- Thread starter scrog
- Start date
Hi Scrog, and welcome to the Forum
We really need to know if you have done welding before, particularly mig welding, before we can offer much advice.
If you have welded with mig before, but not with flux-cored, you need to practice on some scrap metal around 1.5 to 3.0 mm to start with, and start with the power settings about halfway, and the wire speed a little higher, around maybe 6 or 7. If the wire speed is too high it will 'push' back at your torch hand, so just turn it down slightly till you get it right.
The aim is only to lay a bead across the metal, to get used to the torch and flux-cored wire, until you feel happy with what you are doing, then you can consider making practice joints, and eventually going down to thinner metal.
You'll find flux-cored is a lot more fierce than gas wire, hence the advice about starting on thicker metal than a Mini, which is probably only around 1.0 mm. You will find it better to work going away from the weld, 'pulling' the torch across from your left to your right, if you are right-handed, opposite to that usually advised with gas wire. Watch and read the flux-cored tutorial on here, it will give you a good intro.
If you haven't welded at all before, flux-cored isn't really the best place to start. It's not impossible or anything, just rather more difficult to learn than with gas, because there seem to be more things to go wrong with the weld that distract from learning technique. For example blowing through happens all the time when you're learning flux-cored on thinner metal.
When you start welding you need all the help you can get. Don't let that put you off, though. Many of us on here learned with old stick (arc) welders years back, and that was probably much more difficult than flux-cored if you were on your own.
We really need to know if you have done welding before, particularly mig welding, before we can offer much advice.
If you have welded with mig before, but not with flux-cored, you need to practice on some scrap metal around 1.5 to 3.0 mm to start with, and start with the power settings about halfway, and the wire speed a little higher, around maybe 6 or 7. If the wire speed is too high it will 'push' back at your torch hand, so just turn it down slightly till you get it right.
The aim is only to lay a bead across the metal, to get used to the torch and flux-cored wire, until you feel happy with what you are doing, then you can consider making practice joints, and eventually going down to thinner metal.
You'll find flux-cored is a lot more fierce than gas wire, hence the advice about starting on thicker metal than a Mini, which is probably only around 1.0 mm. You will find it better to work going away from the weld, 'pulling' the torch across from your left to your right, if you are right-handed, opposite to that usually advised with gas wire. Watch and read the flux-cored tutorial on here, it will give you a good intro.
If you haven't welded at all before, flux-cored isn't really the best place to start. It's not impossible or anything, just rather more difficult to learn than with gas, because there seem to be more things to go wrong with the weld that distract from learning technique. For example blowing through happens all the time when you're learning flux-cored on thinner metal.
When you start welding you need all the help you can get. Don't let that put you off, though. Many of us on here learned with old stick (arc) welders years back, and that was probably much more difficult than flux-cored if you were on your own.
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Hi, welcome to the forum, unfortunately the pro 90 is a gas only machine so does not have the polarity change function required for gasless wire 
to the forum, unfortunately the pro 90 is a gas only machine so does not have the polarity change function required for gasless wire You're right, Robotstar5! I guess I was thinking of the 90EN.
That sure saves Scrog a steep learning curve to start with, anyway.
But the basic advice is the same. Unless you've done quite a bit of mig welding before, don't go out and practice on the Mini. Get some thicker scrap, 1.5 - 3 mm and play around on that for a few days, till you feel happy with your progress. Read and watch all the tutorials on here for gas wire mig welding, and take a look at some of those on Youtube, too. It will seem a lot to learn at first, but take it in small chunks, watch a technique, then go try it out for yourself. When you've got that one right, try another.
You've got one of the best low-cost machines for welding that Mini, so that's an excellent start. And any problems, post some pics up here and ask advice. You'll get plenty helpful replies.
That sure saves Scrog a steep learning curve to start with, anyway.
But the basic advice is the same. Unless you've done quite a bit of mig welding before, don't go out and practice on the Mini. Get some thicker scrap, 1.5 - 3 mm and play around on that for a few days, till you feel happy with your progress. Read and watch all the tutorials on here for gas wire mig welding, and take a look at some of those on Youtube, too. It will seem a lot to learn at first, but take it in small chunks, watch a technique, then go try it out for yourself. When you've got that one right, try another.
