welding help please

[sope]

Well I can't figure this out. I'm trying to weld some body panels. I'm using a Lincoln 175 220V mig .030 wire with gas. I can't get a bead going. It's just snapping, burning the wire and leaving little spot nuggets. I'm normally an Ok welder. Built lots of stuff with heavier metal. I have cleaned my ground cable and all connections. Any ideas? Please help i'm on a deadline with my rig and I have to get lots done today.

Thanks

 

[howdiy]

Try a new tip

 

[sope]

thanks. tried it no different.

 

[howdiy]

Is your welder the one from lowes/homedepot?

I had the same thing happen to mine also, I haven't figured it out yet.

 

[jimmy88]

I've always had issues welding the body panels. I use .025 wire and have found the metal has to be perfectly clean. Even then I assume the factory coatings or treatments to the steel cause issues because the welding is hardly ever the nice steady hiss like it is on regular bare steel angles and such. But I'm a stick welder at heart so maybe I've just never figured out these darned squirt guns

Hope you get it figured out.

 

[ryoken]

obviously watch out for any sheetmetal thats galvanized, it'll do that..

sounds like your too far away... crank the heat down, wire up and get right down on it... it's also always best to stitch it in well, before attempting to lay continuous bead, if at all...

 

[sope]

Wow thanks for the replies. Turns out my wire was slipping where it feeds from the spool. I sped it up but wasn't fast enough. I should have known but it's been a while since I've welded. tightened the wing nut a little at the feed and laid a perfect bead.
Thanks again for the advise.

 

[British Slave]

Are you using flux core wire?

 

[Chaddy]

Are you using flux core wire?

I'm using a Lincoln 175 220V mig .030 wire with gas.

I would have to say no.

 

[British Slave]

Excuse me, I didn't see that. The symptoms described are classic reverse polarity with flux core wire.

 

[DR]

Excuse me, I didn't see that. The symptoms described are classic reverse polarity with flux core wire.

Just curiosity for future reference... How does that happen? I weld with flux core. Maybe you will save me a headache later in life!

 

[British Slave]

With gas, you want the electrode positive, and with flux core you want electrode negative. On my Miller when you open the side cover, there is a junction box with the electrode cable and the posts are marked + and - with instructions. I have been welding a lot with gas and just forgot to switch when welding with flux core, but it only takes a minute to know something is wrong. Can't weld at all if polarity is wrong.

 

[mkc1962]

Flux core on body panels makes for very sloppy work, and excessive warping. Best to use gas and .023 or .025 wire. A good, gas/no gas welder will clearly show how to setup the polarity for the different wires, flux vs no flux. Usually right above the pinch roller area you have an area where the polarity is changed by swapping around the lead wires. Make sure to reverse the pinch roller for the proper wire. Dont do like I did once and darn near ruin a roller by screwing it down too tight to try and fit the smaller wire into the larger groove. The key to great body panel welding is to to make small welds about 1" apart, go a few inches then come back to the starting point. Give the metal time to coola bit to avoid warping. On the gas, either 75/25 or 95/5 argon/co2. I have better luck with the 75/25, the 95 is a bit too hot for todays lower carbon metal. After all welding is done I do an intial cleanup with a fine kerf 4.5" metabo wheel on my angle grinder followed by a flapper wheel. If you take your time you will find you wont need to use much body putty at all to finish it up...good luck

 

[British Slave]

Gas is best unless you have to work outside with wind. That's when you learn to weld with flux core.