Not a good start to Mig

[Noods]

I've just got back into welding, or so I'd thought, after a 30 year tea break... Used to be a mechanic so used to brazing etc..

Got myself a new sealey 230 v 100 amp no gas welder with a flux core steel wire..

As the pics show, it's been nightmarish ... Splatter and holes.. Can anyone advise pls? I purposely bought a decent but lower end kit just to see if I can achieve resonable results.. Read all the reviews before buying and everyone said a great starter kit..

Thanks N@@DS

 

[mfletch]

It don't look good.

Are you using any gas with the mig

Didn't see the no gas bit it was a bad night last night

 

[Richard07]

What is it on, box section? How thick is the steel? The holes could be because its getting too hot or yourstaying in one place too long, spatter comes with the flux core. Just a matter of playing with the controls and yand speed to develop a technique. I would just get some scrap plate or flat bar and just try running beads, playing with power setting and wire speed until you feel comfortable, then have a go at some simple joints, but joints, t joints and lap joints.

 

[TAITSIE]

Have you tried it on different metal, the piece you are using could be Chinese " steel"

 

[cumbriasteve]

Read all the reviews before buying and everyone said a great starter kit..

I would tend not to agree with that, not a bad set but limited in what it can do and the lack of the gas option is a handicap in my opinion, gasless is never going to as easy or as nice a finish, although in fairness some persevere and can produce decent results.

The steel appears to be something similar to old chair or table legs and if so could be a very lightweight wall, some 3mm would be much better to practice with.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i have one, its not the best. I concerted mine to take gas and that made it marginally better, but not much. Not encountered welds that bad though.

get some 3mm plate, power on max, wore feed on 7-8 and start with that. For 2mm i find max and wire feed on 5 gives good results and anything thinner than 2mm you need min and about 4-5 wire feed

 

[Bill Edwards]

Yes, get some thicker metal to begin with - something you can't blow holes in would be best. Then crank the power up and get a little practice then start dropping it down to do thinner stuff.

 

[BrokenBiker]

don't bother with anything under 1.5 unless you have to, and have practiced a lot. I use mine for car body work, but its not easy

 

[Noods]

Thanks Guys ..

The metal is from a flat pack bed, so not the best, approx 1.5mm thick.. When you guys say fiddle with the settings? There's a on/off switch, wire speed, which I've adj a lot and a max/min power switch.. That's it... So I can't see how I can adj much... I will try some thicker steel.. After that... Sealy welder for sale, little use.... N@@DS

 

[BrokenBiker]

Thanks Guys ..

The metal is from a flat pack bed, so not the best, approx 1.5mm thick.. When you guys say fiddle with the settings? There's a on/off switch, wire speed, which I've adj a lot and a max/min power switch.. That's it... So I can't see how I can adj much... I will try some thicker steel.. After that... Sealy welder for sale, little use.... N@@DS

look at my last 2 posts, i have given you the settings i use with that machine for various thicknesses. For 1.5 i would suggest min on the voltage and around 3-4 on wire feed. I use 3 for 1mm but have to travel fast or stitch weld. Anything.thinner and your fighting a losing battle

 

[Noods]

Yes... Thanks If you read my last post, did try that.. Down to 3 and ran quicker... On half power too..

I will try thicker steel, but, it's not the type of work I was looking to be doing.. Guess it's a bad buy!

 

[BrokenBiker]

its not so much a bad buy, more like a difficult puppy. Once you master it it will be ok, mine will blow holes in 2mm and give near full penetration in 3mm which is all i need it for really. You will need to master it on higher setting first though as gasless isn't easy on thin stuff even for experienced people

 

[Noods]

I truly appreciate your experienced help and advice..

The problem I've got is I restore old motorcycles so it's probably not the best for what I need... I will keep trying and if need be get a tig mig with gas as well..

But, many thanks, great forum, I will let you know if the old boy has still got what it takes... Lol
N@@DS

 

[BrokenBiker]

the gasless mig will be next to useless for restoring a bike. ugly welds that are hard to control, especially when you try welding out of position with it. personally, and I have not started any welding on my bike because of this, I would buy a tig, a bottle of argon and some off cuts and get good with that. I have a lift arc tig set up but still wont weld the bike until I have a hf ac/dc set, you get pretty welds that you will be proud of, stronger welds that are easier to control and no spatter or clean up afterwards

 

[Noods]

BrilliAnt thanks for that..

 

[BrokenBiker]

don't get me wrong, the mig will be ok for making small jigs to keep things lined up, making stands and benches etc, but for a bike resto I wouldn't touch it with anything other than tig. it could be done with the mig but id never be happy with it

 

[christofloffer]

for what its worth, i have only ever used gasless for the time i have been playing with a welder. however its gotten to the point now where i want to do more than just rough monkey work for myself and even the more expensive wire is not good enough. i have found that a good way of getting a reasonably round weld is to to do wide shallow ovals with the torch. it takes a little practice with the travel speed to make sure its not lapping over slag, but once its there you can get a reasonable profile. even on the thinner stuff.
i have used that bed frame metal quite a few times, just because it happened to be around, and its horrible stuff. it must just be naff quality as i always found it very unpredictable.
i always tried to defend the gasless stuff but i want to make things that are quality and appealing to potential buyers, and even the best i have done with the gasless stuff would not be acceptable. if you want to stick it out though then get a good quality wire, i bought the SIF gasless stuff in an effort to make it viable but even though its 10 times better than the other stuff i have used (much less spatter, easier to control, nice slag covering which is easy to chip off), its still not neat enough.