Go BottomTractor Grills
 | jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan 
 Pics
|
2003-07-25 60135
Guys,
Almost done with my tractors grill/welding project. I have about 20 bucks in materials for this grill made with 1/4 thick plate 2 and 3 inches wide. Looks real professional even if I do say so myself. I will post the pixes when I fetch my cam I left at the office.
My next project is a landscape rake that looks so good that some manufacturers should copy the design. Made with 2x3 and 2x2 1/4 inch thick square tube with the hardened tines costing only 2.99 apiece instead of 5.99 I was quoted from KingKutter. Total materials cost is about 160 bucks with tine cost taking up $120.00. 37 tines gets you about a 72+ rake. From the rakes I have seen I figure you take the number of rake teeth and multiply by 2 to get the overall width of the rake. I would post a pix but the pixes I have are in a Windows BMP Image. I think a wheel kit is part of my plans too. The guy that did it did one heck of a job for not alot of dough for a rake that is commercial heavy duty quality like the ones sold by the major impliment manufacturers. Wonder if that guy that converted my backhoe thumb can convert a BMP image to JPG??? Thanks to TomG, the rake is in my profile under pix # 12. The guy did one heck of a job.
Jeff
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
 | TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
|
2003-07-26 60145
Most graphics editors can convert bmp files easily. Usually it's just a matter of using the 'save as' command on the file menu and selecting a different file type such as jpg. The files likely would come out smaller but would have any limitations of the original bmp format. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-26 60148
THANK-YOU TOMG. I learned something new today. Go to my profiles and check out pix # 12. Isn't that a darling landscape rake the guy made. I am going to make one just like it too....cheap. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2003-07-27 60178
Yes, a pretty good looking rake. I'm sorry I've never got my welding stuff back together. Well, I was a gas welder and I'd have to learn arc but it's supposed to be easier anyway.
If you are interested, your pic is fairly small. MarkH experimented with various ways to get larger images within the size restriction (30K I think) and the discussions might be worth reading. JPG software usually performs compression on a file as it's saved. My camera offers a choice between JPG, JPG (fine) and several other formats. Far as I know 'fine' means without compression. If your graphics editor isn't compressing the file a 30K image will come out pretty small. However, you may be happy enough just to get the pic here without worrying about such detail.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60181
ToMG,
I have a Sony 3.2 meg camera and it has the "fine" feature among various pixel resolutions. What do I use to get a better size and still stay in the 30k limit?
As I', reviewing my pixes I noticed some are huge and are 30k and some are small and 30k what am I doing wrong here?
Jeff ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2003-07-27 60184
Starting out with a high quality uncompressed image file and trying to get under the 30K limit by scaling the pic down is what makes for small posted images. Compression and reducing detail in the image is what makes for larger posted images.
I use a shareware editor called Jasc Paint Shop Pro. I just read a camera pic I saved in jpg (fine) into my editor and saved it as a jpg file under a different name. The file size was reduced from 916K to 506K. That's the effect of compression and most editors will do that automatically.
Reducing detail is maybe the best way to reduce file sizes. Shooting with the lowest camera resolution has the effect of reducing detail and also creates less distortion if the pic has to be severely scaled down. Using the lower quality settings on your camera also probably compresses the file, but the compression routines on a decent graphics editor may be better. Severely cropping a pic to closely frame the subject is another good way. My editor has a variety of noise filters that have the effect of reducing detail. I ran my 506K file through something called a median filter and further reduced the file to 248K. The resulting image was somewhat abstract but certainly good enough quality for posting.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60186
TomG,
So what you are saying is DONT USE THE "FINE"? lowest resolution I have is 640 x 480? So I use 640 X 480 no "fine"?
jeffr ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2003-07-27 60188
Yes, that's basically it but it sounds like you could use a decent graphics editor that will crop and filter. My. 2.1mp camera gives me small resolutions and three quality choices. I use the smallest resolution but the highest quality because I believe my graphics editor does a better job scaling things down than the camera. I hadn't compared files sizes before and after using the median filter and was pretty amazed.
