Help Welding a Welder Cart

[Highpower]

(09-15-2012, 08:34 PM)Mayhem Wrote: Whenever I replace a spool of wire, I pass the wire through an ear plug (the squishy disposable ones) and then feed it into the feed rollers. It prevents the wire from introducing any crap into the liner. This isn't my own idea, it was suggested to me by a welding tech when I had my liner replaced a few years back.

Some guys use a block of Scotch-Brite pad or the "high-tech" cleaning pads that most of the welding supply stores carry.
MIG wire cleaning pad

I find using clean wire and blowing out the cable liner occasionally works too.

[Rickabilly]

If you do any outside work at all with gas shielded MIG it's worth investing in some magnetic breeze shields.

I use very simple shields, sheets of 22 guage zinc plated steel sheet about 12 inches (300mm) square and I attach these to the work with those cheap magnetic triangular welding clamps, I find that this on it's own is sufficient to protect the shielding gas from even moderate to strong wind.

The total cost of the shields was nothing at all, the magnetic clamps are essentials for any welder as far as I am concerned, and the sheets are just offcuts, the sizes of which are not critical, so once again free.

Regards
Rick

[EdK]

(09-15-2012, 08:57 PM)Highpower Wrote: Ed, you will get comfortable with MIG (shielding gas) very quickly. It is soooo much easier to get good beads with. Flux core welding has it's place, but it is not the best process to start off learning with IMHO.

Once you have put down several good beads using the 75/25, go back and try the same welds using the flux core. I think you might change your opinion of which one is the bigger hassle.

But if you ever need to do any outside welding in a breeze, that MIG weld can look even worse than the ugliest flux core bead you have ever made. Some day when you are in a hurry to make a weld and forget to turn on your gas bottle, and it WILL happen....

..... you'll see what it is like when your shielding gas gets taken away in a gentle breeze.

While you are practicing, get in the habit of snipping off the end of your wire before you start your next bead. Getting rid of the little dingle berry on the end of the wire and getting the proper "stick out" will make your life easier in the long run when starting a new arc.

Thanks for the encouragement Willie. I always cut the end off of the wire before starting to weld a new bead so I've got that part down.

Ed

[EdK]

I found some pictures of my attempts at welding with flux core wire.

   

   

   

   

And my attempt at welding with 75/25 gas and solid wire.

   

   

Ed

[DaveH]

Ed,

They are great welds - look exactly like mine do - to a tee except I use a stick (welder type)

I told you we are just too good looking and intelligent to be welders

DaveH

[Highpower]

Ed, first question....

Did you remember to switch the polarity of your welder when you changed over to the gas/solid wire? The gun should connected to the + terminal, and the ground clamp to - terminal. Just the opposite of flux core welding.

Can you list the settings you are using?
1/8" steel, yes?
Wire size?
Gas flow?
Voltage setting?
Wire feed?
Stick out length?

Best to start with the basics.

[EdK]

(09-16-2012, 02:59 PM)Highpower Wrote: Ed, first question....

Did you remember to switch the polarity of your welder when you changed over to the gas/solid wire? The gun should connected to the + terminal, and the ground clamp to - terminal. Just the opposite of flux core welding.

Can you list the settings you are using?
1/8" steel, yes?
Wire size?
Gas flow?
Voltage setting?
Wire feed?
Stick out length?

Best to start with the basics.

Willie,

All of those pictures are from a year ago and yes, I did switch the polarity to use gas shielded solid wire. I've not had time yet today to tackle any welding. Family stuff keeps getting in the way. I might have time to go and clean up the welder and check to make sure the wire is still good and not rusty but won't likely have time to do any welding today. This coming week looks like good welding temperatures for out in the garage with highs in the mid 60s so I should be able to get some practice in this coming week after work.

Oh, and here are the settings I plan on starting out with.

steel = 1/8"
Wire size = .030"
Gas flow = 20lph
Voltage setting = AutoSet
Wire feed = AutoSet
Stick out length = 3/8" - 1/2"

Ed

[Highpower]

(09-16-2012, 03:40 PM)EdK Wrote: Willie,

All of those pictures are from a year ago.....
Ed

Sorry Ed. I was assuming you did those this morning.
My bad.

You know, I never have used my MM140 in MIG mode yet. I'm thinking maybe I should try it just to make sure it works!

We'll compare notes....

[Rickabilly]

Hello Ed,
I want to say this in the nicest possible way, Well, how about this;

You certainly have enough penetration, so a lack of power isn't the issue,

But by the very pitted looking finishes on the beads you have some contamination issues, I'm guessing rusty wire, or bad shielding, or both, the beads look a bit sharp on top which indicates maybe a little too much wire feed. Supporting these opinions is the evidence of quite a lot of spatter, dirty liners, too much power and too high a wire feed will cause spatter.

In terms of shielding I'm going to guess you are flowing enough gas at 20 l/min but possibly holding the torch at the wrong angle if the torch is lying too low air can be pulled in by venturi effect, so rather then trying th run full beads hold the torch near to perpendicular to the base metal just to see if the weld comes out cleaner.

As far as contamination goes, if someone has used your machine with really rusty wire the liner might still be holding enough rust and dirt that it is this residual dirt contaminating the weld, try to blow the liner out with compressed air or replace it with a new liner.

So,
Try these tips;
Clean out the liner,
use only enough power to discolour the reverse side of the plate, not enough to show weld bead through the reverse surface,
adjust the wire feed so that the bead height is between 1/3rd and 1/4 of the bead width and move the torch at a speed that matches the welder's ability to create a stable weld pool at the chosen settings.

I hope this helps,
Regards
Rick

[EdK]

Rick,

To hell with niceties, I prefer brutal honesty for something like this.

Thanks for all of the comments. I think the problem was the shielding gas wasn't doing its job, I'm sure because of something I did wrong. The wire I used was brand new Hobart virgin package that was not rusty. I really don't think the liner is contaminated because I used new, clean wire when I did those practice welds a year ago. I'm going to forget those pictures and start over with the help of you guys. By the way, the steel used in those practice pictures was either 13 or 14 gauge sheet metal. I'll be starting with 1/8" steel this time around.

Ed