How to ground welder on small project?

[RCW]

I'm a novice.

Working on a small metal yoke with a Lincoln MP210 in MIG mode at 240v.

Needs to be square and plumb. Tolerances aren't 0.001's, but can't be more than 1/16" off. (It's a part for a 1950's tractor).

For the life of me, I can't get the ground clamp on and keep everything together.

Tried clamping the magnet, but welds were cold. With some effort, I could break them by hand.

Long side is 4 3/16"x1 1/2"x 3/16" bar stock. Pretty little for me. Made in USA Vise Grips for reference.

Any suggestion on how to ground the welder without it pulling all apart? I did chamfer the top link, so it doesn't go in a clamp/vise well.

NOTE: The burn spot on the magnet was another project. Not related to grounding this project.

 

[D2Cat]

Put a bolt in that hole with a nut to hold it tight and put the clamp on the end of the bolt. Or you could lay a flat piece of steel across the top (above the magnets) and lay the ground clamp on that metal, exp if you're using a wire welder. Don't clamp it just lay it there.

 

[WFM]

Very very simple.
You have any pointed nose vice grips. Short ones ? Or a small C clamp ? you clamp that on and ground to that.
Or depending on the finish of your product. You tac weld another flat bar off the side or top and ground to that. Then break it off and grind smooth.
Yes I weld thounds of hours a year.

 

[RCW]

Put a bolt in that hole with a nut to hold it tight and put the clamp on the end of the bolt. Or you could lay a flat piece of steel across the top (above the magnets) and lay the ground clamp on that metal, exp if you're using a wire welder. Don't clamp it just lay it there.

Got it, sir. Makes perfect sense.

Lessons learned, again.

As an aside, I did some very solid plug welds a while ago.

Many thanks as always, my friend.

I don’t weld on my toolbox……

 

[RCW]

deleted.....I Fat-fingered something and made a duplicate.

There used to be a way to delete a post like that?

No more?

Not a big deal...my mistake.

 

[RCW]

Very very simple.
You have any pointed nose vice grips. Short ones ? Or a small C clamp ? you clamp that on and ground to that.
Or depending on the finish of your product. You tac weld another flat bar off the side or top and ground to that. Then break it off and grind smooth.
Yes I weld thounds of hours a year.

WFM -- - many thanks for the pointers.

I have bunches of tools, clamps, etc.

Just not much welding experience since an old tombstone Lincoln Stick welder decades ago on the farm.

Got the Lincoln MP210 several years ago.

You and D2Cat reminded me of the need for a completed ground circuit....however you get there.

You don't need the clamp on the work item, as long as it's close, and making proper contact/conductivity.

I lost that principle...

Guess I wasn't seeing the forest for the trees, as the old saying goes....

Again, I appreciate your expertise. I've had a few similar questions, and hope you continue to point me in the right direction.

D2Cat gave me some pointers for plug welds several years ago. Thus my mention of some I did successfully recently.

Although not pretty, they were SOLID.....

 

[BAP]

Very very simple.
You have any pointed nose vice grips. Short ones ? Or a small C clamp ? you clamp that on and ground to that.
Or depending on the finish of your product. You tac weld another flat bar off the side or top and ground to that. Then break it off and grind smooth.
Yes I weld thounds of hours a year.

Listen to WFM, he turns out some great products

 

[Crash277]

Metal table. I have a 4'x6' metal welding table. When welding small projects, i can just set them on the table and the entire table is grounded out. You dont need an entire table, you could get away with a plate you could toss on a bench and just keep a couple inches hanging off the front and toss your ground clamp on it.

 

[Yooper]

All good advice. The ground cable is probably the most overlooked item on welding machines. It must be able to conduct electricity to allow the circuit to be completed. I periodically clean the contacts on my clamp and make sure the metal table top is clean before welding. Also keep an eye on the cable connectors on the clamp for getting hot. If it gets hot its time to cut the cable back a few inches and install a new terminal end.

 

[mikester]

Steel welding table. Don't leave home without it.

 

[RichardAaronlx2610]

I'm a novice.

Working on a small metal yoke with a Lincoln MP210 in MIG mode at 240v.

Needs to be square and plumb. Tolerances aren't 0.001's, but can't be more than 1/16" off. (It's a part for a 1950's tractor).

