I just did a bunch of this disassembling an old trailer to convert
it to a car hauler.
Sometimes an air chisel can be used to run right up the weld and
cut it loose. If the weld was good quality though, forget this.
Sometimes if you have a 4" surface grinder, you can use the edge
of the wheel to cut into the weld and either cut it completely or
weaken it so the air chisel will work.
An Oxy/Acetylene or Oxy/Propane torch usually works OK. Start by
cutting next to the weld on the part you want to remove. A quarter
inch away or so is fine. This will usually leave the part you want
to keep OK and give you a better idea on what is going on in the
weld.
There is nothing worse than trying to cut through old welds. Carefully
work away the remaining metal with the torch, leaving a little of
the weld to grind off smooth. You will probably wind up burning
most of the weld and attached scrap metal away. It seems to work
best if you cut from the scrap side of the weld parallel to the surface
you want to keep. This uses a lot of oxygen.
I don't know about this Oxy Mapp torch, if it is able to cut metal
and so on. If so, it might work. Otherwise you may have to find
another buddy with a real torch.
Maybe this could be a project if your local school offers night school
welding classes. I used to sign up 1-2 times a year for a night
machine shop or welding class just to get some stuff made. Since
I was a repeat customer, the teacher just let me go about doing my
thing.
Anyone ever tried to remove welds with a plasma cutter?
If you have lots of rust between the two pieces of metal, be careful.
When you heat thick rust it gives off steam and explodes like a
firecracker. Make sure you wear good face, hand, and arm protection.
Good Luck.
Bruce K
57 3200
Mt. Iron, MN
At Saturday, 27 September 2003, you wrote:
>I am trying to get the frame of my truck completely stripped of all
>components before it goes to the sand blaster. At some point an
owner of the
>truck welded a Reese (sp?) hitch onto the back of the frame. A couple
of
>problems for me. One is the brackets are weld over the bolts that
the rear
>bumper brackets use to attach to the frame rails. The other some of the
>welds are damn near impossible to get at. I cut out the bulk of
the home
>made brackets and the hitch is removed. However I need to remove the
>remaining junk.
>
>I have tried using an angle grinder to attack the old welds, an
although
>messy, it seams like I could get some of them this way. There are
others I
>won't be able to get at this way.
>
>I don't own any welding equipment, but my neighbor has a sears oxy/mapp
>torch if this could help.
>
>What is the best way to remove or break these old welds?
>
>Bill Schickling
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
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