Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Webby the Bear on 20 November 2014, 14:31:43
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Afternoon chaps. Hope you're all well.
Don't panic, this thread shouldn't be massive and elongated; but like with the ''Mechanic School Blog'' I wanted to chronicle my latest adventures. :)
Got paid today and am very excited cos I just ordered my new MIG welder. I paid an extra 3 bucks (on top of the 4-something they wanted for delivery) to get it delivered for tomorrow.
This is the beast as recommended by many on here:
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/135te-turbo-mig-welder
Luckily got an E-mail from MachineMart last week offering me VAT free purchases up to 24/11 so with delivery this beast weighed in at £247.something. The kit comes with everything needed to start off (CO2 gas, wire etc) although I took the liberty of ordering a proper welding mask (Silverline) as I need one that will strap to my head as opposed to holding it on a stick. Oh and I ordered a pack of 4 X 90 degree magnets.
So with that all ordered and hopefully arriving promptly tomorrow... you need metal to weld together, right? ;)
I fitted a new door for SWMBO to her Pug 206 and kept the old one to chop up for welding purposes as it was shagged anyway...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/WeldingBlog002_zps990e228c.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/WeldingBlog002_zps990e228c.jpg.html)
...and started going about getting it chopped up...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/WeldingBlog007_zpscc5622b1.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/WeldingBlog007_zpscc5622b1.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/WeldingBlog012_zpscd25811a.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/WeldingBlog012_zpscd25811a.jpg.html)
...finally with a bucket full of scrap metal for me to practise on :)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/WeldingBlog010_zps14c8a444.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/WeldingBlog010_zps14c8a444.jpg.html)
Putting the welding aspect aside for one moment I got to say I am totally comfortable with using the angle grinder for cutting or grinding (thanks to everyone for their advice on that a while ago :)) and bloody love using it. I make sure I am holding it as tight as possible cos there have been a couple of instances where its tried to ''run''... presumably where it grabs trying to go through a tighter space. But hold it tight and let it do the work and it's awesome! :)
Anyways, so I got my welder ordered and I got a big bucket of scrap to practise on. If I was a forward thinker (I'm not) I'd have ground off the paint where I want to weld first and THEN cut. But no dramas, I can do that tomorrow and it'll give me an excuse to get the grinder out again 8)
I got one quickie question before I start layin' some beads down 8) ::)....
I plan on spending most of the day tomorrow practising. I know nothing about how quick i'll eat through the consumables. The welder comes with 390g of gas and a 5kg (I believe) spool of wire. Is it likely i'll run out of either / or?
Secondly I plan on doing it outside assuming it doesn't rain. That way I figure if I set anything alight it will be safer. Does wind have an affect? I'm guessing it wont help the gas form a shield??? If so i'll simply set up shop in the garage.
NOTE I am purchasing a fire extinguisher first thing tomorrow from BACA (local safety store) :y
Got a good feeling about tomorrow.
Touch wood :y :y :y :y
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Welding gauntlets?
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5Kg of wire will probably last you a while when you're practicing.. but the gas runs out pretty damned quick in those little bottles, especially if you're doing it outside in a breeze so with a high flow rate.
Along with gauntlets as Mark says, wear long sleeves and thick cotton clothing .. polyester likes to catch fire/melt and if you wear short sleeves you'll have a lovely tan if nothing else ;D
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Yep knew I'd forgotten to mention summat.
Welding gauntlets also ordered for delivery tomorrow.
Thanks Aaron, will order another bottle or two :)
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Another in Webby Bears chronicles. :y :y :y I think the forum ought to pay you a small retainer!
I learnt to weld at nightclass in 1976. My eyes have never been the same since. I made a sumguard and a skidded exhaust in the practical sessions.
Next year I went to gliding nightschool. I bet the council don't run classes like those anymore.
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If buying the little bottles and practising stick to the straight CO2 as you can get circa half a kilo in one which will last better than argoshield or similar.
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Thanks boys. :y
Having not used this welder yet... am I able to hook the bigger bottles up? All I know is (from what I've read) that the bottle sits in the hatch next to the wire spool. if I can fit bigger bottles at a later date I'm sure that would be better instead of changing 'em every two mins. :y
Varche.... gliding school! How awesome! ;D I've never done night classes for anything but I'm sure there'll be something down the line that I can tempt me old man in to doing (as he likes practical stuff too)
Re your eyes..... is that even with the protective mask? :o
I downloaded the welder's instruction manual and looked at the settings. All seems a piece of piss. With regards to how I'm going to weld..... tack two ends of the metal to be joined. Gun no more than 10mm away, once it pools up move it along zig-zagging across the two pieces to be joined. The metal is about 1mm thick so assuming I get the settings right I hopefully wont blow holes (hopefully)
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Ps, re the project you mentioned, Varche...
My plan was to make a welding cart; apparently this is a job a lot of newbie welders do.
I, instead, am going to make a table as my first project. i'll pick up 2x2 inch steel tubing next week and with my dad's careful eye for measuring and my use of a spirit level will hopefully get it properly flat. Then will fit a vice to it. :)
But that's for next week..... crawl before running etc etc ;D
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Thanks boys. :y
Having not used this welder yet... am I able to hook the bigger bottles up? All I know is (from what I've read) that the bottle sits in the hatch next to the wire spool. if I can fit bigger bottles at a later date I'm sure that would be better instead of changing 'em every two mins. :y
Varche.... gliding school! How awesome! ;D I've never done night classes for anything but I'm sure there'll be something down the line that I can tempt me old man in to doing (as he likes practical stuff too)
Re your eyes..... is that even with the protective mask? :o
I downloaded the welder's instruction manual and looked at the settings. All seems a piece of piss. With regards to how I'm going to weld..... tack two ends of the metal to be joined. Gun no more than 10mm away, once it pools up move it along zig-zagging across the two pieces to be joined. The metal is about 1mm thick so assuming I get the settings right I hopefully wont blow holes (hopefully)
i think the eyes was just a coincidence but when you are flailing away trying to get a spark it is easy to get out of sequence e.g. look at work piece, move eye protection strike arc, nothing, move protection, strike arc, move eye protection in place.
Gliding was ten weeks. First nine were theory (clouds, controls, thermals and so on) then tenth was an actual flight. Towed up
by a plane, released. The student sat at the front and instructor behind. You got actual hands on and performed some manouevres. That was from Husbands Bosworth. It was great to see the land from the air. I was too into cars but my mate went on to buy a glider.
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Can i put in an order for a tool trolley cart with wheels on to use outside :) Price it up an send me pm ;) No rush care bear , oh and good luck :-*
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Steve, i'll let you know about the cart.... crawl before running etc ;D but I certainly don't see why not.....although you may look at my welds and think twice. that's the great thing.... who knows! ;D
varche that's absolutely awesome!!!! do you have to have a license forthat sorta thing? certainly don't remember seeing gliding in the college part time prospectus :'(
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One final question for tonight (as I'm just about to leave to go and
get drunk and eat curry have a quiet dinner with a friend)....
Warping. Talk to me.
Is this just a term for the workpiece moving from where you've set it?
Oh and....
Varche you mentioned not being able to strike an arc. Does that sometimes happen? I assumed as long as your settings were right and with trigger pulled it would be ok? :-\
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Warping - heat makes things expand, welding introduces heat into the metal.. What can happen is that you get everything really hot and then as it cools, because you've now welded it to something else, things will distort as the expanded piece tries to return to it's original size. If that makes sense?
Tends to result in things ending up banana shaped, for example, bit like running a pair of scissors along the back of a piece of ribbon. Er, not that I'd know.
It's why if you need to weld a long continuous seam it's often best to stitch weld it - i.e. you weld short sections leaving gaps and then return for a second pass to fill the gaps in. That way you don't put too much heat into the piece in one go.
As for striking the arc - as long as it's clean and you're close to the metal it'll strike. I assume you went for an auto dimming mask anyway, which means no risk of going blind ;)
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youll run out of gas first. get the double capacity bottles http://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/Welding/Mig-Tig-Gases-1.html (http://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/Welding/Mig-Tig-Gases-1.html)
best not start your welding in the wind, wait for a calm day
getting a proper bottle is a pita as i recall you can only rent them and they are v expensive. i think maybe now you can buy them, certainly you can get pub co2 gas. i gave up and just use the double disposables. you will get thru a lot of gas while learning, better to put out too much than too little until you get the hang of it and recognise an oxidised weld.
a useful instruction site http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/ (http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/)
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Steve, i'll let you know about the cart.... crawl before running etc ;D but I certainly don't see why not.....although you may look at my welds and think twice. that's the great thing.... who knows! ;D
varche that's absolutely awesome!!!! do you have to have a license forthat sorta thing? certainly don't remember seeing gliding in the college part time prospectus :'(
Angle grinder will sort that :P Bet you wont sleep tonight ;D Then again your taking your medicine just now ::)
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// TB thinks about a late night run to Northampton to nick the remains of a door from Bear Towers, as he's desperate to try his plasma cutter and welder ;D
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getting a proper bottle is a pita as i recall you can only rent them and they are v expensive. i think maybe now you can buy them, certainly you can get pub co2 gas. i gave up and just use the double disposables. you will get thru a lot of gas while learning, better to put out too much than too little until you get the hang of it and recognise an oxidised weld.