If your camera insists on producing high quality images and you have an editor that crops, you might have some luck shooting further back and then severally cropping the image.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60195
Starting out with a high quality uncompressed image file and trying to get under the 30K limit by scaling the pic down is what makes for small posted images. Compression and reducing detail in the image is what makes for larger posted images......TOMG
TomG,
I am confused here. You said in the above statement using "fine produces small compressed images. DO I use "fine" or not?
Jeffr ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60197
TOMG,
If you want to arc weld with a minimium of trying to maintain an arc, use 6013 or 7014 rod which are referred to as "contact" rods. You keep those type rods in contact with the base metal unlike a 6011 rod where you have to maintain a 1/8 arc gap. 7014 and 6013 make arc welding sooooooooo easy and quick. These rods are sometimes referred to as "cheater" rods because the real skill in SMAW(shielded Metal Arc Welding) is maintaining that arc gap. Electric arc welding is tougher than gas welding. MIG is the easiest to use and screw up using a too small welder (115 volts) that doesnt have the power to get good penetration on thicker metals. TIG is the toughest to use. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
 | plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo 
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60247
A 115 volt will weld one fourth inch metal very good using flux core wire in a single pass.A 230 volt will weld half inch with flux core. and if machine is set right arc gap will maintain itself with (SMAW). ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60256
Plots,
According to the welding experts on the Hobart site and the factory literature a 115v Hobart Handler or Miller 135 mig unit will NOT weld with satifactory penetration on 1/4 inch plate, 3/16th plate or angle is max with 22 gauge the mininmium even with flux core. The Hobart or Miller 175 is rated for 22 gauge to 1/4 inch and that is a 220 volt unit. Even the Hobart Ironman 210 is only rated for 3/8ths thick. I spend as much time on their site picking those welding experts brains apart as I do here. They are so knowledgable about all phases of welding it is unbelievable. The general consensus for an ALL-Around capability is a 220 volt MIG unit is much better than a 115 volt unit. Those are the guys that got me hooked on 7014 and 7018AC elecrod rod AND I LOVE IT. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60257
Well look on lincoln electric's site .I've done a lot of welding with a 115 volt just requires more prep and time. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60259
The general opinion on the Lincoln SP 135 by the guys that own them is the machines capacity is overated. There seem to be a ton of guys that bought the SP 135 and were disappointed with weld penetration an 1/4 in stuff. The experts that do this stuff for a living told them that anybodys 115 volt Mig unit WIll not hold a good weld with flux core on 1/4 in stock. All I know is these expert guys tell me. Even Lincoln's SP 175 220 volt is only rated to 5/16ths max thickness!!! Book doesn't say what the Power Mig 200 max is. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60261
we can read many thing's in life but like I said I've welded alot with a 115 and it's plunty strong. look at my pics the front and rear forks on my tractor they were done with a 115 volt . I've lifted two of the 55 gal drums(full) with front forks and pallet. plunty strong not in my photo's though. not bad concidering the machine is only rated to lift 890lbs. forks held up fine. and also lift 1200lb hay bales. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-27 60268
I believe you...but the real truth is in an Xray examination and I'm told satifactory penetration by a 115 volt MIG on 1/4 just isn't there and it is not safe. The last thing I want to do is have a trailer come apart at 70mph when I was told by somebody who is an welding expert cerified by Xray not to do it. Go to Hobart and Ask Expert Rock. He will tell you. One welding instructors told of a student you just welded a real pretty seam and was going to show it to him but accidently dropped it on the floor......it broke in half. A real pretty MIG weld is doesn't mean it is strong. You got to cut it in half to see what you got. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2003-07-28 60279
Jeff: My camera has three resolution choices and three quality choices. The software for downloading camera images to the PC has three JPEG choices as well as tiff and bmp. The smallest file size would come from using the smallest resolution and lowest quality on the camera settings and JPG (basic) on the download software. If files are still too large, then scaling the image down and cropping are common ways to get the file sizes down to 30K but extreme scaling doesn't produce great results and the screen images can end up very small.
