Sub-arc welder

[EP]

I had to fire up the welder​ to do a crankshaft rod journal. It's a finicky machine but it can do a nice job. I end up welding when availability or price is an issue. Shaft bent .020 so I have to straighten it then grind it. Thought it might interest somebody.
<image src="http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/photos/mvphoto10713.jpg"/>

 

[Janicholson]

Nice technology. Are the journals ever hardened after grinding and polishing? Jim

 

[Duane WI]

Is that machine basically an automated MIG welder? Interesting machine.

 

[Janicholson]

Submerged arc. Similar to mig but the flux/shield is granular powder that is continually poured onto the ewld and wire nozzle. The action produces a very clean contamination free weld that self cleans as it rotates (or builds up in different processes that do not rotate.) Jim

 

[TimV]

Duane-WI: it's a submerged arc machine--the arc is "submerged" in a granular flux that's fed through the tube around the electrode. Among other things, this keeps spatter down and produces very clean, uniform welds. Video attached is a pipe machine doing sub-arc welding--lots more on Youtube with a bit of searching but this will show you the basic operation.
sub arc welding

 

[JLeus]

That's on a rod journal and it looks like the crank is chucked up on the centerline of the mains. What guides the welding machine as the crank is turned? I'm always amazed by machine and men that can lay down that perfect bead, what I weld usually stays where I stuck it, but looks like a turd.

 

[Janicholson]

The setup is to have the chucks grab the mains on the ends, and then a offset is adjusted into the chuck center to make it rotationally stationary. Jim

 

[Stan in Oly, WA]

TimV; Ten or twelve years ago a young woman who had completed the welding program at the local community college got a job at a storage tank manufacturing factory (which has since gone out of business) on the waterfront here in Olympia. I was there once on some other business not long after she had started. Her job was to push a portable submerged arc welder along the seam of a couple of lengths of pipe which were about 10' in diameter, forming the body of a tank. She had to sort of shuffle to stay at the top point as the pipes rolled very, very slowly. It looked like a job that would be interesting for thirty minutes or less. The next time I saw her she was a barista at a downtown Starbuck's.

Stan

 

[Ian Beale]

At one stage there was a crew near here that advertised sub arc reclaiming of dozer running gear. I don't know if they're still around

 

[MarkB_MI]

Nice to have access to such equipment. Thanks for posting.

 

[Dan in North Houston]

I was at an industrial show one time and the Lincoln booth had a submerged arc welder you could try. when you pulled the trigger, the powdered flux completely covered the weld - you didn't even need a hood, as there was nothing to see but powder flowing out of the nozzle. I laid down a 1" bead about 1/4" wide on some angle iron, and when done and the powder dusted off, it was the most beautiful perfect bead you've ever seen. And believe me, all my welding looks like chicken s###.

 

[teddy52food]

I used to weld them with mig. After you grind that rod, check it again as it may need straightening again.

 

[DR. EVIL]

Company I used to have do Lots and Lots of BIG lathe work and machining on horizontal mills, built Huge hydraulic presses for plastic molding, straightening, etc. Presses in the 100,000 ton and bigger size range. They bought old ship propeller driveshafts and turned them to size for their piston rods, and submerged arc welded the pistons to the rods. They were welding on 12 to 20 inch rods, a couple inches behind the flux granuals the slag curled and pealed right off leaving the prettyest weld. The operator had a rheostat to control shaft speed so weld bead wetted out wide and flat, no place for inclusions to start.

 

[dr sportster]

Very interesting . Looks like some nice weld repair.

 

[David G]

That is very interesting

How do you straighten them?

 

[Strokedpoked]

I used to weld them with mig. After you grind that rod, check it again as it may need straightening again.

I know this is old thread, but what filler would you use for your mig journal repair?

 

[dahlin]

I have welded tons of sub arc wire hand held is hard on the wrists mine are shot . Once you get the hang of it it is not that hard to do and silicosis from the dust can be a problem also I had 39 years of sub arcing .

 

[dahlin]

I have welded tons of sub arc wire hand held is hard on the wrists mine are shot . Once you get the hang of it it is not that hard to do and silicosis from the dust can be a problem also I had 39 years of sub arcing .

 

[dahlin]

sorry for the double post

 

[Janicholson]

I know this is old thread, but what filler would you use for your mig journal repair?

The answer is very dependent on the material of the crankshaft, and its treatment when manufactured. From high carbon to alloy. Jim