Quite a lot of places do "rent free" bottles now - usually with a deposit, bit like a BBQ cylinder I suppose: http://www.hobbyweld.co.uk/products/
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I use the hobby weld. I pay £65 for the bottle (refundable) then £28 quid to refill. Lasts ages
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Thanks for the replies boys. :y
I think I've absorbed what you've all said. I think it may be a case of just going for it..... come on Postman >:( >:( >:( ;D
And thanks for all the links to stuff. I checked out that MIG welding forum before. But I do prefer to chat to you gays guys. ;D
The warping explanation makes total sense Aaron. Thinking ahead slightly, i'll be putting together a table. So presumably when welding the legs to the table top frame I would use as many tack welds as poss. Then short stitches til its all joined.... cos obviously I don't want the leg to be at an angle ;D
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Joining something as short as the sides of square tube to a long tube, warping won't really be a problem unless you do something very daft indeed :)
But yes - one tack, make sure it's still 90º, another tack, check again, third tack, check again, fourth tack.. and now just complete the welds on each side and you're done.
Easy. He says. ;D
Might take some practice but if you've got plenty of tube, knock up a tiny version or two first as a practice run :y
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Joining something as short as the sides of square tube to a long tube, warping won't really be a problem unless you do something very daft indeed :)
But yes - one tack, make sure it's still 90º, another tack, check again, third tack, check again, fourth tack.. and now just complete the welds on each side and you're done.
Easy. He says. ;D
Might take some practice but if you've got plenty of tube, knock up a tiny version or two first as a practice run :y
This is me mate so yes, daft things can happen very easy! ;D
Thanks mate.
Hypothetical example.
I do a couple of tack welds and find its now out of kilter from 90 degrees........ do I restart all over or manipulate it back by hammer hand? presumably a couple of tack welds wouldn't be able to stop 18 stone of prime bear from moving it back by hand?
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Joining something as short as the sides of square tube to a long tube, warping won't really be a problem unless you do something very daft indeed :)
But yes - one tack, make sure it's still 90º, another tack, check again, third tack, check again, fourth tack.. and now just complete the welds on each side and you're done.
Easy. He says. ;D
Might take some practice but if you've got plenty of tube, knock up a tiny version or two first as a practice run :y
This is me mate so yes, daft things can happen very easy! ;D
Thanks mate.
Hypothetical example.
I do a couple of tack welds and find its now out of kilter from 90 degrees........ do I restart all over or manipulate it back by hammer hand? presumably a couple of tack welds wouldn't be able to stop 18 stone of prime bear from moving it back by hand?
If its out of kilter grind off the tacks and go again :y
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Joining something as short as the sides of square tube to a long tube, warping won't really be a problem unless you do something very daft indeed :)
But yes - one tack, make sure it's still 90º, another tack, check again, third tack, check again, fourth tack.. and now just complete the welds on each side and you're done.
Easy. He says. ;D
Might take some practice but if you've got plenty of tube, knock up a tiny version or two first as a practice run :y
This is me mate so yes, daft things can happen very easy! ;D
Thanks mate.
Hypothetical example.
I do a couple of tack welds and find its now out of kilter from 90 degrees........ do I restart all over or manipulate it back by hammer hand? presumably a couple of tack welds wouldn't be able to stop 18 stone of prime bear from moving it back by hand?
If its out of kilter grind off the tacks and go again :y
Will do, thanks mate :y
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Yup, what Henry said ;) If the tacks are decent you'd be hard pressed to do anything to adjust it by hand.
Although I remember the first tack I did .. I touched it and it dropped off again ;D Second attempt was a bit better - even the lump hammer wasn't shifting it :)
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;D ;D ;D
The first attempt I had was at Symes' and I burned straight through ::) I cant remember but I think I did a bead. and it looked ok :-\
To be fair though I literally didn't know anything. . . . . so not much has changed ;D
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You should be able to buy a spot weld nozzle for it as well,,,which makes it an even better tool,,,,And can I suggest that when you are not using your welder that you keep it very dry and not in a damp place because if the wire gets a bit damp then it tends to get a coating of mildew on it and then when you come to use it again as the wire passes through the liner on its way out of the nozzle it will deposit all of that crap on the inside of the liner and make it stick/jerk and ruin the liner.. :y :y
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Practice makes perfect matey :y :y
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Thanks Flyer :y :y :y
Still awaiting delivery...although magnets have turned up ::)
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Santa's just been :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/WELDER001_zps8027e48c.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/WELDER001_zps8027e48c.jpg.html)
Prob going to take me several days a few minutes to set this up ::)
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Haven't you unpacked it yet... ::)
No prizes for guessing what you'll be doing ALL weekend :y
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Our house lights are flickering , is that you starting to weld mr bear ::) ;D
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;D ;D ;D
Cheers for the encouragement boys.
Sadly, my mate popped round and wanted some car stuff doing. So instead of playin' with me welder I now have no time to set it up and practise before pickin' the wife up ::)
First thing tomorrow though............
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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Next you need to buy a TIG welder and try this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfMBoGLQp0k
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Our house lights are flickering , is that you starting to weld mr bear ::) ;D
Welded up a snow plough mount today. As the yard manager is away on holiday every man and his dog decided to park in the sheds.
Running off a van mounted genny down 30m of extension lead, doesn't give the best results.
Moral of the story, if your going to use an extension lead, keep it short and beefy.
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Get that welder going , ill never get that cart at this rate ;D ;D ;D ;)
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I have just been taking my time to get this set up. Just about to pull the trigger to pull the wire through.
These instructions are so annoying....
''Do roller nut up slightly'' ???
''Too tight and it will crush the wire. Too loose and it won't pull the wire through''. Great. That really helps! ::)
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All set up...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2001_zpsaf2d8000.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2001_zpsaf2d8000.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2002_zpsa1c532c7.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2002_zpsa1c532c7.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2003_zpsa7764ba0.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2003_zpsa7764ba0.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2004_zps3859bd24.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2004_zps3859bd24.jpg.html)
Shield...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2005_zps251225ea.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2005_zps251225ea.jpg.html)
A must!!!!!....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2006_zps36aa42b5.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2006_zps36aa42b5.jpg.html)
These are sooooo freakin' comfy!!!!
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welder2007_zpsd0fb74d8.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welder2007_zpsd0fb74d8.jpg.html)
Going to give it a go tomorrow morning now as its dark and cold and I got a few cold Coors waiting for me 8)
Couple of quickie questions...
I note that the crappy mask that came with the welder is completely dark when you look through it and I suppose you can only see stuff when the weld comes on.... is this where the ''auto adjusting'' helmets you guys mentioned adjust so you can see through them when not welding also?
The gas. It says the setting to put it on. But then says it will use two - three litres per minute. You boys weren't kidding when you said stuff really wont last!! :o :o ;D
Finally I got two extra tips (called 'contact tips'??) in the kit. Do these not last very long either then? :-\
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Buy yourself an auto darkening mask mate,makes life so much easier especially when learning.
They are quite sensibly priced now,I bought an Sip mask from my local factor on a Friday sale for about 25 quid and it's just as good as my older one that cost three times that
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Buy yourself an auto darkening mask mate,makes life so much easier especially when learning.
They are quite sensibly priced now,I bought an Sip mask from my local factor on a Friday sale for about 25 quid and it's just as good as my older one that cost three times that
I already ordered one and in my haste I got it in my mind it was ''auto darkening'' (as recommended by you guys) but simply was ''adjustable'' :-[ stoopid bear. was only a tenner though so im sure I can get an auto adjusting one. :y
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As you say, you can only see through the hand held mask when welding. I grew up with this type so I don't have a problem with them. I did fabrication for years and the auto mask wasn't fully approved back then and it was annoying when other welders 'flash' darkened your lens. The head band auto mask is a necessity for you though Webby as it doesn't require both hands.