I'll try to be brief here but a concept might explain. In a format like JPG, the resolution in px's just gives the image dimension. File sizes result from the dimension as well as detail in the image. Small but highly detailed images may have larger file sizes than larger simple ones. High quality camera settings and JPG fine preserve detail and make for larger file sizes. The only alternative to get files under 30K then is to scale down the dimension, which makes for small screen images.
I tend to use high quality and resolution everything and work in TIFF rather than JPG if I'm really interested in quality. That's because I seldom take a pic just to post it. The trouble with using low quality camera and download settings is that the low image qualities can't be improved if a pic is used for other purposes. If I need to reduce quality to get a reasonably large screen image for posting, I can use my graphics software, which does a better job than the camera and download software anyway.
....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
Pics
|
2003-07-28 60289
As I stated earlier takes more time and prep , groove your seams,than flip over grind back into your first weld . YES it does take more time but can be made pretty strong.I agree there are advantages to higher amp unit's but the 115 is all I have so I make it work by spending more time on my welds and using flux core wire. flux core produces welds that are hotter than gas shielded welds. and true I don't think I would want to weld up a trailer intened for the highway with my unit. my forks are holding up to heavy lifting , but it just took more time and multible passes. by the way my buddy is a pipe fitter and he is going to take a piece of my work on half inch plate to testing center for X-raying. he is testing for unlimeted thickness this tuesday.It was welded with four passes two on each side.metal was v'ed than fliped over and grount back into. I know it is a bit large for the 115 but we were going to see if it passes. had to spend much more time on it verses a higher amp unit. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
Pics
|
2003-07-28 60292
This is a great discussion guys. I am really learning a lot here. Keep it up. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-28 60295
You are correct Plots, v grooving or beveling the edge will get the penetration on a thickness of metal out of range for a 115 volt MIg welder, but how many guys out there know about that??? Plus, who has time to do all that grinding when you can just fire up the the 220 volt stick welder, grab some 7014, 6011, 6013 and get an excellent no-worry weld with out all that fussing around. My welds look nearly as good as a MIG and at 120 amps AC there is no question of whether my welds penetrated the base metal. The current popularity of MIG units especially the 115 volts models stem from the fact there is very little welding skill involved. Plotts, you seem to know about how and understand the MIG welding proxcess to use a MIG unit, but there are a ton of guys that ran out a bought a 115 MIG units thinking is was going to be DO-ALL machine and these guys got themselves into trouble. The guys at the Hobart site all agree a 220 volt stick welder is where a guy should start and then move on to MIG. A guy who learned on a stick welder is a lot better welder than a guys who learned on a MIG. Most times when your welding general stuff, your weld time is so short no real time is saved with a MIG anyway. In the last two years I can't recall of ever burning a complete stick of eletrode all on the same arc start. It is always weld 2 inches here, stop, refit the next piece of metal , weld 2 inches, stop. The thing I DO like about MIG is NO FLUX CHIPPING, but if I get my heat right the flux pops off with a stick welding in a couple of taps. I keep trying to justify a $600.00 purchase of a HH175 MIG unit but since my brother has a nice 250 amp MIG machine, I can still tackle any project I want with MY AC/DC StickMate and OXY/acetalene set-up and the 600 bucks stays in my pocket. If I got a big project to then I fit it up and take it to his place to use the big 250 Mig, but I have only did that once. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| plots1
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 563 mo
Pics
|
2003-07-28 60297
Very true Jeff, I'm looking into to upgrading into a 220 stick soon, It will save much time.I was just stating that strong welds can be done with added time and prep using 115 volts. happy welding ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| jeff r
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 428 burton. michigan
Pics
|
2003-07-28 60330
TomG,
I figured out this camera stuff. You were right not to turn on "fine". Now I shoot at 1280 X 960 and shrink it down to 70% on the Microsoft Paint program. Goes from 287K to 30K no problem and the image is still way bigger than those postage stamps I posted. Thanks I owe you one.
jeff ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add PhotoTractor Grills
| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
|
2003-07-29 60355
Glad it helped. I like the pics too. ....
Reply to |
Quote Reply |
Add Photo
Go Top
Share This