First welds

[Parvaiz]

Sorry everyone, Still getting used to using this site. Okay, I've just bought a Clarke 151TE MIG welder and as you can see from the pic, I've never welded before. Can anyone please advise where I'm going wrong? I followed the settings chart for my MIG i.e Min/Max Power set to MAX, Level 1-3 set to 1 and wire feed set to 6. It also came with CO2 gas which I set to 4 (from 0 to 6). Oh, not sure if it helps but I'm trying to weld 3/4 inch OD 14 gauge (2mm) Mild Steel tube. Please please help!

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome:

Results like that can be due to a couple of reasons.

A poor earth connection.
Not enough power
Wire speed too low
No gas
A coating on the steel

Your machines has 6 power settings, for that job it should be on about 3 or 4.

The wire speed can be a touch fiddly with Clarkes, I would probably start at about 8.5 and work down until it is welding right.

If you are using the small disposable bottles they are a nightmare and you can run out of gas in ten minutes, a dark sooty weld and a weld full of little holes are signs of poor gas coverage or no gas at all.

The photo looks as though the pipe has a protective coating on it, you have to grind that right back before welding...it may not have of course.. just looks like it.

 

[atomant48]

I've got the same machine and struggle with it on the max setting it may be worth trying min with 2 or 3. As above the wire speed is very fiddly I would follow the (excellent) tutorial on this site about increasing wire speed as you go.

Couple other things. Tube probably isn't the easiest thing to start with - constantly moving the torch in 2 or 3 planes. Have you got some flat to start with? Also the earth that comes with the machine is far from ideal, are you sure it is earthing properly (doesn't look like it in the pic). Finally, is it a mini reg (sounds like it from your "6" reference) these can also be temperamental - some need to be fully open to flow! I would suggest turning up the gas till you can just hear the flow - I'm sure someone else will be along with some technical advice!!

 

[Parvaiz]

Many thanx for the advice guy's. Yes, the mini reg came with the MIG although I have a full size one for when I order a proper Co2/Argon mix from BOC. I'll take your advice and practice on some flat scrap and let you know how I get on. Cheers!