Spatter sticks to the shroud so you can use anti-spatter on it to minimise that. If you stub the tip on the job by accident, it will clog and stop the wire feed, more-so I find with 0.6mm wire. Always good to have spare tips. :y
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As you say, you can only see through the hand held mask when welding. I grew up with this type so I don't have a problem with them. I did fabrication for years and the auto mask wasn't fully approved back then and it was annoying when other welders 'flash' darkened your lens. The head band auto mask is a necessity for you though Webby as it doesn't require both hands.
Spatter sticks to the shroud so you can use anti-spatter on it to minimise that. If you stub the tip on the job by accident, it will clog and stop the wire feed, more-so I find with 0.6mm wire. Always good to have spare tips. :y
Thanks mate! :)
One final thing. The wire came out from the tip absolutely fine. The wire speed was on 8 (out of 10 settings) and the wire came out quite slowly. Is it possible I've got the nut on the spool too tight? or the fact that the wire came out means its ok?
:)
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Back the wire feed nut right off.
Adjust it so that the wire just feeds if you hold it about 50mm from the tip. If you have it too loose it won't feed, and too tight will kill the motor and feed wheels.
The mask that comes with the machine is probably a shade 13, and you're going to want a 9 or 10. An adjustable, darkening one will cover that.
You must practice your welding on clean metal, and remember to always cut the end off the wire before you start.
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Back the wire feed nut right off.
Adjust it so that the wire just feeds if you hold it about 50mm from the tip. If you have it too loose it won't feed, and too tight will kill the motor and feed wheels.
The mask that comes with the machine is probably a shade 13, and you're going to want a 9 or 10. An adjustable, darkening one will cover that.
You must practice your welding on clean metal, and remember to always cut the end off the wire before you start.
Sorry Nick, I'm confused. So I back the nut right off and its the next bit I don't really understand (sorry)
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You should be able to just about 'stall' the wire feeding out of the tip, by pinching the wire with your fingers. Creeping up on this setting from too loose is the easiest way of achieving it.
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You should be able to just about 'stall' the wire feeding out of the tip, by pinching the wire with your fingers. Creeping up on this setting from too loose is the easiest way of achieving it.
So pinch it about 50mm from the end of the gun and try and stop it from feeding wire?
Wish there was just a ''tighten til you hear a click'' :(
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Just gone and double checked and the wire is now coming out spot on. I undid the spool nut slowly and didn't really have any affect....and it was quite loose-ish already. so not gonna concern myself with it. :y
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It has to be adjustable to allow for a variety of wire thicknesses :y
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It has to be adjustable to allow for a variety of wire thicknesses :y
Thanks Al, the one I'm talking about though is the nut holding the spool on. :y
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:y still affects the overall wire tension...
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:y still affects the overall wire tension...
oh ok fair enough. cheers mate :y
incidentally.... the little disc with the grooves in.... mine has one for 0.6mm and one for 0.8mm. can I get one for say 1mm thickness? just out of interest :y
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Possibly, have a look at the Clarke catalogue... 135amps might not be man enough for 1mm cable, but I make no claim to know that for sure :-[
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Possibly, have a look at the Clarke catalogue... 135amps might not be man enough for 1mm cable, but I make no claim to know that for sure :-[
Will do, cheers Al :y
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:y still affects the overall wire tension...
oh ok fair enough. cheers mate :y
incidentally.... the little disc with the grooves in.... mine has one for 0.6mm and one for 0.8mm. can I get one for say 1mm thickness? just out of interest :y
.6 wire will be plenty enough for that welder,the wire feed will strugglevwith .8 and 1.0 is a no no,need a heavier machine for that :y
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:y still affects the overall wire tension...
oh ok fair enough. cheers mate :y
incidentally.... the little disc with the grooves in.... mine has one for 0.6mm and one for 0.8mm. can I get one for say 1mm thickness? just out of interest :y
.6 wire will be plenty enough for that welder,the wire feed will strugglevwith .8 and 1.0 is a no no,need a heavier machine for that :y
Thanks for confirming mate :y :y :y
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Soon be able to tackle stuff like this then mate :y :y
(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x429/sy427/conny/connierearfloor008_zps722088e9.jpg)
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So watched the F1 for a bit keeping an eye on the weather and it stopped raining for good about 2. So gave the welder a blast. :)
I measured the thickness of the metal to be welded. just under 1mm so set up the welder as per the below settings:
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/weldsettings_zps1cf21d60.png) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/weldsettings_zps1cf21d60.png.html)
Gas regulator set to 4 as recommended.
First weld, burned straight through ;D
I was keeping an ear out for the sound and it was ''cracking'' as opposed to a continuous buzz. So I turned the wire speed down and that seemed better.
Please don't mock ;D these are my first attempts at running beads...as you can see there are some burn throughs. but after playing around with the settings there were a few that I did that I thought ''hmmm, not bad'' but in honesty most are terrible.
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/firstwelds001_zpsdd0e1bb2.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/firstwelds001_zpsdd0e1bb2.jpg.html)
Second piece of metal. This frustrated me cos I just couldn't seem to get the setting right. it was spattering, burning through and cracking.
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/firstwelds002_zps3b518517.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/firstwelds002_zps3b518517.jpg.html)
Then finally as I had about 30 mins of light left I decided to try and weld two pieces together.... this was even worse. my first weld went brown ??? ??? ??? ??? I had a think and I presume these are oxidised cos the gas has run out? but either way absolute shit ;D ;D ;D ;D
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/firstwelds003_zps26eecb7d.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/firstwelds003_zps26eecb7d.jpg.html)
to be fair I tried on loads of different settings and never could get it quite right apart from a couple of times.
then I thought.... I was outside (although in an alcove in the garden to try and get out of any wind)
but im a persistent bear and will keep going/ next attempt...Thursday :)
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turn wire speed down a touch and try supporting your welding hand ---not bad mate-seen worse---and dont tighten regulator too much on gas bottle-for some reason they dont like it--remember i showed you with my sip welder(like yours) :y :y and keep at it mate :y :y :y :y :y
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Thanks Symes. :y
Would you agree I ran outta gas though when I tried to join those two pieces? And is being outside not helping?
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outside-make a wind brake - or move yourself so that wind do not blow gas shield while welding --and read what i said about regulator ;) ;)
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Thanks mate.
Yeah I made sure I didn't tighten it too much. and also I could hear the gas coming out as I pressed the trigger :y
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You will always struggle withs that welder outside,just hasn't got enough gas supply to cope with draughts
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Good Bear now how does it go----Here miggy miggy ;D ;D Any probs give me a call mate--except------not welding for you mate---because your soon going to be doing it yourself :y :y :y
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Thanks Henry.
I'll do what Symes said andmake a wind break. Also, is it worth cranking the gas reg. up to the highest setting (6 settings and was using it on 4)
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Good Bear now how does it go----Here miggy miggy ;D ;D Any probs give me a call mate--except------not welding for you mate---because your soon going to be doing it yourself :y :y :y
Thanks mate youre a star ! :y :y :y
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You will always struggle withs that welder outside,just hasn't got enough gas supply to cope with draughts
Presumably a full size bottle overcomes this problem :-\
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Thanks Henry.
I'll do what Symes said andmake a wind break. Also, is it worth cranking the gas reg. up to the highest setting (6 settings and was using it on 4)
If you wind the gas up the bottle will last very little time,Symes idea will work though :y
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Can you not do in garage, just to practice?
Outdoors, you may need gas right up
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You will always struggle withs that welder outside,just hasn't got enough gas supply to cope with draughts
Presumably a full size bottle overcomes this problem :-\
Full size welder with eurotorch would(with big regulator and bottle),even then wind can affect weld quality
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Well saw your thread and thought---anf minute now fone going to ring---maybe you know that most motor factors do larger gas bottles-you need a different regulator though-sip do 1-I never bothered due to my 185 amp welder as well
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You will always struggle withs that welder outside,just hasn't got enough gas supply to cope with draughts
Presumably a full size bottle overcomes this problem :-\
Full size welder with eurotorch would(with big regulator and bottle),even then wind will affect weld quality
fixed that for you
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You will always struggle withs that welder outside,just hasn't got enough gas supply to cope with draughts
Presumably a full size bottle overcomes this problem :-\
Full size welder with eurotorch would(with big regulator and bottle),even then wind will affect weld quality
fixed that for you
;D :y
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Is Webby welding because he got a Ford ;D ;D
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Is Webby welding because he got a Ford ;D ;D
If buying a Fiesta,Ka or transit the welder should come with them ::)
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or consul-see reply 54 :y
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or consul-see reply 54 :y
Saw that but at least it's old,rot is allowed then ;)
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Thanks boys.
I didn't go in the garage cos there's a load of card board boxes and I just didn't want to take the risk. Although now knowing what to expect I may go to the very front of the garage where there's a bit of space. Or just get the old Hunstanton windbreak out ;D
Seriously though... The moment I started to try n put the two pieces together it came out all brown and as if it had rusted. This surely is the gas run out. And to be fair I was practising for over an hour!
