Welding 16ga perforated sheet metal to thick horseshoes

[cubangt]

So i was working on some projects with horeshoes and adding some perforated sheet metal i had the machine set to thinner setting than the metal, but was still melting and blowing thru, i ended up putting it back up to 1/8 and heating up the horse shoe side and than adding filler and moving it over to the sheet metal to get it to hold.. still had a few issues with melting it, but was able to finish the build..

Is there a method to use or consider in order to attach thinner material to thicker?

[aametalmaster]

Tig or Mig?

[Oldgrandad]

Favor the thick and swing the weld into the thin TIG or MIG this will work. Welding perf is never easy and takes a little finesse. For the most part if you blink you just burned a hole.

[ryanjones2150]

Just don't blink. <br />
<br />
What machine are you using?

[cubangt]

I have the multimatic 200, currently setup with the tig torch, but once my gas runs out, ill have to swap over to mig if i need to continue working.. this wasnt the first time ive tried welding the sheetmetal to thicker material, last time i was making some camp fire grills and welding expanded metal was pain, but made it thru that.. guess ill need to hit up the junk yards or something to find some material to practice on so that i dont use the good material to mess up.

[Oldgrandad]

You could also try clamping either copper or aluminum to the back side of the perf it will help a little.

[cubangt]

Attached is the almost finished piece, after getting is all painted and ready for the girl, realized she was going to put on her desk, so what i now need to do is add a collapsible stand to the back so that she can setup on her desk or hang if she ever decides to..

But in the pic you can make out a few of the areas in question where i was blowing thru the perforated sheet.

[Ironken]

I know this is a little late but, when welding privacy screen to gates and doors I have used washers and placed them over the screen. i run hot to burn into the thicker material and through the screen and end up with a rosette weld in the center of the washer.

[ryanjones2150]

That's genius. So even if you burn through the screen, it's basically riveted in place.

[cubangt]

I know this is a little late but, when welding privacy screen to gates and doors I have used washers and placed them over the screen. i run hot to burn into the thicker material and through the screen and end up with a rosette weld in the center of the washer.

Would you happen to have a pic of how it looks afterwords? or even before and after..

[Ironken]

Hey Ryan, thank you! Yep, a rivet of sorts.

cubangt, no pics. It simply looks like a button on the surface of the screen. If you try this, be sure you hit it hot enough to burn through the screen into the base metal and hit it in the very center of the washer to ensure this. Clamp it tight.

[cubangt]

So just to understand this process, here is a quick simple layers look, is this correct? Then arc right in the middle of the washer hot enough that you melt the perforated material along with the washer to join it all together?

[Ironken]

That is exactly correct cubangt! If you are using small washers, you need to be sure you are getting through to the base metal. If the washer fills up too much....knock the booger down with a sanding or flap disc. Im assuming you are using a MIG. Now, looking at your pic, the washers may look goofy. Like others have said, you can build up your puddle on the shoe and just nudge it into the screen and stop. I detest adhesives but, have you thought about......ugh! dare I say it......JB Weld?

[cubangt]

The first one pictured above, i already completed, and gave to the girl. But being as simple as they are to make, i was going to make more and wanted to perfect the technique on welding the perforated metal to the shoes..

If i have time, ill actually get few of the scraps and put together and see if i understand it right..

And ive been using TIG, since i havent run out of gas yet, but will swap over to MIG once i run out of gas.

[cubangt]

And being im welding everything else, no need to use JB..