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Welding

Welding body panels has taught me more than practicing on bigger pieces.

When welding the body I know I should tack tack tack but when the weld looks like it will travel successfully it’s hard to resist. I catch myself going too long and too far, usually at the point where it blows through.
 
nvrenuf said:
Welding body panels has taught me more than practicing on bigger pieces.

When welding the body I know I should tack tack tack but when the weld looks like it will travel successfully it’s hard to resist. I catch myself going too long and too far, usually at the point where it blows through.
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Won't running a long bead make the panel twist or distort?
 
Yah when I weld body panels it's almost always tack tack tack. Very rarely a continues weld. But with 023 wire it's much easier to do a series if 1/2" welds. Nothing like welding 24 gauge with 035 wire!

Look at some vids online. It will give you an idea of what the puddle should look like
 
+1 on what Hank said.

Also, I have flux cord a lot of body panels and recently started using 3M panel bonding adhesive. Never going back to welding body panels. Glue is so much easier.
 
Kain said:
I suck at welding so far.......
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I'm getting better. Takes lots of practice. Oh, and a good welder.
KGLvhnx.jpg
 
Well that looks like your hitting the trigger intermittently. I was told that's not good cause you don't get good penetration. Sure is pretty though
 
tenderfoot said:
Well that looks like your hitting the trigger intermittently. I was told that's not good cause you don't get good penetration. Sure is pretty though
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It's called oscillation weld. Pretty common and easy to do. It's all in the rhythm. All done trigger on. Weld a spot, move forward and sweep right back about 60% over the puddle you just did. Pause there for a second then sweep forward again and back over the previous weld.
 
You can also use Brass Blocks on the thinner metal, if you can get behind the metal to weld. It will help with the blow through.

Also, on your practice welds....more heat and slow down. Take your time.

In time, you'll learn to work with the puddle and not against it.

And no, I'm not a professional welder. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once. :doah:
 
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I learned to weld on thick metal first. Still haven’t done a lot of sheet metal welding and most of my experience is with a mig. I would suggest starting out on thick metal (3/16 or thicker) and then working towards thinner stuff. The thicker stuff is more forgiving and easier to learn on.

One thing to remember is the puddle determines how fast you move the gun and how hot the puddle is determines how fast the weld moves. Patience. You are not in control. The puddle is in control. You are just holding the gun. Also keep the wire pointed as straight 90 degrees to the work piece as the you can without burning through.
 
Sheet metal/ body panels you want tight gaps. I like 024 for exhaust tubing and body work. Making brackets I try to leave a material thickness gap. Ie two 1/4” pieces at a 90 I leave about a 1/4”.

Also if you do t have a nice flat steeel table to weld on that’s a great first project.

E2B1C28B-31FF-4043-99CC-3BC12FF616C2.jpeg
 
I am an awful welder. However, I learned on crap welders and mostly used mediocre to crap welders until recently. I recently purchased a Multimatic 215 and a Millermatic 252. The machines almost make my welds not embarrassing.

I like flux core. I do 99% of my steel and stainless steel welding with flux core. No worries about welding out of position which saves time and allows you to weld things/repair things you can't do easily with solid wire. If indoors, I often do also use shielding gas (C25) so I guess you could say I like to dual-shield weld.

What does your ground (work) clamp/ground lead look like? You should probably have 3 or 4 gauge and a sweet ground clamp. It makes a huge difference.

You did flip polarity when using flux core, correct? It does make a difference (not huge, but a difference).

Need to clean better. I like to use a wire wheel or flap wheel.

Need to slow down or crank up the heat. On thin shit like that I will do a hillbilly oscillating weld (more like pretending to wax a micromachine) to keep the puddle but not push through.

Need to keep the nozzle arc closer to the nozzle. IE: you have too much stick-out so your shielding gas from the wire is blowing away causing all the splatter.
 
I do not agree with the you need a better welder. It sometimes takes me a bit but for the most part I can put down a decent beads with cheap welders.

It will force you to learn how to dial the machine in. The caveat here is if your out of the machines capabilities, nothing will help.

That's why I say start on thinner stuff. Should be able to do 1/8 with literally any machine. So you know that a good bead is possible
 
well the wind is blowing 40 miles an hour and I dont want to burn the house down and since i don't have a shop have to do it tomorrow
 
Speaking of wind, that is a great argument for flux core. With gas it is difficult to weld outside if the wind is blowing. It doesn't allow the shielding gas to do its job, blows away and you get brittle, porous welds. If you need to weld outside, flux core all the way.
 
Well with the dry yard It would catch fire
So no welding today or I wouldn't care
 
blazinzuk said:
Rene @tRustyK5

Any advice
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Find better scrap to practice on for one. A round piece of something that might be aluminized isn't the best choice IMO. I'd find something thicker then turn things up and play at the hotter end of the spectrum. I think if it's thin a fella might be trying to hurry inadvertantly.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is "stick out". This is the distance from the end of the contact tip where the wire comes out, to the puddle surface. Too much "stick out" will definitely give you that bird poop profile. With MIG you'll get bird poop with bubbles. Stick out should be approx 3/8".
 
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