Welding adventures

[jamesc76]

Best bet to practice on body panels is go to your local scrappy and ask him for a few old wings with some rust in and have a go at welding them up, sounds daft but you'll get the hang a lot better before you attack the van!!
Oh and another safety bit you've all the correct gear on in the pics, i usually just have my mask on!, but all around where you've been welding is covered in thin plastic etc this melts sooooo easy from stray sparks!!!!

[asahartz]

with my H&S head on tone,, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have someone on firewatch with an extinguisher when you do any welding on the van. so many things can catch fire and you won't notice with the mask on.

This includes your own overalls (speaks from experience!). I frequently use an old sleeping bag to lie/kneel on (wet grass is not attractive at my age), and am only too aware how easily it catches fire - I'm always looking down to check!

[Nicola&Tony]

Thanks for all the tips and info guys, plenty to think about there. I definitely need to get hold of some scrap body panels to have a go with.

,, as you slow the wire feed down it turns the current down . . .

Does that happen as a natural consequence of reducing the wire speed Rozzo? On my machine I have to choose a power level to start with (a series of switches, rather than a dial ) and then tinker with the wire speed until the bacon is sizzling nicely.

Tony

[Nicola&Tony]

Let Nicola have a go, she'll love it . . .

Unfortunately we only have one face mask! In other words; gulp . . . she might do a better job of it!

Tony

[Nicola&Tony]

. . . but all around where you've been welding is covered in thin plastic etc this melts sooooo easy from stray sparks!!!!

You're very observant James! I thought better of it on day 2 and shifted it all out of the way!

Tony

[Rozzo]

Thanks for all the tips and info guys, plenty to think about there. I definitely need to get hold of some scrap body panels to have a go with.

,, as you slow the wire feed down it turns the current down . . .

Does that happen as a natural consequence of reducing the wire speed Rozzo? On my machine I have to choose a power level to start with (a series of switches, rather than a dial ) and then tinker with the wire speed until the bacon is sizzling nicely.

Tony

yes it does m8,, i think the switches set the voltage range and the wire speed controller also adjusts the current. if i read it correctly

[Pepperami]

What welder did you buy?

[Nicola&Tony]

What welder did you buy?

I got a Cosmo 170 gas / gasless (top setting is 150 amps though, not 170! ) Cosmo welders are re-badged Sip machines apparently. Bought it before I'd got to grips with the mig welding forum and heard about Sip wire feed problems. Have made a couple of alterations to it that were recommended on the mig forum, to improve the wire feed. If I was buying again I think I'd go for a Clarke welder.

Tony

[Pepperami]

I got a Clarke 151 TE. It's fairly easy to use and have had no problems. 30-150 amp coverage. Seems like a good all rounder. Looking at inverters now though. Cant afford at the minute.

[HarryMann]

I got a Clarke 151 TE.

Same here, no problems, apart from broke one of the plastic wheels a bit, no biggy (a very rough Victorian brick path)

[HarryMann]

Just looked at those trial weld, very nice, regardless of thickness!

One thing you might have to do on thinner metal, is often keep stopping to let the heat die down a bit... maybe this is a matter of settings, but you'll probably find that at the lower setting to get a continuous run, the weld pool just won't flow as you are expecting it to (not exactly a smaller version of the thicker plate)

So to some extent I find myself getting better results running a very short distance (1/4~1/2") letting go, waiting one, two or three seconds and then starting up again as the glow starts to fade away. A bit like pulsing a food blender rather than just holding it flat out.. you get better results for some reason (ah well, thats 'cos the food drops back down around the blades I hear the cooks saying!)

This a good technique when filling in holes, by building up a seam around the edge and then moving in till its filled... almost impossible without keeping stopping, where an auto helmet really pays for itself... this 'filling holes, or building edge seams' could be something to practice on thinner sheet in your workshop?

Will either frighten you or give confidence, but you do need to have a go on the thinner stuff asap... TBH, 80~90% of it is finding the 'new, correct' settings, or settings close enough to give you half a chance... get them wrong and its usually downhill quickly... so try some 1mm sheet, clean then maybe some slightly rusty or dirty stuff...

[Pepperami]

Well i went on my starter welding course today. Learn't a few good tips for welding thin sheet and it gives you confidence to go at it. Money well spent i think. Now i need to find the money to do the eight week evening course in January. That works up to TIG alloy and stainless steel.

[asahartz]

What welder did you buy?

I got a Cosmo 170 gas / gasless (top setting is 150 amps though, not 170! ) Cosmo welders are re-badged Sip machines apparently. Bought it before I'd got to grips with the mig welding forum and heard about Sip wire feed problems. Have made a couple of alterations to it that were recommended on the mig forum, to improve the wire feed. If I was buying again I think I'd go for a Clarke welder.

Tony

My first MIG welder was a Clarke; I had all sorts of wire feed problems with that too. I prefer my SIP, and having fitted the modification (supplied by www.welduk.com) I have no wire feed problems at all now. I have to say I never had problems with .8 wire even without the mod, only with .6.

[Nicola&Tony]

I prefer my SIP, and having fitted the modification (supplied by www.welduk.com) I have no wire feed problems at all now.

I'd be interested to know what modification you did? I can't find it on the welduk website.

Tony

E D I T: think I might've found it now, was it this?
http://www.welduk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=607

[HarryMann]

What wire size are you having probs with Tony?