So here's the deal... I'm finally getting around to completeing the dsm project in my garage. It has a tranny mounting ear broken off of the block. I've decided to just go ahead and try to stick weld it with some magna 770 rods.<---crazy expensive ($100/lb.) They're supposed to be the cast iron wonder rod. No preheat, no cracks and %100 machinable. Now I know what you're thinking, yeah right, you need to preheat to 1322.55862 degrees F and then do some rain dance before welding. Screw all that, it's a dsm, if it doesn't work I'll go to the j-yard and get another block for like $50. Anyhow, my only question is this: I have a lincoln 175 tig/stick and I've stick welded like twice in my life soooo... What amperage should I use (bout 1/2" thick) and should I use DC-, DC+, or AC. Please don't tell me that I'm an idiot for trying this method. I already know that I am.

 

the best way to get a machine youre not familiar with setup to do a certain thickness (the way you like it) is to weld a scrap or something that is about the same thickness as the part youll be welding....but its hard to just tell you a setting to use, all machines are different, even the ones ive used that are identical weld a little differently

 

Call the company that makes the magna rods...They should be able to give you a good starting point.

 

Its going to weld like crap but you already knew that didnt you?

Honestly, it's not really that hard to just build the material up. Just practice on some scrap cast to get the feel for it. If Magna 770 is a high nickel rod like NiRod(which it should be) it is kind of runny if that makes any sense. You will most likely have to position it flat at all times.

edit: the smoke from NiRod is also unholy. Where a some sort of respiratory device.

 

is it the one on the upper left? same thing happened on my friends DSM (well he had just gotten the car and we were doing a clutch and found the previous owner broke it off).

we just left it broken and everything is still holding fine. its a FWD with roughly 350hp

 

Yeah weld it in a flat postion if possible, welding cast iron in vertical, especially uphand is next to impossible for creating a really strong weld, like said above, its just really runny, you don't want that dripping on your lap. Heres another vote for wearing a resperator and leather protection.