welding tips

[swedge]

set up my welder today i bought from Angus on here (thanks again)

need some words of wisdom from you guys about how to make my welds better

this is the welder i bought and im using argoshield light at 10lpm

the welds were done at max with wire speed between 2 and 6

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b441/angusl2006/SAM_1063.jpg


http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/84f9830d.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/bad29fc2.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/8f525a03.jpg

[_Jake]

Turn it down for starters lol Make sure your torch tilt and slope angles are at 90 degrees too :thumb:

[swedge]

turn the power down? i though it would have to be at that since its 2-3mm box section?

i hold the torch at 45 degrees and push it rather than push

[_Jake]

you dont need full whack at 2-3mm.. also try slowing down you could be going too fast & push is the way you should be doing it :) Push TIG/MIG, Pull MMA :thumb:

[swedge]

sorryi meant to say i push rather than pull and have the angle set so it gets the gas over the weld and not behind it

ill try lowering the power and see what happens

thanks

[turbojolt]

welding forums say pull dont push, fells backward to me as i was always taught when working to move stuff away from myself

[swedge]

you sure? the mig welding forum i use say to push the weld so that the gas flows over the welds that your goin to do rather than the ones youve already done

[_Jake]

Im a qualified welder, hardly gonna be telling porkies!

[turbojolt]

could well be wrong, i was looking for tips on gasless welding tho :/


like i say it did fell backward

[EwanG]

Push the weld if its solid wire so the gas shields the weld and pull if it is flux cored wire so you dont get flux enclusions :thumb:

[swedge]

What causes pinholes in the welds?

[Jon_nova1]

flol you lot sound like a bunch of grannies having an argument about the best way to knit.

If your arc welding you pull, if your mig welding you push.

picture one, your welding speed is too erratic, your power is too high or the gas is blowing the weld through the box if its set too high

picture two, the weld on the left looks ok, again too erratic, weld on the right isn't being welded at the right angle

picture three, on the left again welding too erratic and looks like changes in your welding angle, on the right your moving the welding gun too fast, consider lowering the power so you can make a nice steady weld without it falling through the box section, your welding with 130 amps, you can weld upto around 10MM on full power.

holes in the weld is oxygen reacting with the hot steel, turn the gas up a little or put the gun closer to your work

[EwanG]

What wire are you using? Pinholes will happen with lack of gas or posssibly pushing flux cored wire. The gas shields the weld from the atmosphere so does the flux. As I said if you push flux wire it can end up inside the weld causing pinholes or the real name being porosity (aero chocolate lol) :thumb:

[Jon_nova1]

he's using a mig with argoshield light

[EwanG]

he's using a mig with argoshield light

Pushing the weld is the way. Lack of gas means no gas,welding shroud blocked,a kink or hole in the hose from the gas to the torch or pressure not enough. When you press the trigger you should hear the gas. Possibly the test metal he has used is rusty,oily or dirty or the mig wire is rusty.:thumb:

[swedge]

Cheers for the info guys

The welds on there were all done at different angles etc trying to get it right

Will have another bash tomorrow and see what happens

I'm using normal wire with argoshield light

[Angus Closier]

I draw towards me... Bit backwards I'm sure but When moving in "C" shapes from edge to edge (if that makes sence?) I seem to get fine gas coverage as I am never moving too fast. I end up almost "pooling the weld"? Either way Practice makes perfect... And it should sound like bacon frying!

[_Jake]

And it should sound like bacon frying!
Not neccesarily...

[Lewis.]

as has been said, the power is way too high, forcing you to move too fast, also you steel looks rusty. a quick wire brush won't suffice, use a coarse flap disc and get down to perfect shiny metal. Also, what size wire are you using? The difference when going up to 0.8 from 0.6 is like jumping a power setting, so bear that in mind when setting the power. also, how smooth is the wire feed? I have a SIP Weldmate and the wire feed speed varies constantly making it difficult to get a nice clean weld. SIP is garbage imo

[Angus Closier]

Not neccesarily...

As a rough guide to setting up a welder for a beginner is this not a rough rule of thumb?

All ways helped me set things up!

