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 .