MIG welding questions... (1 Viewer)

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spdwaver

spdwaver

Formerly Kalifornistanian
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Jul 8, 2006
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Hello everyone

I just purchased a Lincoln SP135-T to do some project welding with. I am learning (hence the questions) and I am now ready to tackle my 40. Here are a few "dumb questions."

Equipment:
-- Lincoln SP135-T (not the Plus model),
-- .030 flux core wire
-- Inexperienced operator (with "dumb" questions)

Here goes:
1. Do I need to disconnect the battery on the vehicle? My thought was that while I am sending current through the vehicle, the battery could be at risk in some way.

2. Amperage (or heat) and wire feed setting: It has a four-way rotary heat dial, full variable feed/speed. When welding on the tub, what approx. settings should I use? I have burned through 14 GA. like it was nothing, at just about any setting. (again, inexperienced)

FYI: I will only be welding on the bumper for now, NOT the tub, until I gain experience.

If anyone has been in my position (being a noob), I am all ears.

Thanks,

Sean
 
flux core will splatter alot but try to ignore it and focus your vision point on the puddle. Dont be afraid to stop and go , it is hard to pul a good bead on thin stuff. All welders are diff. cause it depends on what is feeding it , ground , cleanliness , etc. Just try and try again till it flows. You will know imediately when it is just poping and puddling ontop of the surface. The sound is a good tell tale.
 
IMO flux core wire is going to be way too hot for sheet metal. When you're ready to step up to patching fenders and such, add gas to your setup and thing guage wire. The gas runs much cooler and you can twittle the amps down to the lowest setting and just take your time.

Remember to spot weld first and run short beads a little at a time, rotating areas so as not to warp the metal.

Read up on welding or take a class if you can, that helps with technique you can't learn by just doing. Until then... practice!

My humble $.02.
 
set it up for actual MIG......get the gas and .023 hard wire.
for body work it's nite and day between flux and mig.


what setting depends on the skill behind the gun. a good guy could get away with the number 4 setting on sheetmetal. but your looking at something like 2, maybe 3.
at those low settings the arc length is going to REAL short, so you really should know what to look for. other wise you'll be jamming wire into the puddle or globbing it off. it's just one of those things you need to see, the web is not the place for it.

start stocking up on 16 and 18GA metal. it's real easy to make twisted junk till you get the hang of it.
 
peesalot said:
You will know imediately when it is just poping and puddling ontop of the surface. The sound is a good tell tale.
Click to expand...

Ditto on the sound part. My dad has been a welder for over 30 years and always tells me "It should sound like frying bacon."
 
Congrats on the new welder, thats a fun and very useful purchase! I am a amature welder myself with a simular machine that i bought recently for my fj project.
Are you using flux core wire or are you set up for shielding gas?

I would agree with practicing on thicker metal like the bumper to get some technique down, i would also use thinner wire for the bodywork, something like .024 or so and get used to watching the weld puddle as you are moving along for indications that its about to burn through (see it actually sag, looking orange/white, weld really flatten out, etc)

Maybe the spot that you burned through was pretty thin from rust on the backside?

I would definately disconnect the battery to elimate the possibility of cooking any electrics.

I took some comunity college classes on welding and they were a great experience, would definately recomend that.
Good luck!
 
I use .022 wire on my Mig setup and a CO2/Argon gas when welding on the sheet metal. Settings will vary by welder. All I can say is the only way to learn is to practise. Thin sheet metal is not hard to weld but does take a bit of talent. Practise on some scrap and get some smaller wire.
 
for the battery. you can unhook it, but really you do not need to.
hook the ground as close to where you'll be working and you will be just fine.
the welding current flows from the gun to the ground and nowhere else.

don't hook the ground on the front of the truck, then weld in the back.
don't hook the ground on a wheel and "weld" through a bearing and then think it spin freely....
 
Thank you all...I am more confident that I do not have to go under the seat to disconnect the battery, but if it really made the difference-I would do just that.
I will be sure to place the ground near the area I am welding (thanks Brian) and give it a shot. As far as using gas...I will eventually work with that. Initially, my thought was to present myself with the challenge, as I was told that it is much easier to weld with gas, as opposed to flux core, so I will do my best on the bumper using flux core and practice on that.

Thanks again for all your responses!!
 
I reverse the polarity on flux core welders & it cuts spladder by 1/2....
 
