New to Welding

[Morrisman]

thanks for all this Eddie..interestingly the "manual" doesn't suggest it's automated, centred on wirespeed. There's a settings table which for 2mm suggests around 15.8v and 45 to 50 cm/min wirespeed. So I start with that and fiddle around. I have removed the outer sills and indeed they are on the bench. The photos are of the inner sills which is the part I'm trying to repair. Z3's are notorious for going at the ends as this is where they meet the wheel arch.

Bear in mind that if you do a lot of welding to them on the bench they may well distort and probably never align with the mounting holes on the car again. It will depend exactly where you do the repairs on them though, but something to keep an eye on.

I repaired the inner and outer door skins on my old Morris 8 many years ago, and then had to cut and re weld each door to make them sit flush once hung back on the body.

 

[Dessieb2022]

Strangely, I have not been able to find any information online about this particular model, the StaticArc MIG-130FS.
The company and it's products are known on the Forum, e.g. a review here:

Review - Static Arc mig 140

In my quest to find the smallest, lightest and cheapest inverter MIG available, I stumbled upon the Static arc 140 from a seller in the Midlands: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F273877930650 Fixed torch, swappable polarity, mini spool only...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

As an inverter with fully-variable voltage and wirespeed controls, your welder should offer a good basis for welding medium to thin steel, as found in car body restoration.
The front panel carries the word "Synergic", and the upper quadrant of the Voltage dial is marked "Standard". In theory this means that the voltage and current ( wirespeed ) ratio is pre-programmed, and controlled by a single dial, typically marked in millimetres of metal thickness. The voltage can be "trimmed" by a small amount, typically 5%, either lower or higher than the preset, to suit a particular job. Does the user manual for your welder describe this behaviour at all?

After cutting away the rusty area on the sill you need a 10mm wide bright shiny edge to butt-weld the patch, so the rust, paint, and stonechip has to be sanded off before sizing the patch. Wouldn't it be easier to remove the bolt-on outer sills and repair them on the bench? This would also allow you to inspect the full length of the inner sill, which is the main structural 2mm component.

I have this welder, I believe the 'synergic' part is referring to the fact that it can automatically tell whether you are using 0.8 or 0.9 wire.
I've only used it on 1.5 - 2.5mm but I think it's a great wee welder.

 

[PompeyMatt17]

Bear in mind that if you do a lot of welding to them on the bench they may well distort and probably never align with the mounting holes on the car again. It will depend exactly where you do the repairs on them though, but something to keep an eye on.

I repaired the inner and outer door skins on my old Morris 8 many years ago, and then had to cut and re weld each door to make them sit flush once hung back on the body.

Thanks...that's a good point, luckily it's just the ends that have gone. The sill fixings are on the top and at the jacking points so I'll hopefully be far enough away. The outer sills that are on my bench have some rust on which I need to clean up, but if they have too much rot, Z3 owners tend to buy replacements and get them painted. The inner sills can't really be replaced as they are welded to the chassis. Some people have done it, but it's an absolute nightmare as you effectively chop off the underside of a donor car.

 

[PompeyMatt17]

I have this welder, I believe the 'synergic' part is referring to the fact that it can automatically tell whether you are using 0.8 or 0.9 wire.
I've only used it on 1.5 - 2.5mm but I think it's a great wee welder.

ah that's interesting. There is a button for you to select 0.8 or 0.9, but as I've only used 0.8 I've never bothered with it..thanks !

 

[PompeyMatt17]

Thought I'd have another practice on 2mm....noting that cleanliness is key, I made sure I cleaned off the metal in between sets of welds, which to me made a load of difference...

then tried another corner at slightly higher voltage..

i then whacked the voltage up to max to see what would happen and this was the result on three pieces welded together

interestingly, keeping the surface clean and tight together, I had no burn throughs for I think the first time !

 

[Erie Fred]

is the last pic a continous weld or more trigger welding just bigger ?

 

[PompeyMatt17]

is the last pic a continous weld or more trigger welding just bigger ?

individual welds with more trigger time.. I was amazed I didn't burn through to be honest

 

[Dessieb2022]

individual welds with more trigger time.. I was amazed I didn't burn through to be honest

What thickness is the metal you are welding?

 

[PompeyMatt17]

What thickness is the metal you are welding?

2mm....

 

[Dessieb2022]

I think you could do a continuous bead on that but then thats maybe not what you are practicing?

 

[Erie Fred]

individual welds with more trigger time.. I was amazed I didn't burn through to be honest

Your not welding, your taking.
Try running a bead.
Try it first on thicker material so that burn thru is not a problem, then when
you get running beads down pat, switch back to your thinner steel.

 

[Barking Mat]

Mate, welcome to the forum.

Buy a mig welder and a bottle of gas, you won't regret it.

 

[PompeyMatt17]

Mate, welcome to the forum.

Buy a mig welder and a bottle of gas, you won't regret it.

thanks mate...I bought this cheapy flux core as I was only going to use it to repair the sill on my Z3...if I get into this restoration lark I will indeed invest..

 

[PompeyMatt17]

I think you could do a continuous bead on that but then thats maybe not what you are practicing?

never thought of doing a continuous bead on 2mm. The sills I'm repairing are 2mm box section and will be hidden by outer sill covers when finished...I'll give it another go using a continuous bead and see how I fair..cheers !

 

[Mark 2]

Welcome to the forum Matt.
No need to get anyone else to do it just persevere, blow through, do it wrong. It'll come right eventually.
The other 16 Portsmouth based 'Matts' on this forum can attest to this.

 

[Dessieb2022]

never thought of doing a continuous bead on 2mm. The sills I'm repairing are 2mm box section and will be hidden by outer sill covers when finished...I'll give it another go using a continuous bead and see how I fair..cheers !

As I mentioned I have the same welder and can run a bead on 1.5mm. I used the lines around the wire speed knob as numbers. So my settings were somewhere between 4-5 for both wire speed and volts.
I think it's a great wee welder, I just have bother seeing through all the smoke lol.

 

[PompeyMatt17]

Welcome to the forum Matt.
No need to get anyone else to do it just persevere, blow through, do it wrong. It'll come right eventually.
The other 16 Portsmouth based 'Matts' on this forum can attest to this.

haha thanks Mark..I used 17 for years as it was my door number..I've learnt that I've apparently chosen the most awkward welder to learn on for car work. If I was more flush I would have invested in a proper MIG..but when I look back at pics of my very first welds I'm definitely getting there..I just need to be good enough to repair the ends of the sills then I can start putting all the panels back on and refit the suspension, diff, propshaft, brake lines, fuel lines...and the list goes on! cheers mate..

 

[PompeyMatt17]

As I mentioned I have the same welder and can run a bead on 1.5mm. I used the lines around the wire speed knob as numbers. So my settings were somewhere between 4-5 for both wire speed and volts.
I think it's a great wee welder, I just have bother seeing through all the smoke lol.

thanks mate. I started on that, but was getting no penetration..so thought "what the hell it's only scrap".. whacked it up to 22v and didn't blow through!.. must have steel made of kryptonite !..I've got a spare pair of hours today to will try again as continuous with your settings

 

[Mark 2]

thanks mate. I started on that, but was getting no penetration..so thought "what the hell it's only scrap".. whacked it up to 22v and didn't blow through!.. must have steel made of kryptonite !..I've got a spare pair of hours today to will try again as continuous with your settings

I'd be tempted with running slower (going on pics so far) rather than turning the voltage up to much because it's somewhat counter intuitive.

 

[Mark 2]

I think it's a great wee welder, I just have bother seeing through all the smoke lol.

Plenty of light on the matter I find helps.