I did my first weld today or just an attempt I would say and it was too embarrassing that's why there are no pics I tried spot welds first but it was more like my welder spit stop and spit a little bit more and the same again. I tried to increase the speed and decrease the speed but it didn't work. Any help would be great.
- Thread starter luccass_j
- Start date
marlinspike
Member
- Messages
- 2,089
Post some pics, Lucas. The experienced guys on here will be able to identify the problem - too little gas, wrong angle, wire speed - from the photos and it will be a lot quicker than working through a host of possible issues. It might help to say what thickness of metal you are welding, what wire, what gas flow etc,
One thing I have read on here that maybe doesn't seem as obvious to us newbie welders as it is to the experts, is that the metal has to be super clean or you will get loads of spitting and no chance of a clean weld.
What machine is it btw? Gas or gasless?
One thing I have read on here that maybe doesn't seem as obvious to us newbie welders as it is to the experts, is that the metal has to be super clean or you will get loads of spitting and no chance of a clean weld.
What machine is it btw? Gas or gasless?
I haven't been here for couple of days thanks for the comments...work unfortunately...it's Clarke MIG 160TM and it's gas. I went back to my garage and tried it again Ive got some pictures this time. I did try to put some welds and even join two pieces together but it seems my welds are very weak. Any help?
By the way how do u see with your mask on?
By the way how do u see with your mask on?
Lawnmowerboy
Member
- Messages
- 2,165
properly clean the metal first. And theere is no gas coming through what so ever by the looks of it.
Thanks for the quick replies I do wanna learn I was wondering myself if the gas is coming out I bought 2 gas disposable cylinders unfortunately the gas regulator doesn't have a dial and it doesn't show me weather it's coming out or not I think I'm going to hunt for a proper cylinder with proper gas regulator.
I 've got an autodarkening helmet but a chalk line is a great idea. Thanks.
By the way how do I know what power to use? Is it a trial and error? Or what size of wire to use? The specification chart is very poor with my welder.
I 've got an autodarkening helmet but a chalk line is a great idea. Thanks.
By the way how do I know what power to use? Is it a trial and error? Or what size of wire to use? The specification chart is very poor with my welder.
gaz1
Member
- Messages
- 20,188
- Location
- westyorkshire
with disposable ones its full on with regulator
when connecting disposable ones on first turn on, on regulator listen for hissing on the unit if you hear hissing sound you have a leak upon your pipe easy missed when in a hurry
they should be a hissing sound coming from your end of mig torch only when your pressing the trigger if not its blocked somewhere trigger fault, faulty regulator, nozzle blocked
from reading forums you have 12/24 minutes of welding on disposable canisters then empty only use these to test a system saves the cost of a big bottle but some get a big bottle and replace the gas tube through to end of nozzle so consider yuor options and cost
when connecting disposable ones on first turn on, on regulator listen for hissing on the unit if you hear hissing sound you have a leak upon your pipe easy missed when in a hurry
they should be a hissing sound coming from your end of mig torch only when your pressing the trigger if not its blocked somewhere trigger fault, faulty regulator, nozzle blocked
from reading forums you have 12/24 minutes of welding on disposable canisters then empty only use these to test a system saves the cost of a big bottle but some get a big bottle and replace the gas tube through to end of nozzle so consider yuor options and cost
- Messages
- 23,350
- Location
- Birmingham
I did hear some hissing at the very beginning but if it only last 12/24 min there's not much practice I can do. No wonder I could hear nothing after an hr and a half of welding. Anybody knows when I can get a big non disposable cylinder? I've checked the net and they are not readily available specially argon/co2 80/20% mixture.
rtbcomp
Moderator
- Messages
- 18,574
- Location
- Sheffield UK
www.adamgas.co.uk has got 9l cylinders of 78% of argon 20% of CO2 and 2% of oxygen anybody tried it? or do I have to look for pure 80/20% pure argon/CO2 mixture?
- Messages
- 23,350
- Location
- Birmingham
A bit of O2 is fine, but the mix quoted is really for thicker materials 5mm+
