MIG welding upside down? Tips??

[IBRAILN]

I am building a '69 chevy truck and I started boxing the frame. However my upside down welding skills are nearly none. Does anyone have any tips? Basically I'm laying on my back welding up. Thanks for any help possible.
IBRAILN

[arcdawg]

oh come on man ! do a stitch welding techneque.... start/stop start/stop

thats why mig is so easy to use.... you have total control over the weld puddle....if you think mig is hard of position try tig !

by the end of that job you will be a pro !

d-

[IBRAILN]

Boy I wish I would have thought of that. Something so simple. Thanks for your info. I will definatley do that....
About the TIG welding, I am just venturing into that. I found a TIG at my work that isn't used so I have been practicing with it.
Thanks again
IBRAILN

[timw]

Dial in your machine as close as possible, heat/feed.
Pay attention to your nozzle, it will load up with spatter very fast and you won't notice it except your welds will get lousy and sooner or later you will realize why.
As mentioned your trigger is your friend, you can control the puddle with it.

[df5152]

and wear a weld jacket.......

[Paul Seaman]

As df5152 said welding jacket{ leather ones cost more but it is a great investment at around $50 my hide is worth it, isn't yours?

Weld well, weld safe

[Badboy4453]

And if you are doing a lot, a hat under your hood works well also!

[HAWK]

IBRAILN,

When hand pulsing welds like that I prefer to crank up the heat and dial down the wire speed a bit with a hot gas to get into a short arc/spray arc cross over mode. This allows for maximim penetration on those short trigger bursts and makes a beatuiful stacked bead.

[Joseph]

[snip}....if you think mig is hard of position try tig !{SNIP]

d-

5/32" 7018 SMAW upside down, that is hard......

Regards

[Engloid]

thats why mig is so easy to use.... you have total control over the weld puddle....

Now, now... I know you know better than that.

With MIG, you do not have the ability to put heat into the puddle without putting filler into it... that's a very big advantage of TIG...which gives you much more control over the puddle.

[Mike W]

Good point Engloid.

[Leons2003]

There ya go again Engloid, aggravating me w/those beautiful welds. grin
One day I hope to tig only half as good, that is if my time doesn't run out. LOL

Back to your '69 Chevy Truck, Ibrailn, I presume your building a show truck, I'm afraid you will not be happy w/the looks of the boxing or the strength if your building a race truck. I would remove the cab and bed, strip the frame of appendages for ease of fab. I built a rotisserie to mount the frame w/the body, front and rear axles intact, initially just to weld the underside of the mini tubs of my '55 Chevy HT, afterwards to do a frame off.

I know everone does not have area such a project, which I commandeered out front room for a parts room, my bride is soooo understanding, LOL
Good luck on your project
L*S

[IBRAILN]

Thanks

Thanks for all the great info. I couldn't get to the truck last night but I will for sure tonight.
I would love to have a rotisserie to flip the truck, however it just isn't an option. I did remove the bed though, making the rest of the work much easier. Thanks- IBRAILN

[df5152]

how about some pics?

[Paul Seaman]

When I grow up I want to be just like Engloid. Is 37 to early to start thinking about growing up, Naaaaaa. I'll never grow up, I like my toys too much!

Engloid very nice stuff!