(still) struggling to obtain success on vehicle welds

[Richard.]

I'm not clued up in the hobby weld bottles is that 5% co2 95% argon.

 

[thepurpleblob]

Sorry, 93 argon, 5 CO2, 2 oxygen

 

[ben8vgte]

I use 0.8mm wire in my rtech 180, I used to use a snap on 130 (same as yours I think) same sort of gas I think but mine is from Adams. I tend to always use 0.8mm as I found out with most small welders it feeds so much better, even on 0.6mm I tended not to use the min setting as you have to spend too long in one spot forming a puddle.

I'm certainly not the neatest welder, but the pen is decent and with a grind it soon clears up.

Red Astra by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr

 

[Istayinalot]

Fair comment...
- It's an old Cebora Turbo 130, modded to a Eurotorch
- 0.6 wire
- Hobbyweld 5 welding gas
- welder is set to the minimum setting which is 30A I think
- the wire speed is about a 3rd of the way up which works fine on the bench (at least). I'm a bit unsure about setting wire speed thb

You may find .8mm wire works better for you.

 

[Richard.]

I use 0.8mm wire in my rtech 180, I used to use a snap on 130 (same as yours I think) same sort of gas I think but mine is from Adams. I tend to always use 0.8mm as I found out with most small welders it feeds so much better, even on 0.6mm I tended not to use the min setting as you have to spend too long in one spot forming a puddle.

I'm certainly not the neatest welder, but the pen is decent and with a grind it soon clears up.

Red Astra by ben a.k.a me, on Flickr

That's pretty much as good as it gets in the car plating game. I've had lots of practice at this as my welding career started around the same time the caverliers, astras and escorts were beginning to rot. I can tell you though I have packed that game in and I don't miss it one bit. I've only got the scars to show for it as it never gets any more fun.

 

[thepurpleblob]

I'm prepared to give 0.8 a bash. So why does everywhere (else) say "use 0.6 for cars" then?

 

[doubleboost]

This shows some rusty metal welding

 

[doubleboost]

I'm prepared to give 0.8 a bash. So why does everywhere (else) say "use 0.6 for cars" then?

I use .8 for most things
You can fill in holes in rusty metal better with .8

 

[shed or dead]

I'm prepared to give 0.8 a bash. So why does everywhere (else) say "use 0.6 for cars" then?

Less current able to flow / less required to melt the wire. I always thought that using 0.8 on the same settings would be better as the heat current would be soaked into the thicker wire but have been advised otherwise. Can't find that post though!

Keep going, we all want to see the finished car!

 

[thepurpleblob]

Keep going, we all want to see the finished car!

Me too!! The next thing will be a bit of wheel arch for which no panels are available. That should be a laugh

 

[ben8vgte]

I've had lots of practice at this as my welding career started around the same time the caverliers, astras and escorts were beginning to rot. I can tell you though I have packed that game in and I don't miss it one bit. I've only got the scars to show for it as it never gets any more fun.

After the last one I said never again! I think I must of forgot and got another one several years later and much more rotten At least just doing for a hobby you can walk away from it when you've had enough, I wont touch a paid for car welding job at all now.

 

[Richard.]

I'm prepared to give 0.8 a bash. So why does everywhere (else) say "use 0.6 for cars" then?

Well it's a preference thing really and both have there pros and cons. .6 requires a lower current to burn with which is always a plus on thin stuff but the down side is the thinner you go the less fill your putting in and in that game you do need to get that fill in quick and release before the point of burn through. .8 gives that extra fill needed but like I say it's needs a little more current to weld it. Me personally I get on best with .6 for thin car plating keeping the current as low as I can and spotting it in. But you should now try .8 as your not getting on with .6 this may work for you.

 

[Kent]

Just to try and put something in clear text (though its already been said). "forget trying to weld directly onto the bad metal", "just get one blob on then put a blob directly on top of that". You can weld pretty much anything like this, in the past I have even Migged filter mesh like this. Its not "short bursts" its more "blobbing in". You can almost weld into thin air but its just "pip"-Stop& cool"pip" -Stop & cool
If you haven't been brutal enough cutting out the rot though then your just making life harder than it need be. I have never been in favour of sticking plasters to pass the MOT, if your going to repair something do it to last and sometimes this means replacing a whole darn section

 

[marlinspike]

Can't add anything that hasn't already been suggested. However I totally sympathise as I have the exact same problem. I am often pretty chuffed with my 10 minutes of practise welds on the bench, but then as soon as I start on the car I end up blowing through. By the time I have filled in the holes it looks like the Himalayas.

I think it is partly that you are often welding in an awkward position, but mostly that you are working on older metal, not nice shiny new stuff.

 

[Rocketman]

I always check the steel thickness. Would be interesting to see how thick the steel is that is causing the problem. Being able to go down to 25amps is a big help to when it's really thin.

If it's rusty it's not worth welding, remove it/clean it up. Using rust remover can often be a long process BUT it can leave much thicker metal than simply grinding till clean. If you are working on a car over weeks you can be using rust remover on one area over several applications while you are working on other areas so not to come to a stand still.

IMO 0.6mm wire is essential on thin stuff but I guess it also depends how well your rig works with it.

 

[Jerry63]

I have to stop every ten minutes to put the kettle on... otherwise I'd attack the welder with an axe or something

I know just how you feel…

When I started year back with my old Astra there were several areas where it was easier to do an overlapping repair section holding it in place temporarily with a few self-tapping screws. You still cut away the bad metal of course. This allows you to do a more forgiving lap joint around the piece and then go round plugging the screw holes later. I did this quite a lot around the car. It was only later on with practice I managed to get some neater flush repairs but even then by just carefully joining lots of spot welds around the repair.

Also after my first disastrous attempts at welding under the car I went off to the nearest welding centerto buy proper welding overalls and a long leather apron – and hat. Even then the occasional spark would find its way in causing mayhem. Also lighting can be tricky. I found two lamps were best as you’re always in the way of one of them, but then of course there’s less room and all the cables to tangle with. Sometimes you just have to have lots of tea breaks and just keep coming back to it.

typically I can't find the "after" pic.....

 

[thepurpleblob]

Thanks everyone... I feel a lot more inspired now. Some great advice. I've also ordered some 0.8 wire and tips and I'll try that and see how I get on

 

[thepurpleblob]

Update - I now have 0.8 installed (after also needing to replace the spool assembly on the Cebora welder - another story). Somewhat counter intuitively it's much nicer to weld with. I have the wire speed almost down as far as it will go but, so far, it doesn't blow holes anything like as easily. Weird

 

[BChild]

Update - I now have 0.8 installed (after also needing to replace the spool assembly on the Cebora welder - another story). Somewhat counter intuitively it's much nicer to weld with. I have the wire speed almost down as far as it will go but, so far, it doesn't blow holes anything like as easily. Weird

Funny I have the same issues - I just cannot get on with 0.6mm wire no matter what settings I try it just goes hay wire - 0.8mm wire and I'm rocking and rolling

 

[normspanners]

Any words of support much appreciated

As asked for ;

Some words of support ------ Trestle/ leg /lintel/ beam--- hope that helps
HO HO,
BTW are you sure the gas is coming out of the nozzle? a lot of people have had this problem the pipe comes off the end of the torch when pulling and twisting torch with all the struggling under cars with limited space and the gas could be going inside the sheathing, and not forced out of the gas shield.