Gas Not Getting To Nozzle

[EdK]

(09-21-2013, 03:20 PM)aametalmaster Wrote: Trim your wire stick out where you like it each time before you strike the next arc. Depending what part i am welding at work i usually break my wire flush with the tip then tap the trigger so its there. But i am using gas flux core and it really doesn't like to start on the ball in the wire end...Bob

Bob,

I do cut the wire before every weld. I've been doing that all along. I think I read it somewhere when I first started welding so I've always done it.

Ed

[EdK]

I got sick of running beads so I tried welding on an actual project. Didn't do so good, cosmetically anyway, but I think the welds will be plenty strong for the project. The first picture I made two passes because the first pass didn't fill in the area. I should have done a weave on it to fill it in one pass. This is welding 1/8" steel to 1/4". I have three more of these to weld so I'll try the weave technique on the next one.

Ed

       

       

[doubleboost]

more power much more
Blow a hole in it then come down from there
John

[oldgoaly]

I've got a couple of mig welders, to make it easier to find stuff I took some of the nozzle gel and put it into another container, it seems appropriate for some

   

[EdK]

(09-21-2013, 05:05 PM)doubleboost Wrote: more power much more
Blow a hole in it then come down from there
John

I didn't know what to set the welder to since I was welding two different thicknesses of steel. I had it on the auto-set mode for 1/8" thickness which was probably a mistake.

Ed

[f350ca]

You mentioned you should have weaved Ed. I hardly ever run a bead with stick mig or tig where I don't weave. Now you have something else to master. Actually weaving the weld smooths the bead right out. When your joining different thicknesses hold the arc a little longer on the heavy metal side of the weave and just draw the arc to the lighter metal. This way you'll get good penetration on both parts without blowing through the lighter metal.
Probably not proper technique but I bring the mig in close to where I want to start the weld then just tap the trigger, the brief arc lights the area up so you can position yourself exactly where you want to start the weld and see to adjust your stick out. The wire burns back to give you room to start and stays hot enough to illuminate the area for a second or so.

[f350ca]

You were posting while I was typing Ed.
If your machine has auto settings as my Lincoln does they seem cold. If its say 1/4 I'm welding on the horizontal or vertical I set it to probably 3/8. Joining 1/4 to 1/8 I'd probably set it for 5/16 and keep the arc more on the heavy metal. With it set to 1/8 your not burning into the 1/4 plate at all, the weld will be just laying on top. Thats one bad thing about a mig, you can make a lovely looking cold weld that didn't penetrate at all.

[EdK]

(09-21-2013, 05:19 PM)f350ca Wrote: You were posting while I was typing Ed.
If your machine has auto settings as my Lincoln does they seem cold. If its say 1/4 I'm welding on the horizontal or vertical I set it to probably 3/8. Joining 1/4 to 1/8 I'd probably set it for 5/16 and keep the arc more on the heavy metal. With it set to 1/8 your not burning into the 1/4 plate at all, the weld will be just laying on top. Thats one bad thing about a mig, you can make a lovely looking cold weld that didn't penetrate at all.

Greg,

I was thinking the same thing. The next one I weld I'll set it for 5/16" and pause longer on the 1/4" thickness.

At least I'm making some progress. I was really frustrated a year ago when I was trying. And all because the gas wasn't getting to the weld pool.

Ed

[f350ca]

Keep at it Ed. you'll master it. As Doubleboost said crank the heat till your burning through. then cut back.
I bought the mig a long time ago while I was building a never finished boat, (long story). Thought it would speed up a lot of welding that needed to be done. I tried it and went back to stick. The welds looked good but were cold, on test pieces I could break the weld off the base metal too often. Some time latter I read about using a gas mix with 2-3% oxygen, which I still use. Night and day difference. Suddenly the base metal got hot and the welds flowed, using .035 wire became the same as 1/8 7018 stick. But useless for anything under about 12 gauge, I keep a bottle of straight argon / co2 for light work.

[EdK]

Got some practice in today. I turned up the heat as suggested and got much better welds. Not necessarily pretty but an improvement over last attempt. I really had trouble seeing the joint so I had to weld a stretch then stop to see where I was at. I got off of the joint on some because I couldn't see it. I need to figure that out.

Ed