Tilt the gun toward the direction of travel (pushing). You got to be able to see the pool and the joint, otherwise just guessing. Closer to the weld (less stick out) gives hotter weld, further out gives colder, can be useful on thinner metal or filling a hole. If you make holes move faster or hold shroud further out.
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carbon
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Exactly this, its bowed rather than flat
Pigeon_Droppings2
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In the beginning I think you just need to try different approaches...eventually you'll find what works consistently for you...seems like you are doing OK so far. Might be worth trying out a patch repair on some scrap to get a feel for how things will move around.
Today I tried messing with the settings. First lowering the wire speed then increaseing the voltage, then increase the settings to the next size metal thickness. I tried running some beads with the final setting went 2 inchs then burn't through. I was following the 45 degree angle beofre that I kept seeing recommend but found holding it at around 10 degrees made it have alot better penetration. Instead of having a bunch of dips on the backside after grinding it I only had 2-3 pin size ones. No holes through I shined a light behind it. I need to cut down my pieces before I can try again ran out of coupons. I have a scrap fender I may make some cuts into to fill in. Is there a way to stop the pin hole with the wire is on the top?
I did two tacks on each end today and checked it and it was bowed. I'm pretty sure the wood is uneven that and when the ground is clamp on it tilts the metal up some.
prepman
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Ah!.....never had any success with that always gas for me. Got lots of splatter. Been hobby/light enginering welding ~50yrs.
Welding with gas now
prepman
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.....And improvements? Thin plate is always an issue, especially if like me, you don'f move to thinner wire size, which in itself creates problems. Basically need to thicken it up with tacks before joining up the dots. Done it under a car on ramps in my giddy youth, with earwax sizzling from the slag.
I posted pics of my first time welding with gas. It's on page two post 22 I believe. My roller is misprinted and the wire wasn't in place that time. I fixed it my second time trying. For me for some reason it seems like the flux core was colder then the gas even when turning the voltage way up I could not get it to look the same on the back side as the top and could not blow thorugh it unless I hit it at the very edge of the metal. Like you said though I found I could do just a short zap to build up enough to stop it from burning through......And improvements? Thin plate is always an issue, especially if like me, you don'f move to thinner wire size, which in itself creates problems. Basically need to thicken it up with tacks before joining up the dots. Done it under a car on ramps in my giddy youth, with earwax sizzling from the slag.
Gas was perfect penetration the very first time but as I tried laying the tacks together it seemed like it wasn't getting through fully. The one in the picture on my last one of the day when I grinded down the top was perfect but the back side has a bunch of craters from inbetween the welds. When trying again and messing with the settings I found that I had to hold it longer. I was welding each tack before for about 1 second if I go to two seconds then theres no craters on the back side. I also found for me holding the gun at 45 degree also made it have less penetration than almost at 90 degrees.
There's no pitting in the welds when I grinded them down so I belive I don't have any porosity. all I see is one small hole where the wire was I got to see how I can prevent that. I'm probably gonna move from the 18 gauge to 20 next month. I found my ground clamp was getting hot. It was pitted and the braid was alittle burn't. I bought a lincoln ground clamp yesterday I'm waiting for the copper plate to come in to make an adapter for some reason they used 3 gauge wire and I cant find lugs for it in the size I need.
prepman
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You're doing well....lots of people don't understand the significance of the voltage adjustment, it alters the arc lenth and at the same time the total wattage, therefore the amount of heat. I just play around until things work out...not very scientific I know. When the arc is struck there is no weld pool to take the power and quite often it's punched though (on thin plate). If it was an easy process then anyone could do it...but it isn't..... and it needs to be learnt. But you're getting there, for sure.
prepman
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One other thing I found out over the years....As I originally started with oxy brazing gear making thermocouples and borrowed company kit to repair my grotty cars.
There is a peculiar difference between a flame and an arc. With a flame if you move it further away from the workpiece heat reduces....BUT with an arc, because they are nearly all current regulated, if you move the electrode further away you get MORE heat. The unit keeps the current constant and moving away from the workpiece increases the arc length and therefore resistance. So to keep the current constant the voltage rises and as Watts = amps x volts.the power increases, not reduces. This is more relevant with TIG as MIG wirefeed rate comes into it as well. So a lot going on. Plus electron side of arc is hottest
There is a peculiar difference between a flame and an arc. With a flame if you move it further away from the workpiece heat reduces....BUT with an arc, because they are nearly all current regulated, if you move the electrode further away you get MORE heat. The unit keeps the current constant and moving away from the workpiece increases the arc length and therefore resistance. So to keep the current constant the voltage rises and as Watts = amps x volts.the power increases, not reduces. This is more relevant with TIG as MIG wirefeed rate comes into it as well. So a lot going on. Plus electron side of arc is hottest
No. Not relevant to mig at all - hold the torch further away, get a colder weld, always. Well - always with my transformer mig anyway, unless you know different?
I did a significant amount of car body welding outside. Last year.
I used Lincoln Innershield NR211 (0.9mm iirc?) Gasless wire.
It was definitely worth the investment
Would have loved to do it indoors but you have to work with what you've got unfortunately!.
I used Lincoln Innershield NR211 (0.9mm iirc?) Gasless wire.
It was definitely worth the investment
Would have loved to do it indoors but you have to work with what you've got unfortunately!.
prepman
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Transformer is the keyword. My old Clarke and Draper were.
