New member

[migweldni]

Hi,

New to the forum...thought I would join as have always come across this forum when googling for info.


Ive started welding with a little Sealey Supermig 150 gas mig - seems decent enough for my needs. doesn't seem to have any trouble penetrating up to 5mm.

I am having some trouble at the moment though...

Basically I have started trying weld my land rover chassis as local welding prices have been coming in at prices that would need a mortgage to afford.

I was using Argoshield light with 0.6 wire. What I was finding was that my weld beads were sitting quite high no matter what amount of fiddling I did with wire speed, power or hand movement. I found the only way to keep the welds from sitting up 'massively' was to weave quite a wide weld bead.

I was advised to try 0.8 wire and as my bottle was due a refill, to try argoshield universal...

Well I tried this today and I'm still getting huge weld beads maybe even more so?

The welds are penetrating right through with no hassle at all but the beads are still standing way too pround....cutting disc to remove then grinder style proud? I'm having to weave really wide beads to keep it down.

What am I doing wrong here?

I can get some great little welds on bits of scrap when practising/setting the welder up each time...to the point Im thinking, yep that will do me, but when I put the torch to this chassis its going pear shaped every time?

 

[Tom Orrow L]

Welcome to the forum mate, you'll find the best help here.

What sort of stuff you been welding with your sealey?

 

[Parm]

Welcome on board, all sorts of useful people with skils ranging from banging in a nail to building a nuclear sub

 

[Rob85]

Welcome mate, I've got a wee sealey mightymig140xt and it does me rightly. About to start a few wee mods to it but all in all I'm pretty happy with it considering it's about 13 years old! Great for car body stuff right up to about 3mm box section with straight co2

What do you run yours on?

 

[migweldni]

I was running on argoshield light whilst practising, doing few wee bits. Seemed to work well. No issues with penetrating...had 5mm glowing red!!!

All went pear shaped when I decided I was more than ready to start my land rover chassis repairs...fitting new x member at the moment - its 5mm steel onto the chassis which is 3mm I think.

Despite me getting great welds that I'm happy with on scrap whilst setting up the welder, every time I take the torch to this chassis its a disaster.

Don't get me wrong...its penetrating no hassle, but despite this the weld beads are really big...no matter how I play about.

Guys told me 0.8 and argoshield universal would be better (I was due to refill)...set up today...got beads layed well on scrap...then onto chassis...same thing...really huge high welds.

I can only keep them flatter if I weave pretty wide which ends up looking like a welding job on the titanic!!!

No matter if I lower wire speed, increase, change had control/speed, up or down the power...its not helping much.

Using decent wire etc not cheap stuff.

What am I missing here....I know I'm making a newbie error somewhere????

 

[migweldni]

Every time I google for info this forum pops up....seems to be best source of info in uk. So hoping I can get some help.

 

[migweldni]

Should mention as well...almost zero spatter from the welds. Just too damn high or else have to go silly wide to keep them flatter.

 

[Kent]

Combination of issues realy. Firstly you not on the flat are you. Next earth / return it's very important you have good clean contact.

Rear crossmember is not really a thing to tackle on The vehicle before you have done more welding including vertical and over head practice

And remember clean bright metal were your welding

Sure you will glue one on but you won't really weld one stong

Series landrover are 14 swg steel

 

[MoreWellie]

How sure are you about the penetration? can you see the back of the joint?

had the original chassis been waxoyled because that stuff really mucks up welds unless you can get it off completely

 

[backpurge]

Welcome aboard, if you can post some photos that would be a great help for people to give constructive advice

 

[Jim Davey]

Could be a fault with the machine or a problem with the earth. As said, post up some pictures, we will certainly be able to tell more after that.

 

[Rob85]

Forgot to ask, would I be right in saying that from your screen name that your in Northern Ireland? Just going from the ni bit,if you wanted advice on welding on Landy chassis the guys at the BLRC place would be able to give you some advice.

 

[migweldni]

I will indeed.

I have been practising and to be honest I was getting nice welds after about a half hour on my first day using just the the sealey 5kg 0.6 wire.
I've been using scrap bits to check welder settings each time. And usually I have actually found the welder is pretty forgiving...it's been giving me decent welds almost regardless.

I have been welding stuff....trailers, bodywork etc.

TBH I think the crossmember is fairly straightforward. Fitting a black sheep off road 5mm one that is in sections so every bit can be welded inside.and.out.except last bit of top plate. I can check every weld for penetration and no worries there. Welded outside side plates and bottom first then inside.

It's just my outside welds...unless I weave a massive weld, they are hugely high. I actually though high.weld bead suggested poor penetration?

 

[migweldni]

Hardest part of crossmember was measuring, lining up, remeasuring etc.

 

[migweldni]

Forgot to ask, would I be right in saying that from your screen name that your in Northern Ireland? Just going from the ni bit,if you wanted advice on welding on Landy chassis the guys at the BLRC place would be able to give you some advice.

Yes I am indeed. Seems very few have fitted the black sheep off road x members here. Highly recommend it...proper job!!!! Had a few guys out to give me a quote but none even came back to me and a few really seemed to scratch their head looking at the xmember in 8 pieces. LR guys all quoted me stupid money...700 upwards. I got fed up and decided to do it myself. Bought few spare rolls of super6 mig wire, New gas refill, block and tackle to lift the rear up...job done....spent the change on a warn 8274 winch!

Took me an evening to cut.off the old one, get everything already aligned, bolt new xmember onto tub, tack weld everything, final.check on measurements etc.

With the rear lifted and tank removed everything seems so much more simple.

I thought the welding would actually be the easy bit and to.a.degree it is....as in I know it's welded through and the welds don't seem to be porous etc. But they are just huge and ugly on the outside. I've played with everything to try and get a half neat, normal sized bead. But just end up actually having to take a.cutting disc to trim the beads before even.grinding as the bloom in grindings discs don't last long grinding them down from start to finish.

Trying to get photo on...Seems I can't manage that today either! Sorry for spelling etc...predictive text!

 

[gordon stephenson]

If you say the penetration is going right through, may be the high weld is caused by travelling too slowly allowing excess metal to build up.