Definitely going to go for the suggested tanks in previous links cos it's being bothered to keep changing it.
Also one dummy thing I did was misread the instructions ::)
I thought power went in this ascending order. . .
Dial 1 min
Dial 2 min
Dial 1 max
Dial 2 max
But it doesn't! it goes . . . .
Dial 1 min
Dial 1 max
Dial 2 min
Dial 2 max
That explains why I blew a few holes ::)
I'll get there :y
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Please read the manual :y :y :y
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Please read the manual :y :y :y
;D ;D ;D I'm thick as shit Symes you know that ::)
Just one more thing to mention. . . The angle of the gun. Seemed to get best results when holding the tip at about 45 degrees. But I did notice that it does make it awkward to see the pool. Just have to keep playing :y
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start at left moving to fight tilt gun 45 and your off!!!! :y :y :y oh your not thick mate--only people who dont ask questions are thick :y :y
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Legend. Cheers mate!!!!! :y
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you going to change name---Webby the Welder ?
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;D welding bear perhaps?
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So, joined the MIG Welding Forum that was mentioned on here by Migmog and others. Got some pretty cool tips (in addition to the help from you guys of course :))
They reckon the gas was defo blown away, especially with that last pic where i attempted to join two bits.
However they reckon my biggest problem is the thinness of the metal fr a beginner. going to get some 3mm scrap from the local place (assuming they sell it).
Also ordered those double capacity cylinders mentioned in one of the first posts so thanks for the rec on that. 600g for £15 or £390g for the same price at hellfrauds. plus the double capicity ones were being sold ''buy two, get 3rd half price''. so thats what i did :)
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When welding really thin stuff. I tend to weld in short bursts. Weld a inch let it cool for a few seconds :y
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Yeah thats what Aaron suggested earlier mate. but i think i need to get used to it on some thicker stuff for learning purposes :)
and be indoors somehow or get a windbreak :)
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Your needing a bear cave mate. ::)
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Very true mate. Wanna buy me one? ;)
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Oh and ps, do you guys wear particle masks under your welding masks? the welding farking stank!!!! and really dont want to breather any crud in thats harmful
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Oh and ps, do you guys wear particle masks under your welding masks? the welding farking stank!!!! and really dont want to breather any crud in thats harmful
I dont but 1 of my helmets has got airline fitting and belt--Keep your head away from the smoke-if welding you see yellow on welds--watch out-thats cyanide--you get that on some coatings on steel in cars mate. and also when doing thin stuff like roof skins do spots not seams and get some welders putty--that stops heat spreading/metal distortion---
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ok thanks for the tip symes.... cyanide is not good!!!!
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Cyanide is only an issue on galvanised steel, prep the surface with a grinder and its not an issue.
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A little cyanide never hurt anyone, right?
(http://cache.reelz.com/assets/content/blogimages/ArnyEyeREELZ.jpg)
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A little cyanide never hurt anyone, right?
(http://cache.reelz.com/assets/content/blogimages/ArnyEyeREELZ.jpg)
That does look like Webby when his cam belt snapped and he had a fag to calm his nerves ;D ;D
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;D ;D ;D ;D
Silly boys ::)
Re, welding am i right in thinking that if i get a load of spatter (balls of weld flying everywhere, covering the work piece etc) that i have the settings too low?
If i hear an internittent cracking then my wire speed is too high and i need to bring it down til i get a continuous buzz or ''sizzle''?
and finally.... with the clarke machine can i go between two wire speeds i.e. have it on 3.5?
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I was taught that if you are getting just a very clean hum with little crackling or sizzle you are probably welding in spray transfer mode which is probably not what you want. You need just a little more speed on the wire feed until it starts to crackle. Then again, I'm no expert. ;D
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Thanks Kev,
My ma went to the local metal fab shop and they gave her a bucket full of 2 - 3mm steel for £10 for me to practise on (not scrap...they actually ct out squares for her :))
So, going to see if i can improve using the thicker metal.
Even though i consider my first effort a disaster, i got it right two or three times so i know exactly what to look for to say ''yep, thats diong well''.
if i still cant get it right theres a guy in notrhampton on the welding forum who has offered to spend a couple of hours with newbies to teach them.... ill PM him and see if he'd take pity on me with offers of beer and beef jerkie (god that stuffs good)
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By the way - I have that same welder and I cannot get enough shielding gas out of the torch unless the regulator is up flat out. Turn OFF(!) the welder, and see if you can hear gas hissing from the nozzle when you pull the trigger with it near your ear.
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Thanks Kev,
I'm definitely getting some gas cos when i pull the trigger approx. half way i can hear it hissing out. Thats with it set on 4.
If the gas doesnt come out and/or it's blown away will it cause those rusty looking welds i had in my pic? Any other issues lack of gas creates (just so i know what i will run in to)
people say it causes porous welds but ive no idea what that means visually :-[
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Ill PM him and see if he'd take pity on me with offers of beer and beef jerkie (god that stuffs good)
Offer him Biltong instead.. makes beef jerky look like the dried up boot leather that it is.. ;D
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If there is no wind then you need hardly any gas, 'a witches breath' was what I was always taught.
Get outside and the shield gas will soon disperse at which point you will need it flat out.
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Thanks Kev,
I'm definitely getting some gas cos when i pull the trigger approx. half way i can hear it hissing out. Thats with it set on 4.
If the gas doesnt come out and/or it's blown away will it cause those rusty looking welds i had in my pic? Any other issues lack of gas creates (just so i know what i will run in to)
people say it causes porous welds but ive no idea what that means visually :-[
OK. I can't hear anything with mine until it's up to 6, so there must be some variation between the regulators. Sounds like you're OK. :y
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As mentioned sadly being indoors / garage isnt an option unless i spend many hours clearing my dads stuff lol to which he'll be very upset.
ill defo go with the windbreak.
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OK. I can't hear anything with mine until it's up to 6, so there must be some variation between the regulators. Sounds like you're OK. :y
"Made in China"? ;D
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OK. I can't hear anything with mine until it's up to 6, so there must be some variation between the regulators. Sounds like you're OK. :y
"Made in China"? ;D
The very same. :y Probably down to the canister, even, as I think it just has a pin that acts down on the valve in the tip of the cylinder.
Really must get myself a pub cylinder. ::)
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I've gone with the double capacity tanks. but if they too run out as quickly as the first did (i suspect) then ill have to invest.
are there any other offers to consider on big tanks? and you rent the tank and just pay for refills. (or rent free as someone elluded to earlier)
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Ok, had a good butchers through the interweb. i'm defo convinced that i either ran outta gas for that last weld cos they go brown and start spitting balls of metal...exactly what happened.
as i dont have a gauge on mine ill attempt it with same bottle out of the wind. if same thing happens i know im empty. if they go well i know that it was the wind :)
finally, even though ill be practising on some thicker stuff id like to go back to the 0.8mm i have. lowest settings (1 min) and a play about with the wire speed.... as last time i didnt realise i could go between numbers e.g. 3.5 :)
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If you're out of gas then there should be no noise of gas escaping when you pull the trigger.. so that's an easy enough test, right? :)
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If you're out of gas then there should be no noise of gas escaping when you pull the trigger.. so that's an easy enough test, right? :)
Very true mate. in my lack of knowlege i simply thought id got the settings wrong as i was changing them all the time. but now i think i understand :)
if there was no gas left but the canister is still pressurised is it possible it'd just be air i'd hear gushing out? sorry if thats a retarded question
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If you're out of gas then there should be no noise of gas escaping when you pull the trigger.. so that's an easy enough test, right? :)
Very true mate. in my lack of knowlege i simply thought id got the settings wrong as i was changing them all the time. but now i think i understand :)
if there was no gas left but the canister is still pressurised is it possible it'd just be air i'd hear gushing out? sorry if thats a retarded question
No there's no air in the bottle,only gas so if you can here it hissing you still have gas :y
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If you're out of gas then there should be no noise of gas escaping when you pull the trigger.. so that's an easy enough test, right? :)
Very true mate. in my lack of knowlege i simply thought id got the settings wrong as i was changing them all the time. but now i think i understand :)
if there was no gas left but the canister is still pressurised is it possible it'd just be air i'd hear gushing out? sorry if thats a retarded question
No there's no air in the bottle,only gas so if you can here it hissing you still have gas :y
Sweet. Thanks Henry.
Looking forward to giving it another good go tomorrow. Got 3 of the double capacity bottles turn up today. So hopefully that wil lbe enough.
