Most of the bicycles decorating these pages have some welding done somewhere. If you are building your own custom bike-or even if you just like to fiddle with things in the garage-welding is an invaluable skill.
This is also a somewhat daunting prospect for beginners, so this is a two-part guide. This week, we will delve into the theory, explain the different types of welding, and help you decide which machine to get.
What is welding? In short, welding can be defined as the fusion of two pieces of material. I say "material" because we can weld plastic and metal (in this article, we will focus on metal).
Welding technology has developed to the point where small shops, farmers, artists and hobbyists can all afford high-quality welding machines. It is surprisingly satisfactory to make objects from a pile of metals by welding. However, don't expect to pick up the welding torch for the first time and put down the perfect weld-like any new skill, it takes practice to create a joint that is as strong and attractive as on a factory frame.
The benefits of welding are obviously a permanent process compared to bolting parts together. If two parts are made of the same material, they can be welded. It allows you to make complex shapes, such as motorcycle frames-a lot of tubes and plates, assembled into a strong and durable structure.
We can divide welding into two categories: fusion welding is very common on our motorcycles and needs to melt the connected metal; non-fusion welding also requires heating to work, but we need to add a temperature lower than the base material Filler material that melts down (for example, welding).
Manual metal arc welding Arc welding is one of the first welding processes developed. It uses an electric arc to generate the heat required to melt the metal involved. The welding machine generates a voltage at the end of the consumable electrode to generate an arc on the workpiece, and the workpiece is connected to the reflow machine through a grounding cable.
The arc melts the workpiece and the end of the electrode, and brings the molten metal from the end of the electrode to the workpiece. This "filler" metal increases the size of the weld. The electrode is covered with "flux", which melts and forms a protective gas protective layer around the weld to prevent contamination. It then solidifies on the weld deposit to form a protective "dross" that must be cut away to expose the weld underneath.
The welding machine will have controls to adjust the amount of current flowing through the circuit, and can use different electrodes to accommodate different metal types and thicknesses. As metal is deposited from the electrode onto the workpiece, the electrode becomes shorter and must eventually be replaced.
The cheapest amateur welding machine you find in a hardware store may use this process. I don't think it is a competitor for your motorcycle project, because other processes (described below) allow you to focus the arc and filler metal more precisely.
Gas-shielded metal arc ('MIG') welding is an advancement of arc welding. MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding uses an electric arc to generate an arc between the workpiece and a continuously fed consumable wire electrode and feed it through the torch. The welding wire is a "filler" that is melted and deposited into the weld to increase its size. The welding torch is also connected to a shielding gas source to protect the molten pool.
The consumables and shielding gas types can be replaced to suit different metals. Using the right gas and welding wire, you can weld a range of ferrous metals (iron-based) and non-ferrous metals, such as aluminum. A mixture of carbon dioxide and argon is a commonly used shielding gas when welding steel, while straight argon is more common when welding aluminum. (These are usually packed in portable cylinders for store use.)
The control device on the welding machine usually allows you to adjust the welding voltage and wire speed-for thicker materials, both need to be increased, and for thinner materials, both need to be increased. The flow of shielding gas is controlled by a regulator.
MIG welding machines are very popular, especially in the field of automotive customization. They are relatively cost-effective, easy to operate, relatively easy to learn, and once set up, they are very suitable for a specific metal, such as steel. In automotive projects, this may be perfect-you can use MIG welding machines to repair chassis and panels, make new parts, and even weld steel exhaust systems. But in your motorcycle project, you may want to choose to easily configure the welder to adapt to other metals, such as stainless steel and aluminum.
Gas tungsten arc ('TIG') welding TIG (tungsten inert gas shielded gas) welding is another arc welding process. However, TIG welding uses electrodes made of tungsten alloy instead of consumable electrodes in arc welding or MIG welding, which are not consumed during the welding process. Supply shielding gas—usually argon—to protect the weld.
