welding help

jeff swisher · Post by **jeff swisher** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:02 pm

Things need to be real clean ,No galvanizing --no rust -- no paint , or grease...That is what i have found with the smaller machines,and flux core

Here is a biggie,, no long 16 gauge extention cords...12 gauge yes ..even 25 feet of 16 hurts them little machines..That is my experience

Tod74 · Post by **Tod74** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:40 pm

I have worked on and welded with all kinds from 110 flux cored centuries up to millermatic delta weld 450's and even the newer Miller pulse weld stuff on ABB/ESAB robots...AND I have never used a 110 that was worth a hoot. They just do not have enough power or adjustability to get a good arc going unless it is perfectly clean and you keep the tip very close to the work.
Wire speed effects amperage as does the distance the contact tip is from the work. Too much amperage will cause you all kinds of grief when welding thin stuff.It will burn holes as fast or faster than too much heat because the wire feeds out faster than it can melt and it pushes through the molten puddle and cuts a hole.(again, speaking of thin stuff such as sheet metal and exhaust tubing) Without the ability to adjust the voltage along with the IPM of the wire it is hard to get a good setting. I say it is 85 % the machine and 15 % you. Any idiot can learn to mig weld in a very short time with a good welder.(not expert skills but competant) I am absolutely not calling you or anyone else an idiot, simply making the point of how incredibly easy mig welding is.

More heat and less wire will fatten the weld up and flatten it somewhat and will be less likely to burn through(within reason) It will also start the arc smoother unless the wire speed is way too low . Too much wire / not enough heat the weld will be thin and ropey looking. Play with your torch angle. You need to make sure you push your weld bead, not pull. Makes a huge differance in how a mig weld looks.

You don't need a 5000 dollar + welder but you do need a 220 volt one in my opinion. You will be much happier.sell that one and get a 220 for a couple hundred more. well worth it.

good luck.

Ron Gusack · Post by **Ron Gusack** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:03 pm

You don't need a 5000 dollar + welder but you do need a 220 volt one in my opinion. You will be much happier.sell that one and get a 220 for a couple hundred more. well worth it.

220 volt with gas or without or both? The thing that really makes the small machines nice is the portability.

They just do not have enough power or adjustability to get a good arc going unless it is perfectly clean and you keep the tip very close to the work.

How close is close........Like 3/8's?

Tod74 · Post by **Tod74** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:52 am

Ron Gusack wrote:
You don't need a 5000 dollar + welder but you do need a 220 volt one in my opinion. You will be much happier.sell that one and get a 220 for a couple hundred more. well worth it.
220 volt with gas or without or both? The thing that really makes the small machines nice is the portability.

They just do not have enough power or adjustability to get a good arc going unless it is perfectly clean and you keep the tip very close to the work.
How close is close........Like 3/8's?

use gas if you can. As far as the distance away that is something you sorta feel when your welding the closer you hold it the hotter it will feel and vise versa.

There are 220 volt machines that are very portable. I have a little hobart 175 that is about the same size as those 110 welders. I use it for welding quarter panels but it is plenty capable to weld 1/4 " It costs about 600 bucks.

only downfall is there obviously must be a 220 outlet close by.

Speedbump · Post by **Speedbump** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:07 pm

I have to disagree with Todd. I have an older Lincoln Weldpack 100 that I converted to gas and use C-25 mix. I also converted to the 10 lb. roll of .023 wire to dampen out the pulsations the smaller rolls seemed to have. This welder has 4 heat settings and a 1-10 wire feed dial and it's an absolute joy to use on exhaust tubing, sheet metal, quarter panels, brackets, etc. I also have a Miller 212 I use for bigger stuff and I know it will get small and I'm partial to Miller but I use that Lincoln way more than I ever thought I would. The 110 makes it too easy to drag around the shop for small stuff. Cleanliness and ground is the key but I think people overlook a quality helmet when it comes to good welding. I was laughed at when I spent $200 for a Miller Performance series helmet. That was more than I spent for the 110 Lincoln but it does have some good graphics. The quality of my welds went way up because these old eyes can actually see what I'm welding. I think I'll make up the cost of the helmet in reduced grinding wheel usage in about a year.

Ron Gusack · Post by **Ron Gusack** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:40 pm

Good point Speedbump, I can't clearly see what I'm welding, but when your a rookie, you don't know any better. A chassis builder told me to make aure I could see penetration on both pieces. I've never been able to see that. It seems like the lense is way to dark.

Tod74 · Post by **Tod74** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:14 am

Speedbump wrote:I have to disagree with Todd. I have an older Lincoln Weldpack 100 that I converted to gas and use C-25 mix. I also converted to the 10 lb. roll of .023 wire to dampen out the pulsations the smaller rolls seemed to have. This welder has 4 heat settings and a 1-10 wire feed dial and it's an absolute joy to use on exhaust tubing, sheet metal, quarter panels, brackets, etc. I also have a Miller 212 I use for bigger stuff and I know it will get small and I'm partial to Miller but I use that Lincoln way more than I ever thought I would. The 110 makes it too easy to drag around the shop for small stuff. Cleanliness and ground is the key but I think people overlook a quality helmet when it comes to good welding. I was laughed at when I spent $200 for a Miller Performance series helmet. That was more than I spent for the 110 Lincoln but it does have some good graphics. The quality of my welds went way up because these old eyes can actually see what I'm welding. I think I'll make up the cost of the helmet in reduced grinding wheel usage in about a year.

I agree about the hood. I have a speedglass apc helmet that can be adjusted from 9 to 13 on the shade...makes life much easier. I still prefer A 220 volt to a 110 but to each their own.

Speedbump · Post by **Speedbump** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:56 am

To Ron. Exactly the problem I had. My eyes wouldn't work at a 10 or 11 shade any more. I fought it for an ungodly amount of time (the getting old part) before I got the helmet. Now I can see since I can adjust it to about 9.2. I also got a 1.5 cheater lens which the helmet had a built in frame for. I will guarantee if you get an adjustable helmet and maybe a magnifier, you will start to have a little fun when welding again. To Todd. You're right for the most part about power. When I was building the frame of the current roadster project, I would never have tried to use a 110, but I do use that little Lincoln a bunch. Believe it or not, changing to the big wire roll made a huge difference. I think the larger inertia weight? of the roll makes it run smoother. The wire feed on the little machine is really pretty good now and I used to fight it a bunch.

Tod74 · Post by **Tod74** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:20 am

Well I gota admit in my mind I am probably comparing apples to oranges. I spent 12 years working on and setting up mig welders,among other things, for a living. It was all 3 phase miller stuff.. both hand welders and robotic... We had the best stuff money could buy and lots of it...so when you are used to working with a
5 or 6,000 dollar welder(maybe more I don't know what they cost) on a daily basis and then you use one that costs $200 or less...it just isn't the same.

I 'm sure it's like that with anything you do though.

I used a century 110 at home for body panels for a long time before I got the hobart that I have now...Like has been said it had to be very clean but it did get the job done. If you only use it every now and again I guess they can be handy.

Ron Gusack · Post by **Ron Gusack** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:59 am

Thanks guys, I think the tips provided will get me in the ballpark. I haven't been cleaning the parts to be welded very good, I should hit them with a grinder to get to virgin metal. I'm also not sure how good mine grounds have been. I didn't realize that stuff was so critical. I think improving vision would also be a major step up.

Thanks again
Ron