Hi All,

I am working on a couple of projects, a lot of the things I am learning to do myself, I have a lathe and a milling
machine, but one thing that I don't know how to do is weld. I want to have some military bolt handles replaced
with sporter handles. If anyone has some recommendations for people that do that sort of work, I would greatly appreciate
that. Alternatively if you do that kind of stuff and would like to trade work with me, I would like that even better.

Physdoc

Ed LaPour (edlapour@gmail.com) has done a lot of that, and he does it well. However, Ed has been slowing down recently. Matthew Roberts (https://www.mnrcustom.com) has done some complex metal work for me recently and did excellent work. I don’t know if he does bolt handles, but I bet he does. Good luck!

By military bolt handles, do you perhaps mean older era military BA rifles that you are sporterizing? If that is the case, knowing the metallurgy of the bolt(s) in question is an absolute must for a proper TIG welding process, FYI.. RWTF

When I had easy access to a TIG welder at work, I welded bolt handles on a few bolts. Two were 98 Mausers and the other was a Siamese Mauser. I made a bolt welding jig like the one sold by Brownells to hold the new handle in the correct position. I also used the 3.5% nickel steel rod sold by Brownells. It worked very well, and the process isn't all that difficult.

I did wrap the forward part of the bolt in a wet cloth to keep welding heat from the bolt lugs. My bevels were ground to permit near 100% penetration to insure a weld job that wouldn't ever fail. And I also coated the internal threads for the bolt shroud with PBC anti-scale compound. If I were going to have someone else weld one for me, I would be very specific about the protrusion of the stub, and the angle of the new bolt handle, simply because I have seen some that just weren't done right, to my eyes.

I just missed a screaming deal on a nice Hobart TIG welder at a Car Parts Swap Meet I went to several weeks ago. Still kicking myself for not getting to that vendor about two minutes sooner.

Accu-tig.com. Be specific with your requirements.

LOL. What brand of TIG do you suppose Niedner ran in his shop and how much was a tank of argon back then?

Point being TIG (& MiG) weren't around when sporterizing bolt handles was pioneered. When did Miller or Lincoln start selling TIG and MIG machines? All these classic bolts were welded by "primitive" processes. A stick or torch obviously worked just fine. I'd say just about any reasonably competent welder can do it (by TIG, MiG, stick or however) if you provide a jig and tell them not to get the lugs hot. If you go to someone local you can watch and make sure they have the alignment how you want it.

Thanks for all the replies, I will be looking into things shortly.

Early TIG machines by Lincoln were DC either polarity- and Helium for the shielding gas- later AC and argon and 100% pure tungsten for welding aluminum were developed- I have a 30 year old Miller 300amp ac-Dc "Gold Star" on my bench- runs like a Steinway handles a Mozart concert--also a sweet stick (SMAW) process machine with any stick rod of your choice up to 1/4" r even 5/16 Dia. I use 100% pure thoria tungsten on aluminum welding, 2% on ferrous alloys--and never grind a point on a 2% thoria tungsten electrode on a shop use grinder- RWTF

RWTF: I bought an old gold star 452 from a neighbor who had bought it from a community college when they updated their machines. It's an awesome welder. Just kind of big and bulky.

Just out of curiosity, what did you pay for this? Maybe I should learn to weld.

If you want to master the techniques of TIG welding, my advice is-first learn how to braze and run a puddle on the parent metal (usually cast iron) with the oxy-acetylene torch- remember, before Lincoln (Electric, not Abe) developed SMAW- shielded metal arc welding- we had : soldering, brazing, and welding- all done with the torch and appropriate tips--but, in those days, plumbers had to be able to wipe a lead pipe joint. TIG is King of the welding processes- you can weld any ferrous or non-ferrous metal with TIG. RWTF

I don't know for sure what I paid because it was a package deal. I think I paid $1200 for the welder, some stick cable leads, and an oxy-acetylene torch kit + some gas tanks. So, maybe $800 of that for for the naked welder machine. You probably don't need a or want big machine. I would look for a small multi process machine package deal.

Depending on the make and Series of the torch set, and how much lead you have, including the TIG torch, and if it is water cooler, or air cooled, and if a foot rheostat pedal came with, I'd say you bought it right. A Miller Gold Star is like a Model 12 Winchester- you can never wear one out-- Newer square wave units are great, if you are getting into tool& die and aircraft and motorcycle frame welding, but you won't buy one for what you paid ($800) for that big ol' Miller Gold Star-- RWTF