I taught myself to weld using an old arc welder and I can tell you that if you get good with that, then MIG welding is a piece of cake. Welding with flux core wire is similar to arc welding so if you can do that, don't be nervous about going to shielding gas and solid wire. As mentioned before, it mainly takes practice and I could see classes helping, but I learned well enough by doing it on my own. Your owners manual will have some basic theory on welding in it. I made alot of pieces look like a bird crapped on it before I got the hang of it.:)
 
burling said:
I taught myself to weld using an old arc welder and I can tell you that if you get good with that, then MIG welding is a piece of cake. Welding with flux core wire is similar to arc welding so if you can do that, don't be nervous about going to shielding gas and solid wire. As mentioned before, it mainly takes practice and I could see classes helping, but I learned well enough by doing it on my own. Your owners manual will have some basic theory on welding in it. I made alot of pieces look like a bird crapped on it before I got the hang of it.:)
Click to expand...
Yes, bird crap is an excellent depiction of my first attempts at joining two like objects together.

Thanks again, Brian, but as the wire is truly cheaper (by about half), I have currently not budgeted in the argon cylinder; only the $50 spool of flux. I definately do plan on using gas...only after I burn up this spool of flux. I am positive that gas is the way to go, and will be relieved at the ease by which I can weld in the near future. Guess I cannot use the "challenge" idea anymore as far as learning is concerned ;)

Thanks again
 
grant5127 said:
I reverse the polarity on flux core welders & it cuts spladder by 1/2....
Click to expand...
I have heard that reversing the polarity will help...it is reversed: I just plain need to practice to eliminate the bird crap effect in my current method. I have not yet achieved the "flow" as is desired, on a consistent basis.

As my old welder used to say, "It's only iron, little buddy!"
 
I was in the exact same boat 7 months ago. Flux core for practice, but trust me, for sheet GET THE BOTTLE!!! Night and Day! My welds are looking better and better, but still have a long way to go. But who cares? It's only a trail rig for me. If I ever decide to do something pretty, maybe my skills will be up to par by then.

Good luck and just go for it!

PS - Don't screw up like me and buy Galvanized metal
 
The main reason i run flux core is when i'm welding outside the shop with a breeze(wind). Otherwise your light years ahead with gas. Thin sheetmetal w/ mig should be stitched(half inch or so) at a time. That will help keep the heat down. Some say tig is the best for thin material, but i've seen good welders preform magic with mig. .024 w/ gas and slow it down. Practice,practice,practice.These were excellent questions, by the way. Amazing how many people are to stupid to ask simple questions so the fail repeatidly. Good luck, and keep us informed of your progress.
 
One trick I've learned with MIG: Learning the effects of settings / getting the right adjustments - if you have a friend to help - select one heat, let them draw an arc and you turn the wire feed speed. Start low, click, click, click until it's too high - then back off.

With a second mask you can see, but either way, you can hear what's happening... listen for the bacon sound.

It's a fast way to "hit the sweet spot" on a new welder (or wire size, metal type, etc.). Later you'll know by metal type and thickness what settings to use.

Then look at the weld. Once you see the effects, try the next heat range. After you get sheetmetal right, try something thicker.

Much faster feedback & see the effects quickly = learn instantly.
 
NewFJFan said:
One trick I've learned with MIG: Learning the effects of settings / getting the right adjustments - if you have a friend to help - select one heat, let them draw an arc and you turn the wire feed speed. Start low, click, click, click until it's too high - then back off.

With a second mask you can see, but either way, you can hear what's happening... listen for the bacon sound.

It's a fast way to "hit the sweet spot" on a new welder (or wire size, metal type, etc.). Later you'll know by metal type and thickness what settings to use.

Then look at the weld. Once you see the effects, try the next heat range. After you get sheetmetal right, try something thicker.

Much faster feedback & see the effects quickly = learn instantly.
Click to expand...

I do that, usually with a little scrap as it doesn't take much to hear the weld get right. I don't know how most people fry bacon I guess, 'cause to me that sound has too much popping and changes in level to work good for welding. I like my beads to make a buzzing noise.

I got a 0-500 volt voltmeter and wired a plug to it so I could monitor my house voltage. I found it to fluctuate from 215 volts up to as high as 226 volts, when I believe it's supposed to be 218 volts consistently in a 220 service. On a welder what goes in dictates what comes out and the fluctuating voltage here used to make it hard to get consistant settings for any given thickness of steel. It also made the door chart less useful even as a guide. This just something to add to all that you can think about when learning to weld.

Pay close attention to the sound of your beads. Whether it's crackling or buzzing you need to be able to make it work the same way every time you weld.

"Better too hot than too cold for welds to hold" Like that? An old guy where I once worked used to say that a lot. He said that the Navy drilled it into him. :)
 
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