I need to alter some dog kennel panels. They are 1 inch square box section
of about 20 gauge wall thickness forming 6 foot squares, in filled with 10
gauge 2 inch square weldmaesh panels. The ends of the weldmesh wires are
welded to the frame. The assemblies were obviously commercially made, and
hot dip galvanized after manufacture. I need to shorten some panels, and
repair a break in the corner of another, where the square box section is
butt joined. i have gas, MIG and TIG available. What is the best way of
attempting this, due to the thinness of the tube and the awkwardness of so
many wire ends of the mesh grinding off the galvanizing would be very
difficult. Would gas brazing work? Any acids that would remove the
galvanizing locally? Other ideas? Thanks.

Chris Wilson wrote:

I need to alter some dog kennel panels. They are 1 inch square box section
of about 20 gauge wall thickness forming 6 foot squares, in filled with 10
gauge 2 inch square weldmaesh panels. The ends of the weldmesh wires are
welded to the frame. The assemblies were obviously commercially made, and
hot dip galvanized after manufacture. I need to shorten some panels, and
repair a break in the corner of another, where the square box section is
butt joined. i have gas, MIG and TIG available. What is the best way of
attempting this, due to the thinness of the tube and the awkwardness of so
many wire ends of the mesh grinding off the galvanizing would be very
difficult. Would gas brazing work? Any acids that would remove the
galvanizing locally? Other ideas? Thanks.

Just weld it right through the zinc using wirefeed with innershield wire.
If you haven't welded anything zinc-coated in the last few days, wear a
fume respirator which will filter the zinc oxide fumes, or you may experience
mild flu-like symptoms. If that happens, drink some milk (no kidding). After,
spray the weld area with cold galvanizing solution.

Your other option is to rig up a trough filled with either acid (fast) or
lye (slower) and let the solution eat off the zinc locally, then either
get the parts re-dipped (expensive but long lasting) or spray with cold
galvanizing solution after welding.

Grant

If you haven't welded anything zinc-coated in the last few days, wear a
fume respirator which will filter the zinc oxide fumes, (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Grant Erwin" wroe: Just weld it right through the zinc using wirefeed
with innershield wire.

If you haven't welded anything zinc-coated in the last few days, wear a
fume respirator which will filter the zinc oxide fumes, (clip)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Grant, please explain why it makes a difference whether you have welded
galvanized material in the last few days.

The product of welding through zinc is zinc oxide, which isn't so much of a
fume as a cob-webby white material that floats in the air, and settles or
blows away. A fan will blow it away from you, but that may not be too good
with gas shielding. Would be fine with flux-core. A paper mask, which won't
handle fumes, is fine for this.

Hello,
Check this link,
http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/safety3/index.htm
It has zinc fever explained in some details...
By...
TinMan

Hello,
Check this link,
http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/safety3/index.htm
It has zinc fever explained in some details...
By...
TinMan

TinMan wrote:
Hello,
Check this link,
http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/safety3/index.htm
It has zinc fever explained in some details...
By...
TinMan




What a bunch of baloney. Those guys might be great blacksmiths but
what they entirely missed was that Paw Paw was an old man with
emphysema who died of pneumonia. They of course are hysterically
blaming it on zinc fever. He clearly survived the zinc fever, as
he died weeks later.

Here is a sane and informed paper by the AWS on the subject:

http://files.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-25.PDF

Grant Erwin

Thanks for the detailed replies everyone, I'll try at the weekend and let
you know how I get on. Could you braze this stuff, with bronze rod and
flux? Would the heat of the welding torch burn off the galvanizing? Thanks
again, great group!