Advice on ways to improve my MIG welding (with pics)

[andy-6693]

Hi, im new to welding in fact only got my welding a few days ago but i've done a little bit of practising the last couple of evenings as i need to weld a new heater channel in my beetle in the next month or so.

I'm using a Clarke 160TM practising on fairly thin bodywork steal (~1mm) with the voltage setting on 1 min and the wire feed at about 5.

Here are some pictures of my first attempts with the far right of the picture being my first few goes moving left as i progress..

And this is the reverse side of those welds to show penetration..

Here is what i've done tonight, i thought i would be a little more adventurous (blew some holes)

Tacked this one in place

I'm fairly happy with how it's progressing but i always seem to blow holes when i do the continuous weld from half way inbetween tack welds to half way inbetween the next on as i go over the tack it blows through... and also on the ends of the metal i keep blowing through..

any help much appreciated!

cheers

Andy

 

[mike 109444]

Welcome andy. Have you read through the "thin metal methord" via the home page? You will find it difficult to run a bead on thin metal. Better to do the tack then tack inbetween untill all the gaps between are filled. The heat generated when trying to do a bead will buildup to much and as you have found will burn through

 

[Iain Westland]

slow down.... your last two photos show a really good start followed by a race to the finish so getting a bit sloppy. Really hard to bead on thin stuff as well.

Does the clarke take big spools or just the 5KG ones? Either way try to get 0.6mm wire as it lowers your amps a bit.

Going good btw..

 

[andy-6693]

Welcome andy. Have you read through the "thin metal methord" via the home page? You will find it difficult to run a bead on thin metal. Better to do the tack then tack inbetween untill all the gaps between are filled. The heat generated when trying to do a bead will buildup to much and as you have found will burn through

thanks for that, i will try again tomorrow maybe using this method

 

[andy-6693]

slow down.... your last two photos show a really good start followed by a race to the finish so getting a bit sloppy. Really hard to bead on thin stuff as well.

Does the clarke take big spools or just the 5KG ones? Either way try to get 0.6mm wire as it lowers your amps a bit.

Going good btw..

yes it will take 15kg spools but im using the 5kg ones, and im using 0.6mm wire.

thanks for your advice

 

[cumbriasteve]

Another trick is to clamp some copper bar or heavy steel behind the weld line, it acts as a heat sink and improves the chance of running a bead.

 

[andy-6693]

thanks for your advice i will try the heat sink idea some time.

here is day 3 of my welding achievements, getting better with your advice

i blew a couple of holes again today, on either end of the metal and also in a couple of places where the metal didn't quite butt together (about 0.5mm ish) any advice to stop this happening?

cheers

Andy

 

[andy-6693]

sorry about the last picture, it just shows the welds ground down smooth

 

[mike 109444]

Not to sure whats going on ut looks like you are not getting a close enough fit of the two parts. Looks like you have gaps in places of at least 2 - 3 mm. These gaps will be difficult as a "new to welding" welder to bridge/fill. Think about it is like the ends where you are burning through only they are in the middle and will behave like the ends. If you use the copper strip backing so that it blocks the hole or end of plate and thry to weld to that then the weld will fill the hole and out to the surounding steel. So of the experence will come with knowing when to release the trigger! befor it all blows away. It's a fine line and will come with time. Just remeber a bit more than a few days ago you were a guy looking at welding m/c, then a few days ago you tool the plunge and now you are WELDING! ( that's why earler in this post I refered to you as a welder ) Keep at it and practice.....smoe one has got to love thoes bugs

 

[andy-6693]

Not to sure whats going on ut looks like you are not getting a close enough fit of the two parts. Looks like you have gaps in places of at least 2 - 3 mm. These gaps will be difficult as a "new to welding" welder to bridge/fill. Think about it is like the ends where you are burning through only they are in the middle and will behave like the ends. If you use the copper strip backing so that it blocks the hole or end of plate and thry to weld to that then the weld will fill the hole and out to the surounding steel. So of the experence will come with knowing when to release the trigger! befor it all blows away. It's a fine line and will come with time. Just remeber a bit more than a few days ago you were a guy looking at welding m/c, then a few days ago you tool the plunge and now you are WELDING! ( that's why earler in this post I refered to you as a welder ) Keep at it and practice.....smoe one has got to love thoes bugs

ahaa thanks for your advice, the gaps were only small but they still caused the problems, i will try with the heat sink see if its any better. And what you chattin... everyone loves 'those' bugs calling me a welder may be a little optimistic but its definitely encouraging so thank you

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

You need some steel toecaps....yer never know when that arcing metal is gonna drop onto yer toe

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Try welding from the center tack outwards to the end and then repeat the same procedure on the otherside from the middle,well that might work for you? by the time you have welded one side it will help the metal to cool down un the middle.

Worth a try

 

[andy-6693]

You need some steel toecaps....yer never know when that arcing metal is gonna drop onto yer toe

ehh there is nothing wrong with my shoes i havn't got any money at the moment but when i do i shall invest in some

 

[andy-6693]

Try welding from the center tack outwards to the end and then repeat the same procedure on the otherside from the middle,well that might work for you? by the time you have welded one side it will help the metal to cool down un the middle.

Worth a try

thanks for your advice i will try that and see how it goes and see if it speeds up the process anymore

cheers

 

[andy-6693]

I had another go today and i think i'm actually starting to get there with it now had no blow throughs today only real problem if you can call it that was parts of the weld didn't penetrate quite as well as i had hoped but for car body work that dosn't bother me too much as it will be strong and no holes in it!

this is the reverse side of the weld to show penetration

 

[Norm]

Hey Andy, well done, sorry I can't offer any constructive advice as I am still learning myself and follow this type of thread with great interest. but just wanted to say that looks really good and a vast improvement in my eyes .
Regards Norm.

 

[keith19]

That's looking good, Andy. Quite a nice job. Plenty penetration for bodywork, no problem.

 

[andy-6693]

plug welding

thought i would try my hand at plug welding this evening and here's some pictures for you criticism 1.2mm steel

tried with the power on 1max with these results

reverse side

Then i tried holding the trigger for longer to get better penetration which didn't work.. (top side)

Then i upped the power setting to 2min and got these results

Now, i presume i havn't got enough penetration with those welds, am i right in thinking i should have the power setting to 1.5 times what it shoudl be for that thickness when plug welding because that would put it in the range of 1.6-2.0mm which would be the power setting 2min.

Any advice?

cheers

Andy

 

[KICKSY]

Your doing well Andy, i also have the Clarke 160 tm. Don't try to do long
beads on thin sheet, just pulse tack by pulling the trigger for about one
second and slightly overlap the tack's. I mostly have mine on max 2, wire
speed on 6. Try welding two bit's of 4-5mm plate running a long bead with
a v grove max 2 wire speed 6-7 and .8 wire.

All done with .8 wire, max 2 and wire speed 6-7.

Dave.

 

[andy-6693]

cheers, thanks for that!