Welding solid rod?
 

My buddy made a tube chassis using I believe solid rod, and a wire feed welder. If I remember right, he said he had it turned down as low as it would go. And it is a strong chassis too. I can stand on it, and it won't bend (I weigh around 260) hit it with a sledge hammer, etc. I am thinking of building one similar to the way he did (he in the materials, and way it was put together) What do you guys think of it? Any drawbacks?

I could post pics of it later tonight

No problem doing a solid rod chassis....people do them all the time.

Easier to build than one from tube.

However, either about twice the weight of tube chassis (same size material) or the
chassis will be weaker due to using smaller size solid such as 1/8".

Jay

Ya, I thought it would be around 3/16 is what I would use?

Ive built a few using a wire feed with solid rod and tubing. I personaly prefer to tack a section together then come back through and weld it up nicely.

yea the only real down fall between solid and tube is the weight. the solid will way twice as much as the tube.

In the past when i have welded tube chassis together i like to turn the heat up and the speed up (when welding 3/16" solid)

Check this out. This is a tuber that I made the other day. I used welding rods and this thing is light wieght.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/tamiya-tlt-crawlers/88559-first-tuber-build.html

That looks good! The only thing I am worried about is if I when't you tube, wouldn't the weld go right through it?

I also have a HUGE wire weed welder (Esab I think is the brand) So would I want to turn the speed down too? or just turn the heat?

yes you would turn down your heat and wire feed for 3/16 you sould run aorund 160-170V (heat) with a wire feed speed of 320-340 IMP hope that helps.

Uhhh 160 volts?? Thats crazy, are you sure you don't mean amps?? I think for that small of rod about 23 volts would be more than enough.

volts is output on mig welders amps are on tig welders

if he was using like tube he would run the heat around 50-60V with a with a wire feed speed at (.030=220-250 Ipm) (.035=180-220 IPM) but he is round stock so you would be runing hoter.

You need to brush up on 9th grade physical science. I was just doing some build up work on a 14" tiebar less than an hour ago running 1/16" fluxcore wire and I was bairly pushing 32 volts, now I was running at 270 amps. And with that I was laying down a 3/4" bead. Volts and amps go together, you change one and you change the other, it all depends on what readout your welder has. Now my dinner brake is over, I guess I will go back to work now, welding, like I have been for years.:roll:

wow, welding 101, volts amps, current, feed, AHHHHHHH !!!!!!!

Just turn the "power" knob ALL THE WAY DOWN, and test weld on a scrap piece of material a nice bead and adjust your feed untill its a constant sizzle, with no pushing of the gun, and no popping, then go to town on your tuber.......jeesh, everyone trying to "guess" the right volts/amps and feed speed, every machine is different.....