First weld.

[AllanF]

I've just had a Hitbox MIG 259D, inverter welder, delivered and want to start my first welds. I have some scraps of 2 and 3mm thick box section and should get some 25 x 25 x 3mm angle delivered today. My first project is to use the angle to make shelf brackets for the garage with the angle. I have 0.8mm flux core and can buy SIP electrodes of various sizes at Toolstation.
What should I start with? Gasless MIG? Stick welding? If stick, what size electrodes? With any of them can someone suggest some settings to start with?
Allan

 

[BrokenBiker]

Start with the gasless mig if you have the wire. Set the menu to gasless 0.8, turn the volts all the way up, set the amps at 130ish and have a go on the 3mm. Once you get consistent beads, if they look humped up turn the amps up a bit and go again and repeat til you get a weld that isn't too humped up, but not sunk all the way in. If you get to that point where they are almost sinking through, but turning the amps down makes them humped up, you can either travel faster or back the volts off a bit and just have a play with it really, see what works for you.

As for making brackets, can you accurately mitre cut the angle iron to make the 90° corner? If not, I would notch 1 piece on 1 flat so they fit together and give them a small bevel,then once you have practiced you should be able to get a decently strong weld with that welder...I can blow through 3mm with flux core with mine if I hang about too long (although was welding uphill at the time)

Plenty of tacks to limit distortion, check square regularly and tweak if needed and don't worry about having to cut tacks off to get it square. Once it's square and got plenty of tacks you are on the home straight.

If you did want to stick weld it, 2.5mm 6013 rods are plenty, 75amps or so, ground in the positive, stinger in the negative (same as gasless mig) will give you a bit less penetration so beneficial to learning control, swap the leads and you get a bit more penetration if needed.

The gasless will be easier to learn than stick in most cases, although stick gives a prettier weld when you get good at it

 

[Mark 2]

Stick will be easier because you can see where you are going wrong. Gasless brings with it noxious smoke making it hard to see the pool.
Welcome.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Stick will be easier because you can see where you are going wrong. Gasless brings with it noxious smoke making it hard to see the pool.
Welcome.

I found it the other way round, when I went from stick to gasless I was surprised how much more of the puddle I could see

@AllanF I have some 2mm and 3mm laying around and some flux core wire I can load up, and 6013 rods so whichever you decide on, if you have any issues I'm happy to set my welder up the same and work through the settings with you , I can't cut any of my steel today like I wanted to due to the torrential rain but happy to sit in the shed and run some beads

 

[AllanF]

Yes, I've got a pretty accurate chopsaw for 45deg angles. I'm just about to start playing. My metal is promised between 10 and 12.
Allan

 

[BrokenBiker]

Yes, I've got a pretty accurate chopsaw for 45deg angles. I'm just about to start playing. My metal is promised between 10 and 12.
Allan

Half the battle with angle iron is getting good fit up on the joints.

if you do want to get hold of me, send a PM as i get email notifications of those, but not of the public posts

 

[AllanF]

Many thanks,, hopefully, my first three welds are attached. It's 1,2,3, from right to left from the top. I'm quite happy with what I think is the penetration in the other picture. As I finished the first weld I realised the torch was about 45deg. I found myself zigzagging a bit on the others. The settings are 18v and 130amps. I use an air fed mask and found the compressor makes it difficult to hear the welding noise but I can sort that. The amount of splatter surprised me but I've looked at the tutorial and it's not much more on mine. I'm going to practice, practice, practice.
Comments would be welcome.
Allan
PS the welder is MIG250DP not as above.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Looking good so far. Penetration looks good, could go a smidge hotter but those settings seem pretty close.

Spatter is unavoidable with gasless unfortunately. As long as your polarity is correct with torch negative and ground clamp positive then it's mostly down to the wire and technique regarding spatter. I've just chucked some impax branded flux core in mine, I haven't opened the hitbox spool yet

 

[AllanF]

Mine is the Hitbox wire. What are the aspects of technique that affect splatter? After tea break I'm going to try some changes to the settings and trying keeping it straight.
Allan

 

[BrokenBiker]

Mine is the Hitbox wire. What are the aspects of technique that affect splatter? After tea break I'm going to try some changes to the settings and trying keeping it straight.
Allan

Arc length is the main one. You want about half inch of wire between the tip and the work. Torch angle as well, you want a slight angle towards the direction you are pulling I'll try and get a photo now if I can juggle the torch and my camera

 

[BrokenBiker]

Surprisingly difficult to judge when you are leaning back trying to take a photo but this isn't far off how I run gasless, travelling left to right. On a flat weld the torch is virtually straight up and down to the joint, but with a bit of lean towards the direction of travel

And about this much wire out, maybe a bit more but you want it close enough the arc doesn't wander, but not too close you can't see anything...the further away you are the less control you have, the less penetration you will get and the arc will sputter more and just generally be poor to weld with.

My torch is different to yours as I upgraded to a larger size, but technique is the same

I use my left hand to prop in various ways to steady the torch and if you struggle with staying straight, draw or scribe a line to follow, it won't hurt the weld but will help technique quite a bit

 

[AllanF]

I'll try some changes tomorrow afternoon. I've been angling the torch and pushing it towards the weld, it now seems that's for welding with gas. I've also read that the nozzle is not required for gasless.
Allan

 

[BrokenBiker]

I'll try some changes tomorrow afternoon. I've been angling the torch and pushing it towards the weld, it now seems that's for welding with gas. I've also read that the nozzle is not required for gasless.
Allan

yes, you need to drag with stick welding or flux core...the saying goes 'when there is slag, you drag'...although i will admit i push both when im welding into a corner with no other easy access, and when welding uphil i guess as its more of a push with the torch angled slightly upwards towards the weld. but in general, pulling is the way to go with flux core

now if you end up getting a bottle of gas, you can push or pull with solid wire. certain joints are just easier to pull, you get better visibility when pushing, bit more penetration (some argue it doesnt matter) and i find a slightly flatter weld, but either will work just fine for a hobbyist like us.

you are also correct in saying you dont need the nozzle, however this may cause you issues later on if you do move to gas/solid wire as you will need a new tip holder on your torch as the spatter and gunk from the fumes will stick to the tip holder and you wont get a nozzle back on, plus it can block the gas holes. personally i keep it on for both processes, i know you can get a sort of cover though that saves the tip holder, but takes away the bulk of the nozzle. that said, they are cheap enough on ebay to get replacements