Welding

Hi guys,

I just finished a job fitting polysafe to a corridor and toilets, I dont fit commercial stuff that often and therfore i'm a bit rusty on some of the techniques - welding inparticular !

Would anyone care to offer me advice on welding ? specifically I dont mind admitting The areas I struggle with are grooving (I use a 'p' type groover, maybe another tool would make it easier ).

I am also a bit inconsistent when starting the weld off, it sometimes pulls away from the edge, i've tried heating it longer but i'm scared it will mark the vinyl. i have experimented with the temperature but just cannot seem to perfect my technique

My finished welds are absolutely fine but some fine tuning is required !!

Thanks

Ray

 

Best way is to try a test piece on a bare floor or flat piece of wood and practise that way Ray.

 

Hi mate
You will find that air temps have a big affect on how your weld takes to the floor,You could try using a metal scrapper,put it on the floor about an inch away from the wall where you are going to start the weld this way you can leave the welder in one place,heating the weld rod up that bit more so it takes to the floor without burning the floor.

If you get where im coming from :smile: I tend to use this method when welding in very cold areas and the likes of the very hard and brittle polyflor.

Also you could try and weld from the bottom of your mitres and work your way up,you might find it easier this way as you have already got your weld rod established in the grove.

What settings do you normally weld on?

Hippyfitter

 

When igroove out polysafe I tend to use I think wots descibed on
Rws as a altro groover ( wooden handle with a bar stickin out you can
Change with an allen key I tend to use a p type on harder sheet ..
Polyfloor .
As your chap mentioned try putting ur spatula under @
The start or try on waste piece to set temp according to room temp
Hope this helps

 

thanks for the help , i usually try and weld somewhere between 3-5 changing my speed to suit. Because i'm not experienced in welding I tend to be somewhat cautious . It was very cold in the building up here in north , snow ridden Scotland !!

cheers

Ray

 

Thanks for that, i have another job for the same firm coming up, so I will bear this in mind. This will be a kitchen so kickplates will be off which will make it easier with regard to starting off.

Thanks again

Ray

 

Hi Ray.If you run your first line about a metre long and stop.Turn round and start from the other end of your weld line and meet up with the metre already run hope this helps.

 

Try not to groove out too much Ray that will give you a neat weld.Also make sure that your flooring is fully stuck down.I have welded in the past where there was a hollow and cant get a presentable weld afterwards.Its just practise really no formula really only your own.There might be a demo on you tube?.

 

Thanks mate, the floor was well rolled prior to welding and the adhesive had a good few hours to dry out (just wasn't possible to leave it till the next day). As for the depth of groove, is about 2/3 the thickness of the vinyl ok ?

As for your tip about starting at the other end, yep thats what i do. i cut the first weld at an angle and then run the opposite end over the top. I managed that bit ok, to be honest my grooving out was ok as well, it was only the starting off bit that was frustrating me and even then it was only really on one join.

thanks again for the help - much appreciated

Ray