Got loads of metal too. The pug door (0.8), some 2-3mm my mum picked up for a tenner at the local metal fab shop and some 4-5mm scrap my mate's dad picked me up from the scrap bin at his mate's truck depot. So all that metal.... £10. :) happy bear.
:)
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Practice on the heavier bits of metal first and play with the amperage/wire feed a bit until it sounds rights,a nice buzz with good penetration,oooh er missus :D ;)
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Will do mate thanks.
one final question. (sorry)
does the wire feed setting equate to how many metres it will churn out in a minute....
e.g. setting 2 will chuck out 2 metres per minute?
thought i read that on the net you see :)
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Will do mate thanks.
one final question. (sorry)
does the wire feed setting equate to how many metres it will churn out in a minute....
e.g. setting 2 will chuck out 2 metres per minute?
thought i read that on the net you see :)
I don't think so. The wire feed rate isn't constant, for a start. As you draw more current, the welder increases the wire feed rate.
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Understood. thanks mate :y
Piccies of another round of disastrous welds to come tomorrow :y
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Ill PM him and see if he'd take pity on me with offers of beer and beef jerkie (god that stuffs good)
Offer him Biltong instead.. makes beef jerky look like the dried up boot leather that it is.. ;D
Biltong!! Mmmmmmmmm...... :-* :y
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Afternoon fellas.
So, got some 2.5mm and todays aim was to lay some beads. I am very pleased with how the welds look (even got some ''C''s in there ;D)
I did this in the garage and upped my gas to 5. there was definitely no wind and definitely there was gas coming out the end but still got that brown residue on them. :-\ but all in all very very pleased. I got the settings spot on. I realised I was holding the tip too close. and I realised I was moving too fast! corrected these and the weld pooled up real nice. but all about getting the settings right! :y
The breaks are where I had to stop to reposition and cos I stupidly brought a non-auto adjusting helmet ::) I missed the restart point....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Getin001_zpsbeae5788.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Getin001_zpsbeae5788.jpg.html)
penetration. good???
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Getin006_zpsdf84a6d7.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Getin006_zpsdf84a6d7.jpg.html)
and I had to stop cos I got to go and pick up some stuff from a mate. but I had to have a go at joining together ;)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Getin005_zpsd64a6745.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Getin005_zpsd64a6745.jpg.html)
Beautiful? No. Getting better? Indubitably :)
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Penetration looks ok
You need to work on creating a more consistent weld, I find the key to this is to watch the weld pool and not the tip.
Oh for info, the distance from the work piece impacts the current.....
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Thanks Mark,
Thing is I'm learning all the time. I found that best for me is to go up and down with the torch and tilt my head to the left to see the pool. But it was all about trial and error. And I'm not scared to try. and error. :y
Re the distance... that would make sense because some have no spots and some do. Just got to findthat happy place.
All in all im really pleased though that I'm improving and not stepping backwards. :)
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Are you cleaning the splatter build up in and around the nozzle + using anti splatter :)
Are you dragging the tip in one direction or rounded E's although thats more for thin to thick welds without burn through on the thin .
Count 2 seconds on the trigger for a spot weld .
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Yes mate, gave contact tip and nozzle thingy a good clean. I find the build up of spots comes off real easy. I've so far only needed to blow them away.
Rounded e's. . . . No ;D
I'm currently dragging the pool towards me as that's what's most comfy for me. I've tried a bit of zig zagging also
This is going to be an exercise in practise! :y :y :y
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.. and an auto-dimming mask would be a great addition to your arsenal, IMHO. Just got a cheap one but it makes all the difference IMHO.
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.. and an auto-dimming mask would be a great addition to your arsenal, IMHO. Just got a cheap one but it makes all the difference IMHO.
Completely agree Kev... I don't know if you read my post about when I ordered it but I was looking for an auto mask as you guys suggested. Accidentally brought a non-auto mask. Cos I got the words ''adjusting'' and ''Auto-dimming'' confused. . . they both start with 'A' at least ::)
Its so difficult to put the visor down and its all black.... then weld where you want.
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Im reading this 'blog' every day and really enjoying the trials and tribulations your going through, as I'm in the same boat as you are...
I had to buy a MIG to weld my Omega to get it through its last MoT as the stick/arc welder I have was just too harsh for the metal I was attempting to patch up...
The MIG made it sooo much easier to sort out it's MoT... Gonna need it again for the next, but will have a lot more experience this time...
I won't say I can weld, I wouldn't call myself a 'welder' BUT I can join 2 pieces of metal together using the welding process LOL
I actually enjoy welding, I will admit I don't mind if I need to weld something, I usually make an excuse to do some sort of welding..
I have an auto dimming mask, which is adjustable for how dark it gets, which I find very handy... Compared to when I first did any sort of welding when I was a kid (about 18) and welded without a mask, I had a mask but it got in the way... Anyhoo the day after I couldn't see, had horrible sunburn and drove myself to the hospital (stupid I know) they gave me some drops and pain killers which helped but I had to see an optician as ever since Iv been sensitive to bright lights because I burnt my retina... Not fun... I look back now and laugh but Iv never once welded without a mask...
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Seen these :-\ Mask (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkening-Grinding-Welding-Welder-Helmet/dp/B0098CZPWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417179901&sr=8-1&keywords=welding+mask)
I been looking at an Arc welder myself :y
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Arc welding is fine for structural lumps but bloody hopeless on cars and the like unless its nothing more than bodging a patch on.
And there even worse when it comes to thin plate and panels.
For me personally ARC welding only has a single advantage and that is you can weld outside with it (so good for gates etc)
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Arc welding is fine for structural lumps but bloody hopeless on cars and the like unless its nothing more than bodging a patch on.
And there even worse when it comes to thin plate and panels.
For me personally ARC welding only has a single advantage and that is you can weld outside with it (so good for gates etc)
What about welding in tight spaces though , mig cant do that :-\ Ive seen some video of thin plate welding with Arc
Mr webroot , you know you can get flux core wire for mig then you wont need to keep buying gas :)
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Arc welding is fine for structural lumps but bloody hopeless on cars and the like unless its nothing more than bodging a patch on.
And there even worse when it comes to thin plate and panels.
For me personally ARC welding only has a single advantage and that is you can weld outside with it (so good for gates etc)
What about welding in tight spaces though , mig cant do that :-\ Ive seen some video of thin plate welding with Arc
Mr webroot , you know you can get flux core wire for mig then you wont need to keep buying gas :)
Welding in tight spaces is harder with Arc, particularly with a fresh rod.
And welding thin stuff with ARC is a mare, easiest way to distort a panel or suffer blow through. :y
I do all three types, MIG, ARC and TIG.....and its very much horses for courses. :y
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Im reading this 'blog' every day and really enjoying the trials and tribulations your going through, as I'm in the same boat as you are...
I had to buy a MIG to weld my Omega to get it through its last MoT as the stick/arc welder I have was just too harsh for the metal I was attempting to patch up...
The MIG made it sooo much easier to sort out it's MoT... Gonna need it again for the next, but will have a lot more experience this time...
I won't say I can weld, I wouldn't call myself a 'welder' BUT I can join 2 pieces of metal together using the welding process LOL
I actually enjoy welding, I will admit I don't mind if I need to weld something, I usually make an excuse to do some sort of welding..
I have an auto dimming mask, which is adjustable for how dark it gets, which I find very handy... Compared to when I first did any sort of welding when I was a kid (about 18) and welded without a mask, I had a mask but it got in the way... Anyhoo the day after I couldn't see, had horrible sunburn and drove myself to the hospital (stupid I know) they gave me some drops and pain killers which helped but I had to see an optician as ever since Iv been sensitive to bright lights because I burnt my retina... Not fun... I look back now and laugh but Iv never once welded without a mask...
Glad you're enjoying it mate and all the best for your welding :y
That's a really good point. When can you call yourself a welder? lol technically I suppose I can having welded two pieces of metal together ;D but I'd say I know 5%.... so still got 95% to go ;D
Re the mask. that would suck. you still get the eye sensitivity? :o :'(
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When can you call yourself a welder?
When you're coded ;) http://www.hgcodedwelding.com/Articles/how-do-we-define-coded-welding-or-code-welding
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Steve, thanks for that link. Don't care about design of mask. Just want a ''good 'un'' :y
Re the flux core... I did consider it. Is it even compatible with my machine? I was told by a few people not to bother. Can't remember the reason why :-\
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When can you call yourself a welder?
