Tech Spam thread - because 1/4" BSP gets 5 hand spans to the jiggawatt

[tortron]

so does primer. the ones i use say top coat within 72 hours

[kws]

Thanks for the recommendations. Sorry, forgot there was a paint thread. Have been to the paint suppliers and grabbed some paint, clearcoat and filler.

I suspect the previous repair was done over bare metal and moisture got under the bog as the metal was very pitted.

[kws]

Anyone know a good off the shelf alloy wheel cleaner? We had a really good commercial wheel acid at a previous job which took brake dust off easy as, but dont have access to that anymore. Wheels have baked on dust, and are standard factory alloys, no polished lip etc. Tried the CRC foaming stuff, didnt touch it so want something stronger without spending hours scrubbing them.

[Transom]

Meguiars wheel cleaner seems to remove brake dust well turns purple then washes off - won’t remove pitted into alloy stuff 

Is there one called dragons breath or something similar ? 

[bigfoot]

55 minutes ago, kws said:

Anyone know a good off the shelf alloy wheel cleaner? We had a really good commercial wheel acid at a previous job which took brake dust off easy as, but dont have access to that anymore. Wheels have baked on dust, and are standard factory alloys, no polished lip etc. Tried the CRC foaming stuff, didnt touch it so want something stronger without spending hours scrubbing them.

Wheel muck plus. Flouro green stuff in a spray bottle, I get mine from repco

[Muncie]

No fume oven cleaner works well doesn't fuck paint removes brake dust piece of piss. Dont use on bare alloy though it dulls it.

[Transom]

^ don’t use oven cleaner on anodising it’s removes it 

Keen to try it on brake dust now 

[Bling]

Too potent and things start to eat the alloy don't they? Grease your elbows and get in there with some less potent stuff.

[tortron]

18 hours ago, Transom said:

^ don’t use oven cleaner on anodising it’s removes it 

Keen to try it on brake dust now 

The no fume one is no good for removing anodising - always get the toxic version

[Transom]

1 hour ago, tortron said:

The no fume one is no good for removing anodising - always get the toxic version

Yup the “Bam” super toxic stuff is great for de anodising 

[tortron]

The no fume ones are decent for cleaning engine bays. Id say its ok for painted wheels

[kicker]

I used CRC Mag Monster the other day, my silver wheels were black with 2 years of brake dust. A quick spray and agitation with a brush and they hosed off nice and shiney, will trade again but more frequently this time.

[kws]

Sounds like its between Mag Monster and Wheelmuck.

Have tried dragons breath before and didnt really think much of it for brake dust, but that was baked on stuff. Probably works well on normal on-the-surface brake dust.

[Guest]

Wheel muck is AWESOME. Buy a bottle. Ive bene through fricken litres of it now and not had a wheel not cleaned from it.

[Adoom]

So I have a DC tig welding issue. I'm still new to tig.

I'm trying to weld some mild steel exhaust tube, so it's 1.6mm thick.

The arc is not shooting straight out the end of the electrode, it's pissing off at an angle, about 45  degrees.  If I get it REALLY close to the puddle, it looks like it's straight, but really, it's still at an angle.

I'm using 30-35 amps. 

I've made sure I have a good connection with the ground clamp.

I've cleaned the work with acetone.

I've tried striking an arc on a thick steel plate and turning up the amps to 170. But it's still doing it.

I assumed it was the grind on the electrode. I tried regrinding it by hand. I tried turning it in the drill while grinding it on the bench grinder. I've tried a really sharp point and a not so sharp point. I've tried a different electrode. I've tried a shorter stick out. It all seems to make no difference.

WTF else should I try?

[cletus]

26 minutes ago, Adoom said:

So I have a DC tig welding issue. I'm still new to tig.

I'm trying to weld some mild steel exhaust tube, so it's 1.6mm thick.

The arc is not shooting straight out the end of the electrode, it's pissing off at an angle, about 45  degrees.  If I get it REALLY close to the puddle, it looks like it's straight, but really, it's still at an angle.

I'm using 30-35 amps. 

I've made sure I have a good connection with the ground clamp.

I've cleaned the work with acetone.

I've tried striking an arc on a thick steel plate and turning up the amps to 170. But it's still doing it.

I assumed it was the grind on the electrode. I tried regrinding it by hand. I tried turning it in the drill while grinding it on the bench grinder. I've tried a really sharp point and a not so sharp point. I've tried a different electrode. I've tried a shorter stick out. It all seems to make no difference.

WTF else should I try?

Polarity is correct? 

[kws]

[Adoom]

11 hours ago, cletus said:

Polarity is correct? 

Yes, positive ground.  

 

10 hours ago, kws said:

I have ground them like the top picture, but I have a point, not a flat. I have come across conflicting information whether there should be a point or a flat end at low currents.

I will try it with a flat tip today. Hopefully that's it,. 

[Muncie]

Earth other side of pipe.

[Adoom]

20 minutes ago, Muncie said:

Earth other side of pipe.

I tried relocating the earth so it was connected to the pipe rather than my "welding table"(a bit of 25mm steel plate).

It appears that grinding a small flat on the end of the electrode has sorted it.