[swedge]

ok so i had a fiddle today, set the regulator while the trigger was depressed to 10lpm

still all porous, i turned the regulator right up to 20 and this is what happened

the weld on the right is at 10lpm all the other welds are at 20lpm, im inside ina shed so no wind or anything

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/84c89888.jpg
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/a3ef121d.jpg

[_Jake]

20lpm is loads, im usually between 8 and 12! Looking much better though mate

[swedge]

yeah ive checked the hoses inside the welder and they seem fine, it dosnt look like the hose that leads to the torch can be removed though

i changed the liner to a steel one and put one of the washers back in wrong, i put it right and it has helped a bit but not perfect

[paul james]

I always turn the gas up to maximum now, I'd rather spend a bit more on gas than have crappy welds that could fail.

[swedge]

but surely you shouldnt need to have it on max, 10lpm ive been told is fine maybe a bit more to compensate for wind

i have a flow tester at work im gonna borrow and see whats what

[paul james]

The gas still lasts for ages for me even when turned up to full.

[Jon_nova1]

The middle weld on the top picture is the best one although the speed is too fast, it should come out a nice c shape not a V shape like yours, im not sure what your welding but slowing down a little will also get you better penetration and the weld will be less raised.

Don't turn your gas up as far as it will go, not only will you waste alot of gas but the selonoid that controls the gas flow in the nozzle could get damaged or freeze although i can see there is a slight delay between the time the welder starts welding and the gas emits from the nozzle, this is either a fault with the trigger or you have the gun too far away from the work peice when you first start welding, it should be around 10MM above the work peice

[swedge]

The metal is some scrap about 2mm thick

Cheers for the pointers another bash tomorrow

I've borrowed a flow tester from my work do I can see what's happening with my gas, I'll test it after the solenoid and at the tip

I've took the head apart and fitted a steel liner and it dosnt look like I can change the hose inside that

[Jon_nova1]

I suspect that the selonoid is opening shortly after the weld has begun, i don't think its a blockage

[swedge]

ok so i disconnected the hose where come from the solenoid and into the main hose and the pressure is fine, theres no leaks in that part

im must be loosing gas somewhere where the hose runs up to the torch head, that hose isnt removable though

there isnt anywhere near the amount of gas coming out the shroud than there is going in to it (going by sound as i cant get a good seal on the top)

[swedge]

this is how the gas hose from the solenoid connects to the main hose

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/f43b875a.jpg

[gearbox90]

i think the liner in those type of tourches is changeable, i have done one on my uncles welder which is the same as yours.

[swedge]

so they cant be changed apart from the whole lot?

[autoworksnovasport]

hiya swedge in your secound set of pics the higher gas setting looks better try halfway between the two settings also the speed looks a bit high as its "looks" like most of the weld is ontop on the metal try turning the speed down a little

if all that fails weld in sections rather than trying to do "runs"

[gearbox90]

yes it can be changed, he bought a liner set from halfords i beleave, that had a new black liner, tip and shield in it, we fitted it all and made a big difference to his.
edited : if you search sip welder liner on ebay they will come up :D

[swedge]

yeah but how do i get the old one out? ive looked isnide the head when i changed the liner and cant see how the hose is changed

[gearbox90]

i cant remember tbh mate, was ages ago , i know we had it all in peaces

[swedge]

hmm, ill have another look when i disconnect the everything from the welder itself all the hose is is one piece, the gas hose must run inside it and i cant get in it to remove it

same with the torch end its just one solid hose with everything inside

[swedge]

yes it can be changed, he bought a liner set from halfords i beleave, that had a new black liner, tip and shield in it, we fitted it all and made a big difference to his.
edited : if you search sip welder liner on ebay they will come up :D


ive already changed the liner, its the gas hose now

[gearbox90]

Ah sorry mate . i thought the gas went up the liner aswell .

[swedge]

aaah it might do? i have my liner sticking out just before the wire feed rollers

ill pull the liner through a bit and see if that helps any

[swedge]

lookin at other pics i dont think it does actually

[gearbox90]

no thinking about it i dont think it can either . Has i said mate it was a long while ago now.

[swedge]

figured it out today, when i fitted the new liner i ran it all the way up the swan neck too

i trimmed it back to where the swan neck screws in and everything is fine

perfect gas flow at the shroud

heres a quick weld i done to check the gas was fine (upper weld)

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/87dabe02.jpg

[swedge]

had a play again today trying different settings

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee127/swedge87/30d7bdf5.jpg

[gearbox90]

they are looking better mate. you want to try welding two plates together now.