When you're coded ;) http://www.hgcodedwelding.com/Articles/how-do-we-define-coded-welding-or-code-welding
Whilst I'd love to flash a welding cert. at people that's definitely not for me. I'd much prefer to say ''yeah, I taught myself''......with help from OOF of course ;) ;) ;)
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Steve, thanks for that link. Don't care about design of mask. Just want a ''good 'un'' :y
Re the flux core... I did consider it. Is it even compatible with my machine? I was told by a few people not to bother. Can't remember the reason why :-\
you need to reverse polarity of gun-2 wires inside welder near wire spool--and dont bother---rusts very quickly and harder to do as heat is more local -giving distortion of metal being welded---not good for bodywork
When can you call yourself a welder?
When you're coded ;) http://www.hgcodedwelding.com/Articles/how-do-we-define-coded-welding-or-code-welding
Whilst I'd love to flash a welding cert. at people that's definitely not for me. I'd much prefer to say ''yeah, I taught myself''......with help from OOF of course ;) ;) ;)
lloyds and british federal :y thats mine
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Knew there was a reason for not using it. Just couldn't remember what.
Yep, I know the leads you're talking about. . . Won't touch them! ;D
My first bottle of gas is still working :o woulda thought that woulda run out by now. Got three back up double capacity bottles just in case though :)
Re mig welding in tight spaces. . . Interested to know why it wouldn't work. . . Obviously depending on what your definition of tight spaces is. E.g. I have seen many vids where people repair chassis parts using mig.
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Knew there was a reason for not using it. Just couldn't remember what.
Yep, I know the leads you're talking about. . . Won't touch them! ;D
My first bottle of gas is still working :o woulda thought that woulda run out by now. Got three back up double capacity bottles just in case though :)
Re mig welding in tight spaces. . . Interested to know why it wouldn't work. . . Obviously depending on what your definition of tight spaces is. E.g. I have seen many vids where people repair chassis parts using mig.
you can build a chassis mate--but you need good weld penetration--otherwise risky and tight space? if you can get gun into it and see--then not a problem--try dummy run with gun first--ie not welding-just checking movement/room etc
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Flux core will smoke out your garage pretty quick though ;D + splatter issues ...
Just been watching flux core gas shield :D
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When can you call yourself a welder?
When you're coded ;) http://www.hgcodedwelding.com/Articles/how-do-we-define-coded-welding-or-code-welding
And for the rest of us welding rusty wrecks theres..
(http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k536/tidla1/seamsealer_zpsdcadf09b.jpg)
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Yes I do still suffer from light sensativity, even after 30 years...:(
I bought mu MIG 2nd hand, with a spool of rusty wire, no gas bottle or connection for it... Had to buy the bottle and regulator, new tips and gas shield as it was bodged together, but it still worked, and the Miggy passed its MoT :) which was a bonus.. LOL
I still use my ARC welder but on the thicker metals, and tend to use the MIG for the thinner stuff... Its a lot easier to use the MIG than the ARC...
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How you getting on with that Pug door Mr weborinio :-\
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How you getting on with that Pug door Mr weborinio :-\
Not done any more on the door cos its so thin.
Currently working on 2.5 - 3mm stuff to get used to it, then going to see if I can replicate my new skills on the thinner stuff :y
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How you getting on with that Pug door Mr weborinio :-\
Not done any more on the door cos its so thin.
Currently working on 2.5 - 3mm stuff to get used to it, then going to see if I can replicate my new skills on the thinner stuff :y
do small spots--called stitch welds---less heat build up----go and give it a try mate :y :y
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Yep I agree, short bursts and time inbetween to give the metal a chance to shrink back...
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Next welding installment to come on Thursday :)
Am I right in thinking that you want the maximum power possible without obviously burning through the metal? Therefore you should try the highest setting, if it burns through drop down a setting. If it doesnt burn through thats the correct setting..... then just adjust your wire speed?
:)
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With a bit of experience you will know what settings will be a good starting point and be able to tweak it from there.
Having a scrap bit of metal the same thickness as the type you intend to weld certainly helps at first!
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What I do (right or wrong) is to set-up on the lowest possible setting until I start to get good penetration and the weld 'sticks' to the metal...
If I find it's just blowing holes into the sheet, I dial it back 1 setting...
The wire speed is dependant on the speed of your hand I find... It may not be the correct way of doing it but thats how I find the correct settngs for mine when I do some welding...
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Thanks boys.
MF, seems like you do exactly what i was thinking..... just you start from the lowest first and work up ;D
ive no idea but the tinternet seems to suggest that starting off higher is better because you dont end up with a clogged tip.
i dunno though. i suppose you want the highest setting without burning through cos you need the penetration.
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Have you thought of attending a college course or a coded welding training firm?
Least you'll be taught properly and the pros can talk you through it.
They can then check the quality of your weld for penetration and strength.
welding sheet metal is an artform.
Try looking up alloy tig welding, the pool of weld is hardly noticable.
Maybe even take a look down your local bodyshop and have a word with the guys down there.
Better than becoming disheartened because you covered your car door with bird shit.
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Thanks Spireite.
I have considered it. but to be honest i have all the scrap in the world in my yard lol and i'm happy to keep on doing it by myself.
you guys are helping me understand what i'm doing which is great :)
and hopefully with a bit more practise i can do ok.
to be honest i dont think im doing too bad at the moment. just need to practise practise practise :)
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Webby try low wire speed and mid setting for amps then take from there- but ensure you got a clean earth point too :y
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Thanks Symes.
for 2.5mm got it set up on max setting (2 MAX) and wire speed 4.5. seems to be doing well :)
i take it i could strike an arc and adjust the wire speed WHILST i'm welding? that may help really fine tune it :)
welding again tomorow. can not wait!!! :):):)
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Ps, just a word on TIG welding...
I've been reading about it to determine the differences between it and MIG. It appears that TIG can be used on anything so steel, stainless steel, alluminium, brass etc. it also is much better for welding really thin steel. but downside is it takes longer to weld. is that about the long and short of it?
I've watched someone TIG weld on YT and to be honest i think i'd find it difficult to do it cos you have the torch in one hand (with a non-consumable tip which I found interesting) and the filler wire in the other.
With most things...where there's a will there's a way but it may be a good distance off before i even have a go.
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Tig is a two handed operation as you need to hold the torch in one hand and filler od in the other with kit being pricey, alloys require an AC capable set which ups the price further.
Better for thin steel, questionable unless you have a pulse unit.
Its a bit like the electrical equivalent of gas welding I find, there are a few types of tungsten alloy electrodes used dependent on the material your working with.
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Thanks Mark,
Appreciated you need two hands but so far not come across anything I couldnt do with the aid of string and some vice grips ;D
Seriously though, I 'd have to think long 'n hard how to do it.
I saw some guy have a peddle that he depressed at certain times. What would that be for? :-\
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Pedal set on a TIG unit controls the power (amperage) usually, so it's a variable on/off switch.
And you really need good fine motor skills with both hands for TIG - getting the pool right and feeding the filler into it at the right rate so you don't either melt a hole, leave a dip or have big gobs of half joined filler in there is meant to take practice and good dexterity (and vision).. which, er, might prove problematic, in the nicest possible way!
Having said all that there are videos of "one handed TIP TIG" on Youtube.. no idea how that works, but I presume the torch must be different and auto feed the filler, maybe. Mark might know..
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Ok, thanks Aaron.
Always expect problems mate ;D
Not wanting to over delve in to a subject that I'm realistically probably never going to try, but why would TIG need variable power as opposed to the constant power in MIG?
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It allows control of the residual heat, so you can apply power to create a weld pool, add your filler and then lower the power before moving forward.
It reduces the heat put into the surrounding material and minimises distortion, this is what a pulse unit does over a timed repetition.
Good TIG welders also have ramp up and ramp down of current to
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It allows control of the residual heat, so you can apply power to create a weld pool, add your filler and then lower the power before moving forward.
It reduces the heat put into the surrounding material and minimises distortion, this is what a pulse unit does over a timed repetition.
Good TIG welders also have ramp up and ramp down of current to
Cheers Mark :y :y :y
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For single handed TIG welding just remember that not all welds require filler there may well be more than enough material in the parent metal :y
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For single handed TIG welding just remember that not all welds require filler there may well be more than enough material in the parent metal :y
Ah good point.. I think the video I found was joining two fairly heavy sections of pipe on a rolling jig, so all the welder was doing was walking the pool between the pipes. (If I have the terminology right - given I've never actually tried TIG.. was going to get Amy's dad to teach me all that at the Uni, ho hum)
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Been out this morning. Welds are looking a lot better. The key, apart from getting the settings correct, is to watch the pool!!!! It's almost (ALMOST) like colouring in..... I strike an arc, wait for pool to build, move on and it looks like the pool is being dragged. if I move too quickly I go over it again briefly. welds are looking a LOT tidier imo.
ps, I tried writing on steel. looks ghood imo. ok its not calligraphy ;D but I think I got the hang of it.
Pics to follow later...
