Help !!!!!!!

[chrisf1]

Hi everyone I am having great problems with this easy!! mig welding, I am trying to replace the majority of the floor in my Dodge recovery vehicle and I am not doing to well, I had a man here last week doing the job but there is no more contact from him and as the machine was set up for this job I decided to have a go myself but I seem to be blasting holes every time I have go please see pics the voltage is on 3 the wire speed is on 3 but it does not work for me I managed to fill one of the holes but had such a mound of weld I spent more time grinding it off please tell me what I am doing wrong Chris

 

[Windy Miller]

Chris - PM sent!

 

[Chickenjohn]

Hi Chris whereabouts in Kent are you?? If near me i might be able to pop over and have a look.

from those pics I can make a few suggestions:-

1) There seems to be too big a gap for a beginner. I could bridge that gap but the results would need a fair but of grinding and some copper backing to bridge the gap. Best to get a much tighter fit.

2) for a 180 amp machine, the power is turned up too much for thin car metalwork., try 1 or 2 instead of setting three that it is on now.

3) see Malcolms thin metal technique, run lots of overlapping short spots at a lower power setting, don't try and run a bead or you will blow a hole.

 

[chrisf1]

Thanks for the offers and I think I am slowly getting there now I have found out about stop and start, I have been trying to fill up the holes and thought I had done so but when I got underneath I could see daylight through it along the weld, where it has bit it is not letting go but it looks like crap. I have tried to photograph it from underneath and it has not come out that well but the white dots you can see along the mess is daylight. I have dropped the volts to 2 which made it easier but I am not very pleased with my efforts and the rest of the crud I have found has me thinking I have bitten off more than I can chew but I am in it now so it has to get done Chris

 

[mike os]

dont look too bad for a first effort.

I would read the tutorial a couple of times then go practice on some CLEAN scrap untill you get a bit more confident.

 

[chrisf1]

Believe it or not Mike these plates are new metal welded to each other the tacking onto old struts was not a problem Chris

 

[mike os]

I believe LOL... not meant as a comment on the above welds.

just some people try & practice with any old crappy steeel & wonder why they have issues

 

[moggy]

try on some scrap metal first before you tackle joining two pieces together.
try and move the torch slower , keep your other hand free to steady it if you have to.
looks good for first attempt.
Mark.

 

[Windy Miller]

Don't panic Chris! I'll pop 'round tomorrow morning and get it sorted for you!

You'll soon be welding like and old pro!

 

[mike os]

now theres an offfer you cant refuse

 

[chrisf1]

Hi everyone I would like to say a big thank you to Andy (windy miller) who came to my house this morning and put me on the right track and I now have the passenger side floor finished it does not look to pretty but it is solid as they say practice makes perfect as I was doing the last patch it started to look like I knew what I was doing. Thanks again Andy Chris

 

[Windy Miller]

Glad you are feeling better about it all now Mate

Look everyone, Chris can weld!

 

[toddy]

well good to hear that you are getting along better with it now
sorry about last weekend i was rushed off my feet. and now have a car again. i am having soo bad luck with cars at the mo

and in case you are wondwering why i am not working today read this http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=19873
but i am free if you need a hand today just txt me and i will pop over