finnally ordered a welder: started floor repair. have a couple questions

[K5 Jess]

Only if youve got the ground clamp in your hand somehow. Take the ground clamp off whatever your working on if your still concerned. Sometimes with those smaller rolls of wire, the wire is wound too tight and the wire will have too tight of an arch to it. Making it harder to feed through your lead.

 

[gonefishin]

From the look of your weld are you using solid core wire with no gas?

 

[metalneverdies]

Correct. For the time being i am just running .035 flux core

 

[gonefishin]

Ok well slow down don't move so fast build a puddle and watch it follow you as you move the tip I rock it gently in a c as I move down

 

[K5 Jess]

Correct. For the time being i am just running .035 flux core

Explains a lot! Switch to gas asap

 

[shady]

if your running flux core you can pull the gas cone off for now. I'd wrap tape over any possible exposed threads as a precaution. Mine even has an insulated tip with no cone just for flux core

 

[Deuling]

Do you have the polarity correct?? Something looks really jacked up, even for flux core.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

Ok well slow down don't move so fast build a puddle and watch it follow you as you move the tip I rock it gently in a c as I move down

thats what i was thinking too. slow down. actually form a puddle (if you dont get one than turn up the heat)
and slowly rock it down the weld.

 

[K5 Jess]

Do you have the polarity correct?? Something looks really jacked up, even for flux core.

ya, I was thinking this while I was working today.

 

[K5 Jess]

and slowly rock it down the weld.

huh!?!?!?

 

[Deuling]

ya, I was thinking this while I was working today.

Cuz I mean, I got my welder with flux core and never touched a welder before, and my weld looked alot better than those...

 

[K5 Jess]

Had you got the Thermal Arc it wouldve come with a dvd you could watch. Check your manual

 

[metalneverdies]

if your running flux core you can pull the gas cone off for now. I'd wrap tape over any possible exposed threads as a precaution. Mine even has an insulated tip with no cone just for flux core

I bought a special flux core tip. It was 5 bucks and figured why not

 

[Smokinthehippies]

huh!?!?!?

Well I didn't want to say after you form the puddle follow proper technique to push the puddle. (Actually I think flux core you pull the puddle. )

 

[metalneverdies]

Had you got the Thermal Arc it wouldve come with a dvd you could watch. Check your manual

Bleh lincoln, hobart, miller all have videos online. I just need to get some practice in. Dont think i was forming a puddle.

 

[ashman]

you'll get there man. I got my first welder only a few months ago and with a few tips from the guys here I'm making decent beads now.

when you can swing it, I'd go gas. it's so much easier to make decent welds.

 

[Deuling]

Oh yah, with flux core you have to pull the wire. Wanna be at about a 45* angle pulling back with the copper tip around 1/2" from the material. Cant push with flux core, its like stick welding.

 

[K5 Jess]

Cant push with flux core, its like stick welding.

 

[Deuling]

Idk how its bs.

 

[rdn2blazer]

This is a very good video for basic MIG wedding. It's how I do all my MIG welding.