first weld attempts

[kiwikombi]

Hi everyone, happy new years!

I've just started the art of welding but i'm having a few problems with laying a weld.

My welder is a gas/gasless mig made by Telwin - italy. I bought it off my friends dad for cheap after he couldn't get any decent welds out of it. Now i see what he was going on about.

Firstly, i put on new wire (mild steel 0.6mm) and set it up as in the tutorial provided. It was all looking great and i was pleasantly surprised that it had a coil wire inner and i started feeling good about the quality of the welder!

But when it comes to laying a weld all i get is splatter. i have pretty much tried the whole range of wirespeed and amps.

Some specs from the site... http://www.telwin.com/webtelwin/prodotti.nsf/SchedaSinteticaInt?OpenForm&E|821010|

CURRENT RANGE IN DC 50 - 120
MAX CURRENT IN DC EN60974-1 105 @ 15 %
DC CURRENT AT 60% 50
ADJUSTMENT POSITIONS 4

My interpretation of the specs on the label is that amp range is 50min to 105max. i put this into the wirespeed calculator and it says that i should have it on the lowest amp setting for my initial welds of 1mm sheet. So thats where i started and tried through the whole wire speed range... splatter splatter splatter.

I have tried different metal surfaces (all 1mm) and i can hear the gas. My guess is that the wire speed, even on its lowest setting, is still too fast! i think this because the splatter i get is just like the wirespeed video in the tutorial when the speed is too fast. I also think it because after a weld attempt i look at the length of wire out of the end of the tip and its longer than the 10mm (approx) i started with?!!?

where to from here??

any input would be much appreciated.

-Mike

 

[Justme]

What gas are you using?
What flow setting?
are you using flux cored wire?

Some pics will help people help you.

Have you tried a higher setting on the power?

Is the metal you are trying it on clean & shiny?

Justme

 

[Wozzaaah]

We need to see some pics like Justme said. The 50A lowest setting is very high, most hobby migs start at around 30A with some goine down to 25 or even 20.

 

[kiwikombi]

OK here are some pics

first the welder

specs on welder

first weld attempts

If these images dissapear you can find them at http://trademe-pics.blogspot.com/

I have Argon CO2 gas, disposable sort.
I tried wirespeed settings from 0 to 6 (is goes to 10 but 6 is way to fast as it is)
This was on the min setting. Yes i have tried all 4 power setttings. The higher settings give splatter too but leave the 'weld' area red hot.

I've tried holding it at different angles and different distances from the surface.

Metal had been cleaned up with an angle grinder.

Thanks!

 

[Codafile4]

Have you altered your voltage? you havent mentioned this,

 

[Wozzaaah]

This was on the min setting. Yes i have tried all 4 power setttings. The higher settings give splatter too but leave the 'weld' area red hot.

Looks like he has. Pics aren't very clear but it does look like the wirespeed may be an issue.

 

[Codafile4]

Hi Kiwi, The data on your MIG welder gives 105amps @ a maximum of 19.2 Volts and 50amps @ a maximum of 19.5 volts, this indicates that your mig set will always be in "Dip Transfer", to get the best effect turn the WFS to around No 4.5 guestimating an amprage of 45 - 50amps, go to the voltage control and perform the procedure of doing a short run of 4-5". check your weld, if unsatisfactory turn the voltage up another one and so on, you may have to turn the voltage up to the max. should you go to the maximum setting on the volts without acheiving a satisfactory run, turn the wire feed/amps down and go through the procedure again.
As an addition, the contact tip should extend the nozzle by 1/8", this enables you to see the weld pool better and assists the gas flow. contact tip should be 3/8" from the parent metal with an angle of 20-22deg from the verticle.
lets know how this works out.

 

[kiwikombi]

thanks codafile. i'm now getting something that resembles a weld!! A bit more practice and mucking around with the settings...

cheers!

 

[kiwikombi]

actually, how does this 'dip transfer' arrangement work? or more importantly does it mean that this welder is not so suitable for 1mm sheets or will it be fine with more practice??

I'm a bit concerned about warping panels with heat. Down the track that is as i have a lot to do! Is amps used proportional to how much heat is experiened by the metal sheet? if my welder needs to be at 50 amps to get a decent weld wont this make body panel work difficult?! (opposed to other welders doing the same job at 30 odd amps)

Cheers.

 

[Codafile4]

actually, how does this 'dip transfer' arrangement work? or more importantly does it mean that this welder is not so suitable for 1mm sheets or will it be fine with more practice??

I'm a bit concerned about warping panels with heat. Down the track that is as i have a lot to do! Is amps used proportional to how much heat is experiened by the metal sheet? if my welder needs to be at 50 amps to get a decent weld wont this make body panel work difficult?! (opposed to other welders doing the same job at 30 odd amps)

Cheers.

Hi kiwi. Dip trasfer is the way to weld sheet, on 1/4" and above you would use Spray Transfere but only in the flat and horizontal positions. your set will be fine, Dip Transfer is refered to as an "out of position" technique used for vertical, overhead etc. it a fast freezing method with a low heating effect, if the material is too hot lower the wire feed speed (lower amprage) return the Votage dial to No1 then proceed in increments of 1 on the volts looking at the weld bead each time, To judge your best weld, the toe's of the bead must be nicely blended into the parent metal, the re-enforcment should be no higher than 2mm max (nice and flat) as you increase the volts you will notice the weld bead widen and flatten, there should be puckering on top of the weld bead. . Use forehand (push the arc) rather than Backhand( pulling the arc) if you do both you should see a flatter weld when pushed and a higher weld when pulled.
best of luck, lets know how it goes and if possible a photo .........ken

 

[94skooby]

hi just a thought, (someone may have suggested this) have you checked you polarity. as you said it was gas or gasless. ps i have the same sort of welder and find it pretty tricky sometimes.i tried to start on plan beads all good and then move on to joining pieces not so good. hope this helps, this is a very good site and i have learned much. and its nice to hear from a fellow new zealander ...

 

[94skooby]

hi just a thought, (someone may have suggested this) have you checked you polarity. as you said it was gas or gasless. ps i have the same sort of welder and find it pretty tricky sometimes.i tried to start on plan beads all good and then move on to joining pieces not so good. hope this helps, this is a very good site and i have learned much. and its nice to hear from a fellow new zealander ...

 

[Gas mark 5]

I am sure that most people here know lots more than me, but judging by the photos, it looks like a similar thing happened to me when trying to weld galvinised stuff. I ran an angel grinder over it to get the mud/rust/gunk off but when I tryed welding it it just went in little beads on the surface and didn't penetrate at all. Then I found out that though the mud and gunk was of the galvinised coating was still there. It was fine after I took it of

 

[kiwikombi]

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. I've definitely been making progress but achieving a decent weld has seemed very tough... this might be due to having the polarity the wrong way around!! ooops.... can't believe i didn't check it properly and now i know why the previous owner didn't have much luck with the welder!

Unfortunately i discovered that i was out of argoshield at the same time. Those 'use once' bottles seem to be terrible value. So i'm hunting down a suitable regulator.

Can't wait to get back to practicing some welds!

 

[storm monkey]

Then I found out that though the mud and gunk was of the galvinised coating was still there. It was fine after I took it of

Off topic, but Please Please Please remove ALL galvanized coating from the anywhere you are welding. Both front and back. The fumes from that stuff are deadly, even in small quantities. If they don't kill you, the long term effects are very nasty, and not the sort of thing you ever recover from. Heavy metal poisoning does kill

Phil