Evan Purple240zt Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Also, a good weld bead sounds kinda like bacon frying. Just a hiss/sizzle. Not poppy sounding. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNkEyT88 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Well, first of all, if you can, I would recommend switching over to GAS shielding. If not, can you get a different welder? Flux core works because the flux is turned to a gas which displaces the atmosphere around the work area. If you're not getting a good hot start, you'll never get the gas coverage you need. I wouldn't recommend using your machine for this because of that fact. If you can use gas it will purge before the arc starts, and you will have good gas coverage before you start your arc. Heres a pic of a weld I put down with my cheapo Clarke MIG welder. I am using C25 gas. Or 75% Argon, and 25% C02. So Step 1- Get gas shielding. Step 2- 230V + machine. More voltage and amperage with a 230V machine means that you will get nice hot tack welds, and good penetration if you decide to weld anything thicker. Also, play with the settings on some scrap. Practice makes perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8_DatZun Posted September 24, 2008 Author Share Posted September 24, 2008 Well it is a 600-800 dollar welder and i got it for 275.. Couldnt pass it up. Sure its used but Im sure it should work for the thin stuff, and probably even some of the thicker stuff.. I bought it with intentions of reselling it (or keeping it for thin jobs). When i need to weld up to 1/4" (which i dont think i'll be doing) but i know what you mean I know its cheap, but i also bought it CHEAP lol. The control on the mig gun for the wire speed is an option i love, also the 20ft lead for the gun is GREAT. but yeah i plan on running gas.. I already have a regulator. Do you just go somewhere and rent the tank and gas and return it when you are out or what? Also another question. If i am welding small holes such as where the emblems were, what is the best way to weld them up? fill it in with weld then grind down? Thats what I did, I just have to grind it down now. Also what if it is Quarter sized hole? try and get a piece cut out to fill it in, then weld it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNkEyT88 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Yes, you can go to a local welding supply store and rent a tank. Yes, you would just keep tacking a small hole to fill it in, then grind it down afterwords. Also, pulling the trigger is a lot quicker than the time it takes to grind, so go easy. You could also purchase a carbon block at the welding supply store. If you can get to the back of the panel, you can put the block against the back, and it should stop you from making a bigger hole, or having a lot of weld protruding out the back of the panel. And Yes, you would just cut out a piece of material to fit inside a larger hole, and then tack weld around it, until you've filled in all of the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Purple240zt Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Okay I see where you may be having trouble. Is the welder setup for gas or gassless? Was the PO using it as mig gas sheilded? If so the polarity is backwards for straight wire welding. Evan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sickboy Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Good advice here, an old timer (40+ years as a pro welder) simply told me to " build a puddle and keep it moving". Sounds overly simple but is really the essence of welding. This helped me immensely when I was a beginner, hopefully helps you too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 oh, you can even use a piece of copper as a backing plate so it can give you some insurance if you might burn through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8_DatZun Posted September 26, 2008 Author Share Posted September 26, 2008 it doesnt have a gas tip.. and it has flux cored wire so i ASSUME he was using it w/o gas at the time. although the gas connection in back does have a bit of clear tubing still attached to it as if it was just cut. thanks for the tips guys! i dont have any more welding to do at the moment but i plan on getting up some scraps and doing some more practice welds. ill post the pics when i do for some tips and hints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy82zx Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 I have a clarke hot shot. If yours is the spool gun like mine then it is extremely hard to use. any other mig i have used is far easier. to make it alot easier. Get gas for it, slow down your travel speed, and when you get the wire speed set tape it in place because it is very touchy and it is in a bad location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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