Since the welding rod does not deposit additional metal, the operator will add filler metal to the weld. Usually one hand holds the torch to guide the arc and shielding gas, and the other hand feeds the filler metal. Some models have a foot pedal to adjust the arc, so you can work with both hands and one foot. This coordination requires more effort to learn and master through practice. However, if you can operate a motorcycle with a throttle, clutch and gear lever, you can learn how to do TIG welding.
The control panel on the more complex TIG welding machine looks complicated, but the ability to adjust the machine to suit welding is one of the reasons I prefer TIG welding for motorcycle projects. With minor (and relatively inexpensive) changes to the tungsten electrode and filler material, TIG welding can be used to weld steel, stainless steel, and aluminum-the most common metals you will use in custom motorcycle projects. Therefore, TIG welding is my personal choice.
Oxygen-acetylene welding Acetylene is a highly flammable gas that generates a 6,000-degree flame when mixed with oxygen, which is very suitable for welding, cutting and heating various metals.
Although modern welding machines are getting cheaper, oxyacetylene is widely used and worth seeing. In addition to using flame welding of metal, you can also use a cutting attachment to chop the steel plate and use a torch to heat rusty bolts, stuck parts and metal before bending. It does not require electrical connection, and is only limited by the location of the gas cylinder and the length of the hose.
In addition, the oxygen-acetylene welding and heating kit will be much cheaper than a high-quality welding machine; considering the gas cost, it may be the most economical solution for your home store.
Using different filler rods, you can weld a variety of different materials, but the heat transferred to the part can sometimes cause deformation. This is a bigger problem with thin metal sheets. Therefore, oxy-acetylene welding may not be the first choice for motorcycle projects.
There are also some special security issues. In addition to being explosive, acetylene is toxic and can cause nausea and headaches. Oxygen is required for combustion. If you direct the pure oxygen stream to flammable materials, it is easy to catch fire, so any flammable materials must be removed when using oxygen-acetylene equipment. There are still many safety issues to be aware of, so don't start using this process just based on this article-research the risks before lighting the flashlight.
Choose the welding process. The reasons for choosing arc welding, MIG, TIG or oxy-acetylene welding will vary according to your needs, but here are the advantages and disadvantages of each process I summarized based on my own experience-especially with custom motorcycle projects related. (One is the lowest rating and five is the best.)
When choosing a welding machine, I have the opportunity to use the machine at both ends of the cheap and expensive market. It is always tempting to assume that cheap machines can do the work of expensive machines, but in my experience, you get what you pay for. I have used several low-end machines; they are lighter in structure and it is more difficult for them to "dial in" to the best settings for work.
If I can only buy one welding machine, it will be a high-quality inverter AC/DC argon arc welding machine with an output power of about 160-200A and an arc welding function. Machines with these specifications should have a high-frequency start-technology that can easily start an arc. For American readers, I am talking about machines like Miller Diversion 180 TIG Welder (pictured below). In Australia, I am using an old model of this machine I bought a few years ago.
Although the TIG welder has the longest learning curve and high initial cost, I think it provides the highest flexibility for custom motorcycles. You can use the TIG function to weld thinner steel and aluminum alloy. If you want to weld some heavier steel plates quickly, please switch to the arc function. You can build your workshop benches and toolboxes, and-with the right expertise-can weld and repair almost anything. And you will never buy another welding machine, because this investment will last a lifetime.
TIG and MIG I would choose TIG instead of MIG, because if you weld different metals, MIG requires different spools and different torch cable gaskets. This is more expensive and requires more time to set up. If you think you can only weld steel, choose MIG. But if you want the option of welding stainless steel and aluminum alloy, TIG is your choice.
TIG Compared with arc welding, I would choose TIG instead of arc welding because the welding control is much better. You can very precisely control the placement of heat and filler metal. Arc welding is great for heavier manufacturing, but TIG is suitable for motorcycle projects every time.
If you can attend a community college to learn welding, please wait until you finish the course before worrying about buying a machine. You will be able to use their machines, not only to learn welding, but also machine functions you might want to consider.
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