New member from the US

[ChristianCMcKay]

Last Christmas I got a 90 amp flux wire welder and a 110 stick welder. I recently got a job working on a yard with some 1980's AM General M809's. They're 5 ton trucks that used to be military, but have been retired and I help restore them. Anyway, there is a lot of scrap metal on the yard and I took a few shots at welding some together with the 90 amp. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[octo0072000]

you need way more power than 90 amps on a mig
on that thickness of metal
you would be better off using stick welder
mig would need minimum of 150/200amps that metal looks at least 1/8in 3/16in andyou need lots more practice have a look here
you tube and miller has a good site all the best


http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/mig.htm

 

[Robotstar5]

Welcome to the forum, find some thinner scrap to practice with the mig

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum and sooner or later someone is going to say it..so I will, those are not welds I'm afraid.

You are way over your mig's capabilities, there is no heat getting into the metal and the 'weld' is just sitting on the top.

You need some 2mm sheet to practice on and not dirty rusty stuff either, as mentioned give it a go with your stick welder and see how it manages it, not sure what thickness that plate is but it looks heavy stuff and may even be pushing the stick to its limits.

 

[ChrisJohnsSculpture]

Yeah, you're never going to get good welds on plate that thick with a 90A welder. There are also a few underlying issues with your technique.

I would say that the first thing you need to do is focus your attention on the weld puddle, notwithstanding the equipment issue you are clearly moving the torch way too fast, not an uncommon issue when you first start.

The big thing is to try to ignore all the sparks and noise.... relax and concentrate on what is going on at the end of the torch. The objective is to create a smooth and uninterrupted fusion between the two pieces of metal.

Try running bead on a flat piece of scrap, no join, just running a weld along the surface, this will help you to get used to maintaining a slow and constant travel with the torch at a consistent angle. It's this control the angle and speed of the torch/arc which is the fundamental skill of welding.

Also don't be put off. Welding is not an easy skill to pick up, especially if you are teaching yourself

 

[ChristianCMcKay]

Welcome to the forum and sooner or later someone is going to say it..so I will, those are not welds I'm afraid.

You are way over your mig's capabilities, there is no heat getting into the metal and the 'weld' is just sitting on the top.

You need some 2mm sheet to practice on and not dirty rusty stuff either, as mentioned give it a go with your stick welder and see how it manages it, not sure what thickness that plate is but it looks heavy stuff and may even be pushing the stick to its limits.

It is not nearly as thick as the picture makes it out to be. I noticed that after the pictures that it looked like the metal was thick. Also, I gave it another shot today. Here are the results.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Well they are getting closer to looking like a weld but a bit to go yet and thats fine...you are learning, we have all been there.

For mig welding the surface requires all rust and paint etc removed back to shiny steel, for the steel in the picture a wire brush will not be sufficient, you need a grinder or flap wheels, you can get away with a bit less clean for stick welding but it's still best to get it as clean as possible.

What sort of mask are you using? for learning one of the biggest advantages are the auto self darkening masks, they make life a lot easier and even the cheap ones make a big difference.

Wear a good pair of welding gauntlets and rest your welding arm over your other arm, making sure you are comfortable.

Have another go and let's see the improvement.

 

[ChristianCMcKay]

Oh yeah, I've got a grinder and spent a good 10 minutes removing rust with it before welding. I just got rid of it where I was welding and where I was putting my ground clamp.

Also, I don't use the handheld mask that came with the welder. Got an auto darkening and I've got it on 9 and I use both hands to hold the gun. Also, I should mention that my wire is wound all wrong and keeps getting stuck on itself so I have to stop and keep pulling the wire through to get it to keep spooling. It's not making things any easier on me.

 

[ronan]

The weld pool is too cold to flow , thats why it looks blobby. Is there no military surplus welding plants available to you ?

 

[ChristianCMcKay]

The weld pool is too cold to flow , thats why it looks blobby. Is there no military surplus welding plants available to you ?

There is. When I get a some more money from work, I'm going to invest in a bigger machine.

 

[tigler]

Check out the tutorials on this site.

 

[Zimee]

I have only been on this forum 10 mins and have already learnt stuff, just looking at the welds and reading the advice.

Thanks
Zim