steel from bedframes

[Bourne Bill]

I have a lot of angle iron from bedframes, and have a problem welding them. im using 6013 rods. any recomendations for the correct rod for this mystery metal?

[camdigger]

What problems are you having? Poor beads, porosity?

Bed frame iron is cheap and nasty, but low cost... Clean well and try 6011 on AC. Digs a lot better than 6013 and is less prone to slag inclusions. 6011 is a lot better for dirty material.

Cam

Editted P.S. 6011 is a bit harder to clean up after the fact, sometimes the slag sticks like S%#* to a baby blanket. If you have the option, get a knotted wire wheel for your angle grinder.. It'll help with prep cleanup too.

[J. R. Williams]

Bill
The welding problem is the steel, not your rod. I have had bed frame material that would strip the teeth off of a good saw blade and the material would crack after welding. The 6011 rod does dig and penetrate well but the 6013 makes a better looking weld and the slag is easier to remove. Toss the bed frame material .

JRW

[radkins]

If the joint requires any strength at all then, as has already been said, toss the bed frame material. This stuff is very difficult to weld without cracking but if you are bound to try it then try heating the joint to be welded cherry red and cool slowly before welding.

[airsmith282]

i have been doing some welding my self lately on bed fram rail using 6013 1/16 rods at 70amp i have and AC-100 lincoln stick welder anyhow , the stuff welds up pretty good my beeds are not the best i need more pratice my self but the stuff welds up nice and no cracks at all and penatrates pretty good to ,, the cage i made is for servicing lawnmowers but i have also put alot more weight then that on it and shes holding well.. ,, might mig better the arch but for my purpose its welded and works and its strong as hell..

[camdigger]

Airsmith

Some bed iron will behave, some won't. It's part of it's inherent charm I've seen rails of either side of the same bed behave differently


The only good thing is that it`s usually next to free...

[airsmith282]

wel you dont have to get on me here about it just put up my experience with bed fram stuff . and iam very much aware that even and entire shaft of steel is not the same threw and threw as well thank you ...

anyhow ,,
all the best iam sure it will all work out in the end..

[10KPete]

Gee, I've built a lot of stuff with old bed frames. Nothin' you'd wanna trust to hold up yer mother in law, but stands for tools, racks and even a little trailer once.

The stuff does seem to be kinda high carbon but 6013 or 6011 work OK. Gas welding seemed to make a more ductile joint probably because of the annealing effect or sumptin'.

Pete

[hardtail]

10K Pete has it nailed with it's inherent challenges.......I wouldn't use it for anything structural.

AS282 I don't think CD was being critical, merely sharing his dealings with the stuff.....

[gusrod1948]

I use old bedframes all the time, but the people who said it was high carbon are right. I use a MIG welder but first heat the joints with a gas torch. Any kind of gas that can get it red will work, then let it cool slowly. Wouldn't recommend it for structural uses though. It may still be quite brittle at the edges of the HAZ.