super critical unless we’re talking race car stuff. We’ve all broke motor mounts I’m pretty sure. I believe if the OP practices some he will do fine. Again my opinion.
@ahshoe if you post what equipment you have, a few of these gentlemen watching are Real welders certified etc. they would be glad to ***ist. I’m just a wanna be and these guys have helped me.
Dan

 

Another hit and run!

 

I welded up my DIY motor mounts on an OT project myself using my Hobart 175 Handler (220V). Plate was 1/4”. Did the same for motor mounts for my flathead which was also 1/4”. I won’t use my machine for anything bigger than 1/4” though with my skill set. For more critical stuff like suspension/ch***is related, I plan on letting a real welder take that on.

 

V-Dub !

 

No it’s a welder LOL
Dan

 

His welding on a pre '66 VW front king pin torsion suspension. But you knew that... LOL!

 

Here are pics of my mig and my arc , both 220v welders. Don’t give me **** on the age of my arc welder either.

 

The stock frame should be close to .125. Make the mounts the same thickness and Mig weld it.