Rollcage Welding

[ChrisV]

Hi All,

Just joined the forum today(like it already!!)..quick bio: I am an Electrical Engineer for a semi -conductor company and also have been in the construction work for about 10 years. Been welding for about 2. Just recently started a small businees doing custom metal/woodwork for residential clients.
Well I just purchased a 210 from SEMA 2 weeks ago (waiting on delivery)and excited about getting it up an running considering I have been welding with a Lincoln 135 (nice little welder but time to get serious). I road race a 87' mustang with 6-point rollcage. Does anyone have tips for rollcage welding? I will be adding nothced braces (1-3/4", .120 wall) here and there and my main concern is getting a good weld so they hold up in the event of a boo boo . Unfortunatley the mechanic who initally did the rollcage in no longer available... so now it's time I take over. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

[Paul Seaman]

Chris:
Welcome aboard, first return question is the tubing mild steel or cromoly? Normally cromoly is tig welded although I've welded it with my mm210 using e80s? can't remember the last digit. The trick is to set up a jig to hold a piece of tubing and make the notch to fit at the given angle and produce several practice welds on scrap, it takes a bit of practice on thin walled tubing. The fitup is the most important thing make it snug and tack it in 2-3 places and check the angle and then do the other end check angle then weld around.

Good luck,

[BradJacob]

Just recently started a small businees doing custom metal/woodwork for residential clients.

Hi Chris.

I would like to talk to you offline if you would like about your business. My email is [email protected].

Please drop me an email - I have a couple questrions of interest for you.

P.S. My very best friend lives in Chandler...

Thanks,

- Brad

[df5152]

if the tubes are cromoly check the rule book NHRA, IHRA and the SCCA all require it to be tig welded and it must be inspected prior to painting or finishing. Grinding is unaceptable too.

[ChrisV]

RollCage

Df/Pj
I will be welding mild steel. Thanks for the feedback!

Chris

[Paul Seaman]

eR70-S6 is the wire I choose for mild steel and I use c25 gas works very nice and reduces the spatter compared with CO2.

[ASKANDY]

pj is right.

Stick to the basics on this one. .030 wire and 75/25 gas. You can't walk 10 feet in Hendrick's chassis shop without bumping your knees on this same set up.

Thanks for stopping by our booth at the SEMA show. That was a long week.

Andy

[ChrisV]

Rollcage

Andy,
It's funny you mentioned about Hendricks, when I was at the booth, the guys were talking about how the NSCAR shops have switched over to the 210 unit (prior units were 185 I think...?). Knowing this fact influenced my purcahse. It's nice to know that I will be using the same equipment that is used to weld rollcages for 200MPH racecars.

Chris