stainless cage

[wrench3047]

I've recently run into a small problem with my dog cage. I can't put in the back of my wife's truck after we installed the topper. The cage is 45" tall, the clearance is 44" under the brake light mounted on the glass of the hatch. I can take the floor off and flip it over angle it under the light, but the frame of the hatch is 1/8" to short. I've figured I can cut out some of the 1/8" rod and reattach the 3/16" piece at the level of the red line to get the desired height. I believe the cage is stainless steel, can I use flux core wire to fuse the rods or is there a stick that comes small enough to use my 80amp stick welder for stainless. It doesn't need to make a pretty weld just a decent tack. The cage cost me over 300 a couple years ago I would hate to make it into scrap. I case you were wondering yes i have a big dog. 120lb german shepard. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

[wrench3047]

got the pictures on there this time

[Blown S-10]

that looks like galvanize to me, but i'm looking at a picture, not the actual cage.

just grind a small place clean, like on the bottom. and lay a small bead and see what happens. if it doesn't work, then you didn't do any damage.

how about taking the brake light out ?

[dyn88]

looks like galvanized from the pics you posted. In which case you could make any mod you wanted, just grind the galv off and weld with a 1/8 rod(6013 is the easiest). make sure you weld in a well ventilated area(galvanized is nasty stuff).

[Blown S-10]

i know my clarke 95 amp stick machine will not run 1/8 rod, at least in my garage. i would just flux-core it, and do it outside = no grinding.

[fun4now]

mig it

if it is galvinized and you have a MIG i take it then yes you could use flux core wire.cut it grind it clean and MIG away as if it were just steel.

dont breath the smoke

galvinized is real bad stuff of welding on. stay clear of the smoke and you will be fine.

i gess we didnt anser your ??? about how to do it if it's stainless. i cant anser that 1 for ya as i dont stick weld. sorry but i'm shoure you will get the anser you need .
check to see by doing a small test with the grinder and a spot with the flux core and let us know how it works.

is it magnetic?? will a magnet stick to it??? i think most stainles or all are non magnetice.

[Paul Seaman]

If it is SS you can get SS rod and go for it if it isn't it will still hold and it wont rust, may right next to the weld where the coating is gone but it will still work. If it was me I would look for a lower profile 3rd brake light, perhaps a markerlight from a Trailer, as long as its red and is visable.

Peace,

[Terence638]

It looks like galvo tom me also and if it is and you do weld it make sure that you dont breath in the galvo smoke and if you do breath in the smoke be sure to drink milk if you feel sick. You wont feel sick until later that night as the galvo poising take a little time to react ant the milk will nuetralize the galvo acid in your system. And, yes if it is stainless you can get some 3/32" 308 wire or evn some 1/16" stick wire to weld with the small welder thta you have. you may need to weld it onm staright polarity with very low heat. good luck.

Terence

[HAWK]

Wrench,

Sometimes pictures don't show all there is to see. Maybe it is stainless steel of some sort. If it is, a 3/32" 309 rod should burn "okay" around 80amps. As PJ mentioned the SS rod will flow in and still hold in this application even if it is not stainless.

If the cage turns out to be galvanized do what the chain link fence contractors do: burn a 7014 on DCSP or AC if available. It will flow in nicely to fill any gaps and clings well to galvanized surfaces. This way you can avoid grinding.

Be safe and stay out of the fumes. This is especially true of galvanized metals.

[dyn88]

i have found that the nausea caused by welding galvanized is subsided by drinking a glass of milk, but i dont know why.

[hankj]

Wrench,

I take it you're home?

Wonderful!!

Hank

[Paul Seaman]

Dyn88:
That is an old pipe fitters trick, before mid-day and after welding drink milk and minimize the affects of the galvanized sickness.
I know a bridge builder that does this and he hasn't missed a day of work in 20 years so I would say it must work!

[walker]

The dog cages I have seen like that are zinc plated, and yours doesn't look like SS to me either. Will a magnet stick to it? If so then, odds are it is plated steel and you can weld it with flux core MIG.

[wrench3047]

Wrench,

I take it you're home?

Wonderful!!

Hank

I leave to the big sandbox in JAN for 12 to 18 months.

I forgot about the magnet thing. The magnet stuck. While I was checking that I noticed the floor piece had the corners ground off of it from dragging it on the cement. There were spots of rust. So It's probly plated steel. I'll probly start cutting on that tommorrow. thank you and I'll let you know if I make a $300 mess.

[wrench3047]

P.S. I'll have the wife get extra milk just in case.