Anyone have or know of a good cheap welder?

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:15 pm

So I got a call back from the out of province inspection people and there is a crack in the frame. The crack is small and mostly of a cosmetic nature but it is sufficient that they must ding me to fix it. Sadly, they don't want to do it as well i guess they are busy enough.

So as I am not from here I ask does anyone know of a good welder and or does anyone have the technical know how to take on such a project with my help of course? I would be willing to help out either financially or in whatever other ways possible.

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 5:19 pm

I wonder if there are any work arounds I could do in the meantime until I get a proper job done on it?

Right now it is just the hassle of the back and forth to the inspection centre blah!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:01 pm

Sorry missed the original post. Is it easily accessible? Can you post a photo link?

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:02 pm

jbcollier wrote:Sorry missed the original post. Is it easily accessible? Can you post a photo link?

It is easily accessible. It is still at the shop but will take a photo when I head out there this week.

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:25 am

I've got a smallish mig 110 welder in the garage. Your welcome to come by and use it. I'll be back in town in a day or two. Mostly likely late Wednesday night or early thursday morning.

What kinda of metal? and do you think a smallish tack weld will do? Or does one think some sort of skill is needed to get it done?

david · Post by **david** » Thu Jun 13, 2013 12:49 am

If the frame is mild steel, we could (once we see some pictures) MIG weld it.
If the frame is Cro-Moly or high carbon steel, TIG is best.
SMAW (stick welding) might be an option, if a TIG welder is unavailable and the material is thick enough.
I've done a little bit of welding over the years and could help. But, I don't own any of the equipment needed to do the job.

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Sat Jun 15, 2013 3:53 pm

david wrote:If the frame is mild steel, we could (once we see some pictures) MIG weld it.
If the frame is Cro-Moly or high carbon steel, TIG is best.
SMAW (stick welding) might be an option, if a TIG welder is unavailable and the material is thick enough.
I've done a little bit of welding over the years and could help. But, I don't own any of the equipment needed to do the job.

That would be awesome. I was just on my way out there today but they closed an hour earlier than I thought and so will have to swing by on monday and get the pix set up.

The frame is tubular steel.

Sigh....really want to get on the road.

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 5:21 pm

K so the crack is small about 50 mm at max. I have some pictures I want to post but do i need to have them uploaded to another site first?

I spoke with the guy at the shop and he said one thing which irritated me greatly. He said the welding has to be done by certified welding journey man. Which...is annoying. If i changed up the tires on it does it have to be done by a certified mechanic ?

This whole thing is really getting to be annoying. The over regulation in this whole process makes me mental.

If it gets fixed it gets fixed. I am going to ask to see the rules regarding the out of province inspection.

david · Post by **david** » Wed Jun 19, 2013 8:31 pm

Did you mean a 5mm crack? 50mm is 2 inches, not huge but, does seem big on a frame.
Don't waste your time and energy on making inquires, tell them a jouneyman welder did the repair; end of!!!

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:02 am

david wrote:Did you mean a 5mm crack? 50mm is 2 inches, not huge but, does seem big on a frame.
Don't waste your time and energy on making inquires, tell them a jouneyman welder did the repair; end of!!!

That is what I want to do. i found a guy who will do it for 30 bucks he has a website and was recommended by scona cycle but ames motorsports is being anal. Issue is apparently he does not have his ticket. Which I suppose is a bit dodgy.

Maybe I should just get it done and show up and be like " its done" let me out of here.

I suppose end of the day they will not have the ability to check into a database of journeymen numbers so perhaps I could just give them a receipt and do as you say " it was done by a journeyman " if they ask give them a number and be done.

I did find a mobile journeyman welder who will do it for 140 bucks which....is steep.

sigh...2 more weeks then hopefully this will be over.

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:04 am

I have the OPI manual for motorcycles and there is no mention of how it has to be repaired. However, neither is there any mention that a repair is acceptable. It just says: cracked frame = fail, period. Count yourself lucky they are considering accepting a repaired frame.

As a botched weld repair can actually make things worse, significantly worse in fact, they are asking you to get it welded by a journeyman welder for your own good. Fortunately for you, David is a journeyman welder and a cautious one as well.

I have seen cracked frames fail. I have seen welded frames fail. And I have seen what the rider looks like after the frame fails at speed. Get it repaired properly or get another frame.

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:12 am

jbcollier wrote:I have the OPI manual for motorcycles and there is no mention of how it has to be repaired. However, neither is there any mention that a repair is acceptable. It just says: cracked frame = fail, period. Count yourself lucky they are considering accepting a repaired frame.

As a botched weld repair can actually make things worse, significantly worse in fact, they are asking you to get it welded by a journeyman welder for your own good. Fortunately for you, David is a journeyman welder and a cautious one as well.

I have seen cracked frames fail. I have seen welded frames fail. And I have seen what the rider looks like after the frame fails at speed. Get it repaired properly or get another frame.

How can I upload pictures? Do I have to upload them to a outside URL first?

I agree with you about the whole thing on the welding. Part of me thinks well it is a difference of a 100 bucks another part thinks " that is not something you want to come undone at 100 kms an hour"

so fair enough.

Post by **Kevin** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:41 am

right between the box where you type your messages and the submit button there is a button labled "Add an Attachment"

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:10 pm

jbcollier wrote:I have the OPI manual for motorcycles and there is no mention of how it has to be repaired. However, neither is there any mention that a repair is acceptable. It just says: cracked frame = fail, period. Count yourself lucky they are considering accepting a repaired frame.

As a botched weld repair can actually make things worse, significantly worse in fact, they are asking you to get it welded by a journeyman welder for your own good. Fortunately for you, David is a journeyman welder and a cautious one as well.

I have seen cracked frames fail. I have seen welded frames fail. And I have seen what the rider looks like after the frame fails at speed. Get it repaired properly or get another frame.

sigh....so after they told me about needing a certified journeyman I got someone. He had his ticket and whole deal. I found a friend who is a journeymen and who does professional welding for large companies. NOW they tell me that the welding has to be done by someone who is a certified journeymen and also has a valid business license for his company.

So even if the person is a valid welder it has to be done by a company now.

I am getting really irritated by this whole process.

It just seems they are making shit up in order to get me to say forget it I will sell my bike and buy one from you. Oddly enough when I took the bike in they even said " hey why not just get a new one and forget about your old bike"

DaelimRacer · Post by **DaelimRacer** » Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:12 pm

I am about 100 dollars away from saying forget the whole thing and selling it as there are only about 12 more weeks left for this season anyway.

Honestly, if I want to produce oil and pollute the environment I can self regulate. If i want to drive a vehicle from another province there are all these insane regulations sigh.....

where is the logic in that? I personally would be more concerned about the environment or at least have some consistency.

anyway my rant is done