For the life of me, I can't get the ground clamp on and keep everything together.

Tried clamping the magnet, but welds were cold. With some effort, I could break them by hand.

Long side is 4 3/16"x1 1/2"x 3/16" bar stock. Pretty little for me. Made in USA Vise Grips for reference.

Any suggestion on how to ground the welder without it pulling all apart? I did chamfer the top link, so it doesn't go in a clamp/vise well.

NOTE: The burn spot on the magnet was another project. Not related to grounding this project.

View attachment 64740

Start out by welding on a metal table and ground that. Just my .02

 

[RCW]

Many thanks fellas.

Greatly appreciate the advice, and highly respect the expertise you guys bring.

A steel welding table it is, and I learned several other great tips along the way.

 

[RCW]

Thanks again, guys.

No welding table yet, but some redneck improvisation worked wonders, with your help!

 

[Fordtech86]

The table looks good…the tire in the background pointed at the road makes me more nervous

 

[RCW]

The table looks good…the tire in the background pointed at the road makes me more nervous

Was a spare for my son's '07 Buick Lacrosse.

Been trying to get a taker on that tire with a FREE sign out front....no luck.

Thinking I'll put a $10 sign on it, and HOPE somebody will steal it...

You can have it......long drive from LA...I'll ship it to you...next day air....

 

[D2Cat]

RCW, you need to get a piece of cardboard and write the tire size in big bold print so anyone can read it driving 25 MPH. Then put the price below it.... $10. Have the tire leaning on something so it's parallel to the road (like a piece of wood). It's be gone overnight!

It's the psychology of the marketing plan. If you don't think it has any value, I'm not buying it!

 

[Crash277]

Thanks again, guys.

No welding table yet, but some redneck improvisation worked wonders, with your help!

that looks like a welding table! just an improvised one. you could have hit it with a flappy disk and used your ground on it. however it looks like your solution worked!

 

[Yooper]

Thumbs up on your table!

 

[RCW]

We hoped the Philly kids would come, and have my folks over this weekend.

The pending storm canceled all that.

I took the opportunity to make the hour trip to HF, and got their welding table.

Some HF stuff is just junk. This seems okay, and for $70 will work for my purposes.

Also got a new NAPA battery from local store for the Kubota. After 8+ years, don't want to chance a bad battery this winter.

RCW, you need to get a piece of cardboard and write the tire size in big bold print so anyone can read it driving 25 MPH. Then put the price below it.... $10. Have the tire leaning on something so it's parallel to the road (like a piece of wood). It's be gone overnight!

As far as psychology, whenever I set up as a concession back in my catering/cooking days, the FIRST two things I got going were sausage/peppers/onions on the grills and popcorn....there's no 2 things that will make someone hungry faster.....

I've labelled it well when it goes out by the road. A 225/60-16 is a pretty common size, but it's a Good Year, with the outside treadwear I have seen so many times on GY tires. Not a big GY fan....

Notice the tire is not in my picture of the welding table?

I packaged it up like a nice, early Christmas present....fancy colored paper and everything.....it's on it's way to FordTech in LA......I didn't want to pay a lot for shipping....it might get there by 12/25....2021...maybe 2022.....

 

[Fordtech86]

We hoped the Philly kids would come, and have my folks over this weekend.

The pending storm canceled all that.

I took the opportunity to make the hour trip to HF, and got their welding table.

Some HF stuff is just junk. This seems okay, and for $70 will work for my purposes.

Also got a new NAPA battery from local store for the Kubota. After 8+ years, don't want to chance a bad battery this winter.

View attachment 64874



I've labelled it well when it goes out by the road. A 225/60-16 is a pretty common size, but it's a Good Year, with the outside treadwear I have seen so many times on GY tires. Not a big GY fan....

Notice the tire is not in my picture of the welding table?

I packaged it up like a nice, early Christmas present....fancy colored paper and everything.....it's on it's way to FordTech in LA......I didn't want to pay a lot for shipping....it might get there by 12/25....2021...maybe 2022.....

Tire disposal rules vary state to state, not sure how New York works. But if you really want it gone you could always check with local repair shops/tire shops. There will be a small fee, believe its $2-3 dollars a tire here.