Welding tips & Tricks?

[datadavid]

If you're spool gunning something, you're MIG welding it. The power source doesn't determine the process.

Spooling lacks tungsten alloy electrodes to carry the arc. So if you have a TIG power supply and you run a spool gun (which isn't common because TIG power supplies are CC) that'd still be a mig process.

"Crappy" self shielded is the key term.

Running a NR232 wire is awesome, and nothing like stick or metal cored wire. It's got its own personality, but if you know how to run it it's a great weld. Dual shielded flux core is positionally similar to stick, but not so much metal cored as the 1-4 position ability is lacking in most metal cored wires (not all, but most).

No no, there are spool guns with tungsten electrodes, basically a tig burner with automatic feed. Real handy things!
They should be available in the u.s for all i know, after all you guys invented the tig.
Now girly(TIG) welders like myself rarely venture into the dirty businesz of automated welding so i admit im not too interested in all the species of wire feeders.
Fucking boring jobs they are, and i try my best to avoid them.
But i take your word that there exists self shielded fluxcore wires out there that actually works, i mean there are literally thousands of different mma sticks for all purposes out there.
So of course there should be wires that can produce ok welds.
I love this about welding: you can never know everything. Theres just too much to know.

[IronHead73]

No no, there are spool guns with tungsten electrodes, basically a tig burner with automatic feed. Real handy things!
They should be available in the u.s for all i know, after all you guys invented the tig.
Now girly(TIG) welders like myself rarely venture into the dirty businesz of automated welding so i admit im not too interested in all the species of wire feeders.
Fucking boring jobs they are, and i try my best to avoid them.
But i take your word that there exists self shielded fluxcore wires out there that actually works, i mean there are literally thousands of different mma sticks for all purposes out there.
So of course there should be wires that can produce ok welds.
I love this about welding: you can never know everything. Theres just too much to know.

Auto fed TIG setups. Yes, I didn't realize that's what you meant. That's still TIG.

FWIW: I TIG everything I can. I hate MIG welding. But it has its time and place. (I just find I can TIG all of those too. Haha)

Yeah, the only stupid thing we can do it think we're done learning.

[deathmetaldan]

the only way you would ruin the integrity of the frame is putting massive amounts heat in one spot and then cooling it rapidly. With your little welder as long as your aren't welding on the same spot for 10 minutes and then dumping water on it you should be fine.

fluxcore works but as stated its not very new welder friendly unless you spend some time with it.

Another thing to keep in mind with mig is that it can be very deceiving to the new welder, its possible to lay down a great looking weld and then just knock it off with a chisel because you didnt melt the parent metal. If you treat it like a caulking gun, thats all it is and the welds will be weaker than caulk.


edit: dont cool any of your welds with water. Let them take the time to cool naturally and if its something thin weld for only short amount of time separate from each other and let the material air cool often

[saorsa]

DP76, you have heard from the welders already, now a tip from an NDT monkey . Buy yourself a few tins of penetrant, solvent and developer so you can check for surface defects in your welds. You should be able to find enough info online for what to do, but as a very rough rule, clean the weld, apply penetrant, leave it to dwell for 10 mins, clean it off with lint free cloth, apply developer and wait to see if you get bleed out.

[IronHead73]

DP76, you have heard from the welders already, now a tip from an NDT monkey . Buy yourself a few tins of penetrant, solvent and developer so you can check for surface defects in your welds. You should be able to find enough info online for what to do, but as a very rough rule, clean the weld, apply penetrant, leave it to dwell for 10 mins, clean it off with lint free cloth, apply developer and wait to see if you get bleed out.

Good advice.

God damned quality control.

(I do both, so don't take offense. Just razzing ya.)

[farmall]

You can make example welds on scrap then bend test them before doing the same weld on a workpiece. You should also use CLEAN scrap to set your welder before welding. We used to tape over the amperage indicators so students would have to set their machines by how they welded and it paid off.

Visit the Miller website which has training videos and other student material along with an excellent forum. Also check out Weldingweb, IMO the best internet welding forum.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/

http://weldingweb.com/

[MetulMunky]

You can make example welds on scrap then bend test them before doing the same weld on a workpiece. You should also use CLEAN scrap to set your welder before welding. We used to tape over the amperage indicators so students would have to set their machines by how they welded and it paid off.

Visit the Miller website which has training videos and other student material along with an excellent forum. Also check out Weldingweb, IMO the best internet welding forum.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/

http://weldingweb.com/

is you're avatar the cop from the movie "Convoy" ??

[saorsa]

Good advice.

God damned quality control.

(I do both, so don't take offense. Just razzing ya.)

Gotta try to keep the welders honest somehow!

[dp76]

I got a great deal of information from everyone who posted! Seems like the overarching theme is to practice, clean the area i'm welding real well, let the metal cool on its own, and so some quality control. Thanks again all, keep hotrodin!

[drunkrat]

becareful of the cleaners you use before you weld. acetone is your best friend and basically the only solvent i would use.

my only other tip would be don't be afraid of turning up the welder. if you have two different material thicknesses start your arc on the thicker material and then work onto the lighter gauge.

if youre not comfortable or you feel you might burn thru during a weld, quick pause and then continue and the metal will cool enough you won't burn thru but also not look like crap. just the slightest pause.

ive used smaller flux core welders before and never hated them, and never noticed the slag you need to chip off of heavier flux core welders, but becareful of second passes if there is a layer of flux slag still on it.

like someone said flux core wire is what they use on structural steel as a substitute for stick welding, it's a solid weld.

if your machine is able to be gas shielded and you have the money to buy a tank and new wire go for it. at our shop we run 75/25 as most of the country does. but it's not necessary, flux core is great.

[Freewheeler]

Assuming we are still talking about MIG welding, other tips aside from some of those offered already;

Use some anti-spatter spray to stop the excess going everyhere.

Wear good safety gear, i.e. mask, welding gloves, apron and boots.

Practice, practice, practice!

Keep flammables well out of the way when welding and especially anything that has chrome on it.

Well worth reading up and then practicing on different types of joints and welding together metals that have different thicknesses.

Listen out for the sound of 'sizzling bacon' as that's when you will know your have your settings dead on.

Above all, take your time and don't expect to get it right straight away as MIG is easy to get going but hard to master.

Nick

[farmall]

Make practice fun. Use clean metal and repeat specific welds to compare them.

Don't be intimidated, just learn to enjoy the process and how to see puddle behavior. If my uncoordinated self can produce decent welds OP can.

Self-shielded wire is used to weld bridges in earthquake country. It's not the process, it's the human holding the gun/stinger/torch.

You can't weld if you can't see. We kept lots of spare clear lenses on hand for students because it saved the school much more than that in consumables.

Play with different tint and shade fixed lenses as well as auto dark helmets over time. I like to snag used, good helmets and face shields at yard sales and flea markets so I have a variety handy. Everyone's eyes are different. Drop-in magnifier lenses ("cheaters") work well for many people and I kept lots of those handy for students to try. Cheap magnifier glasses from dollar stores etc also work.

You can post pics of yer welds for feedback though the welding forums are really the most effective place for that.