Gasless Mig Problems ( Wire )

[neilm71]

I got a Clarke 135EN gasless setup last week and this is my first at welding.

Using the supplied reel and some 3mm sheet strips I got reasonable results for a first go

When the reel ran out I put in a clarke flux core from Machine Mart and got this ..

Very bumpy, lumpy with no virtually no slag at all.
I couldn't get any improvement with machine setting, wire speed, wire length.
Changing polarity gave a pile of ball bearings so I guess this was originally OK.

So I thought, this must be the wire and fed through some birds nest (first lesson - hold the wire on the reel when you snip it) left overs from the original supplied reel. Instant improvement!.

I then went online for some 'quality' wire and got some SIF gasless mig wire (batch 401408) thinking some branded wire would help but this is what I got...

The wire seems to explode and just splatter everywhere. There is no slag at all on the welds and just spreads as brown powder all over the place as you can see in the photo ( and this is after wire brushing).
The weld just seems to pile onto the metal and not spread into it like with the first reel.
Again I've different wire speeds, distances, movement speed, power settings etc. The welding it very crackly and popping as if the arc is not been substained. This only improves on the top power setting but that just deposits huge blobs or punches though.

So, anyone have any ideas? Or is this a bad batch?
Anyone else used the SIF wire with success?

How much better is gas mig in comparison?
My welding will be outdoors which is why I was hoping for good results with gasless.

If I go the gas route, whats the best deal for hobby use?

 

[roofman]

ime sure theres plenty on here that can advise better than myself but what i will say is get the metal cleaned up 1st before you start matey or your going nowhere fast looking for good results

 

[neilm71]

ime sure theres plenty on here that can advise better than myself but what i will say is get the metal cleaned up 1st before you start matey or your going nowhere fast looking for good results

How clean is clean?

I'm using fresh metal from the suppliers not shining but no rust, paint or oils. The mess you see on the photos is after the welding.

 

[roofman]

How clean is clean?

I'm using fresh metal from the suppliers not shining but no rust, paint or oils. The mess you see on the photos is after the welding.

You need to flash the scale off with a flap wheel so the metal is silver

 

[Cobbler]

Run a flap disc over it & shine it really bright. The slightest touch of dirt, grease or scale will have a great effect. Even if it looks ok, still clean it. With a 135 I would guess you would need it on the top setting or possibly down one on 3mm. I haven't got a 135, so it is a guess, but someone will be along in a minute who has

 

[Cobbler]

You need to flash the scale off with a flap wheel so the metal is silver

Beaten to it by Roofman

 

[bugalugs]

I had the exact same problem with my Mig Welder so went to a mate of mine and he came over and reversed the polarity, ie; my earth is now positive, my welds are now nice and clean so maybe that's your problem buddy

 

[chunkolini]

I never grind the scale off hot rolled strip and get fine results.

 

[bugalugs]

What I am saying is he unbolted the positive lead and the negative lead, then bolted the positive to the negative position and then screwed the negative to the positive position, he then fixed the earth clamp to the positive, I now get very, very little spatter at all

 

[neilm71]

I had the exact same problem with my Mig Welder so went to a mate of mine and he came over and reversed the polarity, ie; my earth is now positive, my welds are now nice and clean so maybe that's your problem buddy

Tried this already and just got more ball bearings ( exactly like the youtube vids )

 

[neilm71]

Run a flap disc over it & shine it really bright. The slightest touch of dirt, grease or scale will have a great effect. Even if it looks ok, still clean it. With a 135 I would guess you would need it on the top setting or possibly down one on 3mm. I haven't got a 135, so it is a guess, but someone will be along in a minute who has

Just gone over it with a wire wheel with no joy. Will a flap wheel cut in deeper?

 

[bugalugs]

I got a Clarke 135EN gasless setup last week and this is my first at welding.

Using the supplied reel and some 3mm sheet strips I got reasonable results for a first go

View attachment 57460


When the reel ran out I put in a clarke flux core from Machine Mart and got this ..
View attachment 57461

Very bumpy, lumpy with no virtually no slag at all.
I couldn't get any improvement with machine setting, wire speed, wire length.
Changing polarity gave a pile of ball bearings so I guess this was originally OK.

So I thought, this must be the wire and fed through some birds nest (first lesson - hold the wire on the reel when you snip it) left overs from the original supplied reel. Instant improvement!.

I then went online for some 'quality' wire and got some SIF gasless mig wire (batch 401408) thinking some branded wire would help but this is what I got...

View attachment 57462

The wire seems to explode and just splatter everywhere. There is no slag at all on the welds and just spreads as brown powder all over the place as you can see in the photo ( and this is after wire brushing).
The weld just seems to pile onto the metal and not spread into it like with the first reel.
Again I've different wire speeds, distances, movement speed, power settings etc. The welding it very crackly and popping as if the arc is not been substained. This only improves on the top power setting but that just deposits huge blobs or punches though.

So, anyone have any ideas? Or is this a bad batch?
Anyone else used the SIF wire with success?

How much better is gas mig in comparison?
My welding will be outdoors which is why I was hoping for good results with gasless.

If I go the gas route, whats the best deal for hobby use?

 

[roofman]

Just gone over it with a wire wheel with no joy. Will a flap wheel cut in deeper?

or iff your very light and its not a finnished piece then use a grinder with a normal disk and run over with that.....get to bright clean and it will be like night and day with your results.

 

[neilm71]

or iff your very light and its not a finnished piece then use a grinder with a normal disk and run over with that.....get to bright clean and it will be like night and day with your results.

Just went out and did this with no change. I ground out both the weld and clamp areas nice and shiny.

 

[roofman]

Just went out and did this with no change. I ground out both the weld and clamp areas nice and shiny.

really... Now to a personal opinion then..i hate gasless migs with a passion because ive never been lucky with them,ime sure another member who uses them will advise further.Goodluck.

 

[neilm71]

Everyone,

I've ground out nice shiny areas for the weld area and clamp area with no difference at all.
The thing is the first reel was so much better and this was with no prep and with the same metal from the same sheet.
The Clarke and SIF reels have virtually no slag at all. The youtube vids show a light brown slag that chips away like with stick welding.
The first reel had some but the others none, almost like when the youtube guys demo what happens when you mig without the gas on.

 

[Istayinalot]

Does the tip size in your torch match the diameter of the new flux core wire? ie not .9mm tip with .8mm wire.

 

[TechnicAl]

SIF isnt "branded".......its bought in and packed in a SIF box........they dont make anything. It could be the same crap you had before.

Lincoln NR211 MP is probably the best there is..........and probably the most expensive

 

[neilm71]

Does the tip size in your torch match the diameter of the new flux core wire? ie not .9mm tip with .8mm wire.

Yep, got some 0.8mm tips just for the SIF .8mm wire

 

[neilm71]

SIF isnt "branded".......its bought in and packed in a SIF box........they dont make anything. It could be the same crap you had before.

Lincoln NR211 MP is probably the best there is..........and probably the most expensive

I'm guessing it could be. Wouldn't surprise my to find everyone distributing the same cheap Chinese wire.
As for the Lincoln, were would you get it in the UK? I thought Lincoln was mainly US.