ONLY ISSUE.....welder stopped just before I got done writing a plaque with a soppy message to my woman verse about peace and war. . . . bear thinks WTF. Check my extension and its not working.
knowing nowt about electrics....have I overloaded the extension and blown an internal fuse? its one of the cheap reel ones.....
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cheap+extension+leads&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=UzCAVJyTEcLUOaTEgEg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=YPkcL8_FMnCAYM%253A%3BNxv9etlQEQsDOM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-ktes0aGBub0%252FUon4dSi3SyI%252FAAAAAAAAAUY%252FXt003ImRtRE%252Fs1600%252Fjojo-extension-reel2011.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Frepairshed.blogspot.com%252F2013%252F11%252Fpressure-washers-buyers-guide-what-to.html%3B600%3B600
not this exact one but that style. any ideas? sadly, cant weld til I repair it or get a new one :'(
:)
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Probably popped the fuse, is yours like one of the pictures affairs with the little pop-out red button to reset the trip?
Of course if you haven't had the whole thing unwound .. try unwinding it now and see if the wiring inside is melted together. That's a possibility if you use a long extension coiled up with heavy draw through it!
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Thanks Aaron,
Opened the plug up. brown wire broke, refitted, new fuse in (for good measure), reset, and now she works :)
cheers mate.
right, back to welding :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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Easy fixes are the best :y
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Please ignore the childish humour ::) my friends surname is Gans and this is his xmas pressie ;D
So ignoring the silliness.....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-awesome001_zps8c9aa97a.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-awesome001_zps8c9aa97a.jpg.html)
You can see I went a little off track working left to right ;D but other than that I think it looks good and is solid as a bleedin' rock :)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-awesome003_zps36397ff2.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-awesome003_zps36397ff2.jpg.html)
And some tack welds to put the bent valves on.... going to make myself a little trophy ::)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-awesome007_zpse65d1f9c.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-awesome007_zpse65d1f9c.jpg.html)
Will grind them down and make it tomorrow.
The reason I stopped today - was feeling a bit sick :( a bit dizzy also. was wearing a face mask under my helmet. but wondering if I got some fumes down me. :-\
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Pretty much no fumes to be had off mild steel, any paint that could burn?
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interesting. maybe coincidence then.
no paint around :y
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Nice one Bearorinioto :y
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Guys, I would like to talk about penetration if I may (no STMO....not what you're thinkin' ::))
I have been reading about this and when ''butt'' welding (joining two pieces pushed up to each other) the MIG forum says the following is poor, ok and over penetration for butt welding.....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/penetration_zps0711e3ee.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/penetration_zps0711e3ee.jpg.html)
SO.
Just as a reminder here's my first proper butt weld which I think looks ok (once I've grinded it down ;D)...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-awesome003_zps36397ff2.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-awesome003_zps36397ff2.jpg.html)
But as you can see from this piccie of t'other side I just took I have poor penetration for a butt joint...
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/wa001_zpsfdfa9c5e.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/wa001_zpsfdfa9c5e.jpg.html)
The MIG forum states that you definitely shouldn't see the two joins.
So. Bearing in mind this weld was done at the Max setting..... will leaving a gap of around 1/2 the thickness of the metal solve this problem as the MIG forum suggests? Or is there summat fundamental I'm getting wrong.
I await your thoughts with beef jerky baited breath :)
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Afternoon guys, I hope you're all well :) I apologise in advance as this is going to be a pic heavy and long post lol
Got the week off as had to use up some hol. Although only today could I get round to welding as was with the mrs yesterday and Monday. anyways I digress lol
Firstly, I used the ''pee shooter'' that recently arrived...... was indoors on max ''6'' on the regulator and only got 5LPM. this is clearly the reason why my welds look not that great lol is there a known problem with this Clarke welder and its gas distribution? im sure ive heard someone mention this. kev perhaps? :-\
So anyways, today's exercise was to weld some beads on all different thicknesses of steel and actually get the settings written down so that I can simply refer to my notebook for the correct setting / wire speed. Then once that was all noted down I would try the methods we've discussed to get this good penetration on some butt welds.
Ok, so some 4mm. I only laid a couple of beads cos quite honestly I'm not convinced this welder will join 4mm that easily and in honesty I probably wont be focusing on this sort of thickness. anyways I noted the best setting for a nice sizzle was MAX 2 - W/S - 6.5
[IMG]
Some 3mm beads... setting MAX 2 - W/S 6
[IMG]
Some 2mm beads.... setting MAX 2 - W/S 5
[IMG]
And some 1.5mm beads... setting MAX 2 - W/S 5
[IMG]
The interesting thing about these is that I found I could weld the 1.5mm on the max heat setting. I did notice that the metal easily distorted though so I'm thinking that I either dial the heat down or when welding I will attack it in short bursts so as not to distort it.
As per the videos posted by norlander i think, I also found that doing loops with the puddle / pool got that classic weld look lol so will do that from now on too :)
So as of now I'm totally comfortable laying beads on top of steel. check point 1 made lol :)
So miving on to some butt welds...
3.5mm...with a root gap of about 1.5mm....
[IMG]
you can see in the pic that the inner most weld is a bit fat. I noticed this and then did the smaller weld closest to the bottom of the pic. the reason it was fat initially was cos I was experimenting with travel speed:the fat one was very slow.
as you can see even with a root gap the penetration is still showing the two joins...
[IMG]
A 2mm butt weld....
[IMG]
really not pretty and I think I really suffered from gas distribution issues here. but hey ho.
This 2mm join was a tad better...
[IMG]
my camera died so couldn't get any other shots of penetetration but theyre all the same and all are showing the gap still. where to go from here?
is it something I should be worrying about bearing in mind I beat the living crap out of it and the first thing to bend was the centre of the steel and not my weld lol....
[IMG]
around all the butt welds im getting a real nice ''heat leach'' but as said no weld filtering through the gap.
anyway to end on a high. I did a 1.5mm lap weld and its prob my best looking weld so far....
[IMG]
[IMG]
What do you think guys? and any help with the gap still showing issue would be awesome :)
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piccies no worky....
see last post on here for pics (same thread)
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/day-1-of-self-teaching-mig-welding.50838/page-4#post-584200
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No issues with gas distribution from the Clarke but, the cheap small bottle regulators are a bit naff.
You wont get full penetration on such think steel, I mentioned this when you were looking at welders :y
If going thick, prep your material with under cut.
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Soz I missed that Mark. But obviously I had a LOT of info to take in ;D
So basically.... on all the metal sizes I been working on (1.5 to 4mm) even with root gaps and bevels and ''V''s I'm always going to end up with my underside looking like the one on the left....
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/penetration_zps0711e3ee.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/penetration_zps0711e3ee.jpg.html)
if so, then am I still ok to weld floor pans, tables etc.? obviously last thang I want is to make a table and then it collapses lol or put a floor in to a car like symes does and then the occupants are left in the middle of the M1 ;D ;D ;D ;D
Also are undercuts what I mentioned....the bevels, 'V's' etc?
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Been thinking about the gas distribution....
Being indoors and only getting 5LPM....... if I get a new regulator will that up the gas flow to level required?
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Been thinking about the gas distribution....
Being indoors and only getting 5LPM....... if I get a new regulator will that up the gas flow to level required?
you will always struggle with the disposable bottles,if you change the reg to up the pressure the bottle will be empty in a few minutes :-[
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ok, thanks henry :y
but for the purposes of learning.... is this an obvious reason why half my welds look garbage? they look good once ive done them and as they are cooling down...then they seem to ''gather'' this brown shite and other crap!
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I used to rent a bottle from BOC for the MIG welder Gixer now has. It certainly made welding easier with a continual positive pressure at whatever setting used, however they were not cheap to hire, I think even the small one I used 10 years ago was about £45 a year, and as I had already rebuilt the Beetle I bought it for, it was not worth paying for, hence disposal of MIG welder. :y
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Thanks guys. Will look in to this gas issue :)
ps, when bevelling to make a butt weld.... is it just a 45 degree angle that's desirable allthe way to the bottom?
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Look at hobbyweld for gas or one of the other rent-free suppliers ;)
For bevel joints - there are choices to be made as to whether you bevel all the way down or whether you effectively 'groove' the joint and leave a thin piece of metal un-bevelled; start reading here: http://www.tpub.com/steelworker1/16.htm
[edit] Although as you're not talking about passing a coding exam, just whack any old bevel on there and as long as it's straight and you can strike the arc and get good penetration before using the filler to build it back up to level again.. you'll be fine.
I'm surprised you can't get full penetration on 1.5mm steel with that welder, though.. really should try mine out some time (and get more gas for it) :-[
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Thanks Aaron. :)
Going out to give the bevels a go.
