welding splatter: why and how not? (1 Viewer)

[posttal]

Splatter problem

Hey guys,I was wonder if maybe you could answer something for me.I'v been welding same harley exhaust pipes that I make and have been doing it at work on our MIG and have no real problems.But I decided to buy a welder and do it at home.The problem is splatter.I have it big time at home.I use argon as a gas but the weld came with flux core wire.My question is..does it matter if the wire is flux core AND you use a gas.I shut the gas off to no real difference.And I switched the terminal leads in the welder as stated for gas or flux.But I got to thinking that if the manufacturer wants to switch the ground depending on gas or no gas how does flux work into the mix since flux would be one way and gas the other and I'm using BOTH.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.I was going to go buy some other wire but I dont know if its the weld,me or the wire.Oh and the welder is a 220v 110amp chicago electric as seen here http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...do?itemid=94164&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

Thanks
Posstal AKA Ralph

 

[fj40charles]

My question is..does it matter if the wire is flux core AND you use a gas.I shut the gas off to no real difference.And I switched the terminal leads in the welder as stated for gas or flux.But I got to thinking that if the manufacturer wants to switch the ground depending on gas or no gas how does flux work into the mix since flux would be one way and gas the other and I'm using BOTH.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.I was going to go buy some other wire but I dont know if its the weld,me or the wire.Oh and the welder is a 220v 110amp chicago electric as seen here http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa...do?itemid=94164&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

Thanks
Posstal AKA Ralph

Are you using 100% argon? If so, that is your problem.
Yes, you need to change the polarity when you go from fluxcore to mig or vice versa.

You don't use shielding gas with flux core UNLESS you're using shielded flux core wire. I'm 100% sure that you're using self shielding flux core and do not need gas.

 

[Mace]

Ralph, you got a couple of problems.

Like Charles said, no gas with flux core unless you are running a special dual shield wire. You aren't..

flux core splatters a lot

Harborfreight welders are not exactly the premier equipment..

If you are running solid core wire the gas you should be using is a mixture of C02 and Argon. (steelmix)

 

[MANUCHAO]

What a great thread..

I too get splatter but it has really gone down quite a lot just by trying different setting on wire speed and amperage....

I did not know about having clean metal prior to welding...it works !!

Im using a 250 miller MIG and it welds great on thick metal 1/8 or thicker.. but it becomes quite hard when welding on the thinner stuff......

Thanks for all the good info in here !!

 

[Mace]

What a great thread..

I too get splatter but it has really gone down quite a lot just by trying different setting on wire speed and amperage....

I did not know about having clean metal prior to welding...it works !!

Im using a 250 miller MIG and it welds great on thick metal 1/8 or thicker.. but it becomes quite hard when welding on the thinner stuff......

Thanks for all the good info in here !!

.023 wire is your friend

 

[MANUCHAO]

Thanks, I'll try that next time !!!

 

[justweldit]

What a great thread..

I too get splatter but it has really gone down quite a lot just by trying different setting on wire speed and amperage....

I did not know about having clean metal prior to welding...it works !!

Im using a 250 miller MIG and it welds great on thick metal 1/8 or thicker.. but it becomes quite hard when welding on the thinner stuff......

Thanks for all the good info in here !!

hey, on the thinner stuff try faster weld speeds. somtimes if you turn the power down it just doesent work. leave it a little warm an go fast! dont dwell on the pin holes go fast ! come back on low setting to fix holes use a alum backer if you can.

 

[justweldit]

hey , another trick ,start welding have a buddie or slowly turn wire speed up or down . this can save you some time! an rember that lil moter pushing the wire up the gun dont like extream corners and if it needs replacing liners are like20.00 can save you big time ......happy oh an flux core is extreamly polarity sensitive . some machings have lil metal plates you have to switch check the manual

 

[yotawheeler]

ok...so i read a little bit of this thread and just decided to post....like lots have said you will get splatter with pretty much any welding, just the way it is. HOWEVER when you are using FCAW or flux cored welding your polarity needs to be OPPOSITE that of solid wire if you are using a T11 flux cored wire. if you use the same polarity as solid wire you can expect way more splatter and not a solid weld.

as for flux core welds not looking good....thats not true, they can look very good. it just takes practice. hit the welds with a wire wheel and it will take all the slag and crap off leaving you with a nice shiny weld-after that its all about the practice. also getting your settings dialed in is very important. with flux cored (assuming T11 as it is the most common self shielding wire) you will be moving MUCH slower than with solid wire and your wire speed rate will be much slower as well. keep practicing you can get very nice welds with flux core wire and iirc T11 has a higher tensile strength...best of luck

 

[fj40charles]

ok...so i read a little bit of this thread and just decided to post....like lots have said you will get splatter with pretty much any welding, just the way it is.

Low voltage short arc with C25 shielding gas should give you little or no spatter. Same with spray transfer.

 

[justweldit]

ok...so i read a little bit of this thread and just decided to post....like lots have said you will get splatter with pretty much any welding, just the way it is. HOWEVER when you are using FCAW or flux cored welding your polarity needs to be OPPOSITE that of solid wire if you are using a T11 flux cored wire. if you use the same polarity as solid wire you can expect way more splatter and not a solid weld.

as for flux core welds not looking good....thats not true, they can look very good. it just takes practice. hit the welds with a wire wheel and it will take all the slag and **** off leaving you with a nice shiny weld-after that its all about the practice. also getting your settings dialed in is very important. with flux cored (assuming T11 as it is the most common self shielding wire) you will be moving MUCH slower than with solid wire and your wire speed rate will be much slower as well. keep practicing you can get very nice welds with flux core wire and iirc T11 has a higher tensile strength...best of luck

well said

 

[yotawheeler]

Low voltage short arc with C25 shielding gas should give you little or no spatter. Same with spray transfer.

agreed/stand corrected, the jist of what i was trying to get at though is that some splatter is expected in the majority of situations...