I've a ton of plug welds to do on my classic atm. I've a few plugs welded but one thing I've noticed is the weld seems to go flat and almost sink instead of crowning up a bit. The other side seems to have a blob on each one. I'm guessing I need to turn the power down slightly. Any advice as want these to be strong welds.
- Thread starter duffman
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BrokenBiker
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turn the wire up a bit...you are getting 'craters' from the weld cooling and contracting and there not being enough metal there when it shrinks, so it sucks in formt he top (becasue the edges are fixed)...turn the wire up, practice on a bit of scrap til its right.
my usual method is to find a voltage that is comfortable for the thickness, then turn the wire up til its trying to push the torch away, then back off just enough to stop that pushing action...thats the hottest you will be able to run for that voltage and the most metal deposition for that voltage.
i like hot and fast with a mig, some like low and slow, but for body work, id be turning the wire up and getting more metal in, quicker and getting off it again before you get too much ehat in there
my usual method is to find a voltage that is comfortable for the thickness, then turn the wire up til its trying to push the torch away, then back off just enough to stop that pushing action...thats the hottest you will be able to run for that voltage and the most metal deposition for that voltage.
i like hot and fast with a mig, some like low and slow, but for body work, id be turning the wire up and getting more metal in, quicker and getting off it again before you get too much ehat in there
BrokenBiker
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or, alternatively, weld on the same settings you have now, but when you finish the weld, give it half a second then hit it again quickly and get back off before a proper weld forms again...that will add a bit more weld metal while its cooling and trying to shrink.
Yeah I know what your saying. I'm using a rtec 181 auto welder and had it set on 1.0mm thickness which equated to 6.5 wire speed and 16.4 voltage. The metal is 0.8mm I'm welding and have .6 wire in the welder. So you reckon turn the voltage and wire speed up another bit till it's going quicker and get off the metal quicker as well to stop heat build up. I had been cooling down welds with an airline as well.
BrokenBiker
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Yeah little bit more heat, and don't cool the welds so quickly...that would t be helping. I know it's tempting but I stead of cooling a weld then moving to the next, jump around and weld a different area, do 4 or 5 then move again, will keep the heat low and spread out