Yeah I was surprised too. but I did just do a gap with no bevels AND I'm clearly having gas issues (lol) which im informed do affect penetration. This was tested with a ''pee shooter'' gas flow meter with the trigger half depressed so just gas coming out with no wire.
I'm going to try and isolate the gas issue by measuring gas coming out of the regulator with tube disconnected. if that's good then I know its in my line(s) somewhere.
if its low coming out of the bottle im going to get a new regulator cos, even though henry mentioned consuming gas quickly, but I really want some nice welds, ya know.
then ill look at getting a decent bottle
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Ok, I have another question lol
After reading lots of things online it appears that the Clarke I have will weld up to 3.0 to 3.5mm....not the 5mm they say! lol
But welding that thick does mean a lot of preparation..... gapping, bevels and good gas flow.
My question however is referring to a little drawing I've done ::)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/BEVELLS_zpsb1be4e2a.png) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/BEVELLS_zpsb1be4e2a.png.html)
If I bevel and gap my 3mm workpiece and I run a bead of weld as in the pic....the areas ive marked with 'stars' are not going to have any weld in them. I could weave or loop or whatever y'all call it to cover it but apparently that makes for a weak joint so obviously I want to avoid that. should I simply run two more seems where the stars are and then one on top for good measure?
obviously the above wont matter with 1.5mm and the like but will 'weld coverage' be an issue with 3mm?
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Don't over think the bevels for thin stuff like 3mm; running the grinder along the sharp corner ought to be enough. The gap between the pieces should be the thickness of the wire, even with thin sheet.
Having had a try with thicker metal, you should find the sheet metal much easier, as you're now watching the actual weld.
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Don't over think the bevels for thin stuff like 3mm; running the grinder along the sharp corner ought to be enough. The gap between the pieces should be the thickness of the wire, even with thin sheet.
Having had a try with thicker metal, you should find the sheet metal much easier, as you're now watching the actual weld.
ok fair enough, thanks nick.
ive been out and put a bunch of 45 degree (roughly) bevels on the 1.5mm scrap I have left so will see tomorrow if this improves things with the gap about the same as the wire. im thinking that as bevelling makes the weld area thinner I do need to keep an eye on the gap so thanks for that tip.
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Rookie mistakes this morning ;D ;D ;D ;D
Doing some butt welds. Couldn't figure out why my usual settings weren't seeming to work.... was getting in all sorts of bother. This went on for about 'arf an hour ;D then realised I wasn't leaving any distance between tip and workpiece ::) ::) ::) ::)
Backed my distance off to about 10mm and got welding nicely again ;D
I think its cos I was concentrating so hard.
Anyways, was welding 1.5mm steel. gapped. and workpieces bevelled. penetration was better. but still not all the way through. ill post up some pics.
wonder why I cant get the penetration especially on something that thin.
only thing I can see is that my gas flow isn't 5LPM..... its actually 3LPM ( I misread the ''pee shooter'' thingy).
Clarkes instructions say 3-5LPM indoors is fine. but then loooads of people have said it needs to be nearer 10.
what do we think? :)
ps will post up some piccies in a bit
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You don't need masses of gas when welding inside, ten is a lot.
A witches breath is what I was always taught.
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Fair enough then Mark.
Any idea why im not getting the pen. that I need? I know you mentioned the machine not being great for penetrating but.... 1.5mm steel???? :o
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Nothing wrong with the machine, at 135amp max you will only get full pen on steel thicknesses up to circa 2.5mm.
Remember that it is all about the weld pool, move it slower and it will penetrate deeper.
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Ok, thanks mate :)
Reckon it's worth dropping down settings? Therefore being able to stay on the area for longer without burning through? :)
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Also Webby too much gas can cause the weld pool to cool prematurely thus harming your penetration,I know you aren't getting as much gas as you'd like but being a small torch you've probably got plenty,I'm with Mark that I only ever have just enough gas to weld cleanly, unless outside or in draught,different ballgame then :y
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Fair enough Henryd, thanks for that :y
Ok, one last question for today ('ad a belly full of welding today ;D)
Stick out..... the distance between contact tip and work piece.
My contact tip is recessed quitefar in to my nozzle, someone mentioned this could be an issue and that I should be looking for contact tip to just be sticking out the nozzle. how do you adjust this? do you simply unscrew contact tip until its sitting where you want? I cant see that being the case...do I have to buy a longer tip(s)?
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Just a quick update...
I sawed off the end of my nozzle ::) in an effort to reduce stick out
Been out this morning with new shortened nozzle and also plugged in to the mains as opposed to an extension lead. I started off welding 3mm steel. I got to say, right from the off there feels like theres more power in this thing. placebo? not sure. however I thought id go right back to basics. I re-read everything everyones put and watched basics videos etc.
so started running beads on the 3mm and first one I did got real good penetration...so much so that it started coming through the other side as opposed to just a ''leech'' mark.
Ran a few more beads... no problem. then I started getting globules of molten on my tip. and then it kept happening. so I reduced WFS. That sorted it but obviously then started to only make occasional contact and the weld was crap. very frustrating. the only solution was to increase my tip distance but them I got the machine gun rattle.
I think I haven't been paying enough attention to my tip distance. some times I get globules on the tip. other times it would sound like a machine gun drive by shooting haha. and then other times it would weld ok. I tried to listen for the bacon sizzling. got it a couple of times but it just didn't seem to ever last long.
finally, I got a much better view of the puddle with a 45 degree angle as opposed to the 2o degree youre ''supposed'' to have. andthat felt most comfy and the weld seemed to go a bit better when I did that so that's what I stuck to.
ill keep practising but I think I may have to invest in a course at my local college cos I really wanna get this down cos I do really enjoy it.
anyways I did a few beads and a few joins. ill post 'em up in a few..see what u guys think.
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(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-19-12-14002_zps2672a55f.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-19-12-14002_zps2672a55f.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-19-12-14001_zpscc2296dc.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-19-12-14001_zpscc2296dc.jpg.html)
(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-19-12-14004_zpse71ca2ce.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-19-12-14004_zpse71ca2ce.jpg.html)(http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee402/webbybear1/Welding-19-12-14003_zpsef103cef.jpg) (http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/webbybear1/media/Welding-19-12-14003_zpsef103cef.jpg.html)
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You need to find what works best for,and that takes time,try different settings and different distances etc :y
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Yeah definitely right mate. theyre not th prettiest but they do hold :y
I know you have to use a lot of amps to mig weld. so if in the future I got a more powerful mig welder what sort of thickness would I be able to weldand get full penetration?
or.
do I leave themig welding and try stick welding for the thicker stuff (kinda want to be able to do some thicker material)
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About the biggest welder you'll get on a domestic supply is 180A (e.g. the Clarke MIG196) which on paper will do 6mm steel.. Arc won't go any thicker necessarily.
Thicker than that and you'll need a three phase supply fitting ;) Then again, what on earth are you planning on building, Webby? :o
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You already have the biggest you can run off a 13A socket, anything more will require a dedicated mains feed.
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Actually good point .. there's probably bigger available for plugging into a 16A or 32A socket, still on 240v.. but you'd still need to rewrite the house ;D
(Or have a dedicated feed put into the garage like I did..)
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Haha! ok fair enough lads :)
Aaron, from the vids I been watching I though stick was the way forward for thick stuff?
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just a quickie .....
has anyone on here with the 135te used the 0.8mm wire (im currently using 0.6)....will it makemuch of a difference regarding being able to weld (with full penetration) thicker stuff?
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This welding blob going well.
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just a quickie .....
has anyone on here with the 135te used the 0.8mm wire (im currently using 0.6)....will it makemuch of a difference regarding being able to weld (with full penetration) thicker stuff?
No.
How could it; you're melting even more(slightly more!) metal with the same power.
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just a quickie .....
has anyone on here with the 135te used the 0.8mm wire (im currently using 0.6)....will it makemuch of a difference regarding being able to weld (with full penetration) thicker stuff?
No.
How could it; you're melting even more(slightly more!) metal with the same power.
That's what I thought. but. the chart online suggests that you can weld thicker material with thicker wire. but perhaps that's machones that have the option of upping the power.
still learning :y
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About the biggest welder you'll get on a domestic supply is 180A (e.g. the Clarke MIG196) which on paper will do 6mm steel.. Arc won't go any thicker necessarily.
Thicker than that and you'll need a three phase supply fitting ;) Then again, what on earth are you planning on building, Webby? :o
;D
You wont be able to push that tool trolley your making out of rsj's ;D
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1keWWaHGO5Wrj-iwY6yfDDoIb1xp0BnQZa6o5MBH3wj63tvGOUw)
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;D ;D ;D ;D