You've got one of the best low-cost machines for welding that Mini, so that's an excellent start. And any problems, post some pics up here and ask advice. You'll get plenty helpful replies.
You could always try some wire in the 90 and see how it goes, if you can afford a proper bottle and reg then get one or you could try and swap the polarity
I've welded gasless for years and with plenty of practice you can get good results, the only thing I hate is the spatter and I spend more time getting rid of it than welding!
On the 90EN i'd use 1/max with wire speed of 4.5 for bodywork and a pulsing technique, this would be just on the verge of burning through but ensures good penetration.
Any more details on the mini?
I've welded gasless for years and with plenty of practice you can get good results, the only thing I hate is the spatter and I spend more time getting rid of it than welding!
On the 90EN i'd use 1/max with wire speed of 4.5 for bodywork and a pulsing technique, this would be just on the verge of burning through but ensures good penetration.
Any more details on the mini?
done a fair bit of welding but mainly tig and stick
not really used mig oh 1 sill about 10 years ago
will change polarity on pro 90 for gasless (i am a sparky)
main reason for gasless is to a teach me and my lad (16) the basic's
and the welder was only £5.50 and had no regulator or bottle
have been told to pulse or just spot weld by a fiend who in to resto work on cars
this is the mini before we striped it
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150340557121095.398207.582516094
if you cant see it i'll put some pics up
not really used mig oh 1 sill about 10 years ago
will change polarity on pro 90 for gasless (i am a sparky)
main reason for gasless is to a teach me and my lad (16) the basic's
and the welder was only £5.50 and had no regulator or bottle
have been told to pulse or just spot weld by a fiend who in to resto work on cars
this is the mini before we striped it
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150340557121095.398207.582516094
if you cant see it i'll put some pics up
Looks like it's gone in all the usual places then, i'm on my 3rd year of doing mine, shell has only been solid about 6 months (complete new floors, sills, steps, healboard, bootfloor etc etc) and it's still not a rolling shell (although hopefully have that sorted at weekend)
You go on any of the mini forums?
You go on any of the mini forums?
am on the mini forum but dont go on that often
gets to pc if you know what i mean
tend to talk on facebook to mini folk
feel free to add me
the list of panels for this one is long
n/s
inner/outer sill
door step to rear arch
subframe mount repair panel
boot repair panel
o/s
wing
inner sill (outer only needs a patch but being as i got sills cheap will put one on)
straight door step
patch up at floor/inner sill/wing intersection
front
scuttle repairs (not sure if to patch or complete panel)
plus any other rust found on the journey
this is my first major resto
had over a 12 minis but all were easy fix's
hope to have this on rhe road by may (kids will be 17 then)
not after a flash os show mini just a tidy runner and kids will learn a bit of
maintance along the way
kids = triplets 1 girl 2 boys
the mini is a 1989 mini racing green
has the half leather iterior from a open classic
and a boy racer 3" stainless play mini DTM
RC40 will be fitted
gets to pc if you know what i mean
tend to talk on facebook to mini folk
feel free to add me
the list of panels for this one is long
n/s
inner/outer sill
door step to rear arch
subframe mount repair panel
boot repair panel
o/s
wing
inner sill (outer only needs a patch but being as i got sills cheap will put one on)
straight door step
patch up at floor/inner sill/wing intersection
front
scuttle repairs (not sure if to patch or complete panel)
plus any other rust found on the journey
this is my first major resto
had over a 12 minis but all were easy fix's
hope to have this on rhe road by may (kids will be 17 then)
not after a flash os show mini just a tidy runner and kids will learn a bit of
maintance along the way
kids = triplets 1 girl 2 boys
the mini is a 1989 mini racing green
has the half leather iterior from a open classic
and a boy racer 3" stainless play mini DTM
RC40 will be fitted
on an old panel and best setting seem to be 