Lincoln 180 question

[Spiffers]

I've googled and searched and I can't find a direct answer to this. Is a Lincoln 180 mig welder enough welder to use to replace the hitch on a boat trailer? The specs say 1/2 mild steel with flux core and I can't see that tubing being anything but mild steel.

The hitch is nothing more than what is on those $600-700 trailers you see at Tractor Supply and Lowes. The man that welded the new tongue on our 16' trailer had to take it to work because he said his welder wasn't big enough. Granted that one is a lot heavier duty that the one I'd put on my pontoon boat trailer.

 

[sberry]

Depends on the operator. It needs to be turned up to make it really melt. Welding uphill can also help.

 

[Wamsutta]

1/2" is the maximum material thickness that the machine is capable of welding. Mild steel means that it's natural steel without heat treatment.

 

[MoonRise]

The answer is:

It depends.

It depends on the welder (machine) and the welder (the human) and the specific process AND parameters being used and on the specific electrode wire being used.

Yes, a Lincoln PM180 can be used to weld 1/2" mild steel with multiple passes using some FCAW-S wire.

But not with Lincoln NR211-MP 0.035 wire.

That wire (although useful and handy and all that) is rated to be used on a MAXIMUM workpiece thickness of 5/16"!

Doesn't matter how much machine you have driving that specific wire, because of the wire's chemistry and metallurgy it has a workpiece thickness limitation of 5/16" MAX.

If you use a different FCAW wire (diameter and 'type'), then you can conceivably weld some 1/2" thick mild steel with a PM180 machine and multiple passes.

Also note that not all electrodes (stick or wire) are rated with CVN properties (kind of important IMNSHO for something subject to impact and vibration like a vehicle or trailer. )

You need to use the right machine and process and filler/electrode and welding parameters and skills for the task at hand.

 

[Wamsutta]

Isn't the max material thickness rating supposed to be in one pass?

 

[ItsNemo]

Isn't the max material thickness rating supposed to be in one pass?

Correct.

I can't imagine the hitch is even 1/4" thick steel...my trailer it's probably closer to 1/8" or 3/16" steel at most. I would think even most 140 class machines could do it with an experienced welder behind it using proper technique.

 

[strutaeng]

Why not just take it to a welding shop? 7018 or flux-core would be a good option.

I can't imagine a shop charging that much for this sort of thing. They'll have the proper machine.

That machine does say it will weld 1/2". Maybe with 0.035 or 0.045 wire? You don't state your welding skills. A trailer-anything weld is not a good way to test quality of the welds, in my opinion.


Actually, if look at the specs., it says to use Innershield NR-212 0.045" and it states "MP," multiple pass. The most you can weld in single pass is 3/16, doesn't seem like much.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/df/df2d5f30-8ee5-40e0-8604-8ea59743d081.pdf

 

[MoonRise]

Isn't the max material thickness rating supposed to be in one pass?

No.

Sometimes the 'limit' of what you can weld is based on the machine, sometimes it is based on the filler (wire or stick).

If you are using Lincoln NR211-MP, the wire itself has a workpiece thickness limitation of 5/16" thick.

Period.

Single-pass or mutipass, this FCAW wire has a workpiece thickness limitation of 5/16" MAX.

(if you happen to be using an 'industrial' sized machine and running some 0.068" to 3/32" diameter NR211-MP wire, then the workpiece thickness limitation is 1/2")


From Lincoln's "Innershield Wire FCAW-S Welding Guide C3.2400 Issue Date 02/15"

Sheet Metal to Thinner Plate/General Purpose (no specified CVNs)

Innershield NR-211-MP

Carbon Steel
General fabrication with sheet metal, excellent operator appeal, galvanized or
zinc coated sheet metal. Maximum plate thickness restrictions:
- 5/16 in. (7.9 mm) for 0.030 - 0.045 dia.
- 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) for 0.068 - 3/32 dia.

All Position (except vertical up)

Same info/restriction is also in the Lincoln Consumables catalog. And also on/in the literature/packaging with the wire itself IIRC.

(Lincoln's NR-212 wire also has a workpiece thickness limitation of 3/4", single or multiple pass. Doesn't depend on the machine here, this is a limit of the wire itself.)

One has to know their limitations, which includes in this case includes the machine AND the electrode AND the operator skills.

 

[mike93lx]

If you have to ask, you shouldn't be welding something that could kill someone if it fails.

 

[sberry]

I know a couple of guys that know absolutely nothing about it that do a good job. Come to think about it I don't know squat and I am a career welder. About the only thing I know is that if its thick and or cold heat it up, if its med carbon use lo hy and keep it dry.

 

[ItsNemo]

All you guys are arguing what's the max thickness the machine can do when the OP hasn't even told us how thick the metal he needs to weld is. I honestly doubt it's going to be more than 3/16".

 

[strutaeng]

All you guys are arguing what's the max thickness the machine can do when the OP hasn't even told us how thick the metal he needs to weld is. I honestly doubt it's going to be more than 3/16".

LOL, you are right. I thought he was trying to weld 1/2", my bad. I'm not too familiar with trailers, can OP post a photo? My truck hitch does seem to be no more than 1/4", so maybe doable with the welder at hand, provided the operator has some skill using it.

 

[sberry]

I have seen some of the biggest **** jobs come from "welding" shops too.

 

[Wamsutta]

If you have to make multiple passes for 1/2" steel plate, you got some some itty-bitty beads going on. I could fill that up with one pass using 1/8" 7018. Fillet or lap.

 

[sberry]

I would look if a guy was to show a pic of that.

 

[Spiffers]

Why not just take it to a welding shop? 7018 or flux-core would be a good option.

I can't imagine a shop charging that much for this sort of thing. They'll have the proper machine.

That machine does say it will weld 1/2". Maybe with 0.035 or 0.045 wire? You don't state your welding skills. A trailer-anything weld is not a good way to test quality of the welds, in my opinion.


Actually, if look at the specs., it says to use Innershield NR-212 0.045" and it states "MP," multiple pass. The most you can weld in single pass is 3/16, doesn't seem like much.

https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/df/df2d5f30-8ee5-40e0-8604-8ea59743d081.pdf

Because then I wouldn't have a good excuse to get a good welder and learn and use it for more than just fixing my boat hitch

 

[sberry]

The 180 is a very good machine. It was specifically designed with 030 solid C25 in mind.