Retro Rust
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- Location
- Manchester
As one amateur to another:
1) Can you actually see what you're doing? Can you see the weld pool develop? From the video it looks like your aim is a bit random, but that might just be the nature of videos!
[ETA 2: If I was welding that, my left hand would be steadying the torch tip to be able to move it accurately and stop it waving around. I'd either be resting the torch on my left index finger, or be actually holding and positioning the nozzle with my left hand.]
2) I think your gap is too wide to weld up easily (it's certainly possible, but requires a bit of technique - Once you've got a tack spanning both sheets, you need to sort of build it sideways, rather than trying to start afresh). I think you would find it easier if you aim for a gap half that width or a bit less (about the diameter of your MIG wire).
3) I think you need to keep each weld going for longer so that a proper pool develops. You may be too hot on your settings and are over compensating by not keeping the trigger down for long enough. The wide gap won't help you here.
For reference, these are the settings I'm using on my RTech 180 for rust repair on my MX5:
View attachment 509591
'T' is for tacking / welding thin (0.8mm) panels.
'P' is for plug (puddle) welds.
I use somewhere between T and P on voltage for welding 1.2mm or 1.5mm panels with wire speed around P. (Needs to be a bit higher if welding upside down).
(Note that I'm using 0.8mm wire, so your speed settings will be different if you're using 0.6mm).
Keep practicing - the RTech 180 welds lovely (IMHO).
(ETA: Wire speed - if it's burning back and you just get a hissing, molten ball hovering in space, it's too slow. If it's stubbing into the workpiece all the time it's too fast. Between the two is the sweet spot.)
Thanks for this! Thats a great help. I think my wires speed is a bit higher than yours and voltage is around 3. I'll try again today lower and longer.
Gap wise I'm kinda struggling with that as the butt weld clamps seem to leave a decent gap. If I close it up too much then I get no penetration.
I'm using a small roll of SIP 0.8 wire too. Was just a tester going from flux core.
Seeing what i'm doing. I've got the Speedmaster 2 welding helmet XLL and it does let a lot of light in (which is why I was using my shirt over the top in the video). I have it on shade 9 from 13 but its still quite dark. I dont want to ruin my eye though. Maybe i'll go down one more.
