Sorry to all with lack of info. I'm using a Canox Migmatic without gas. Wire speed 0-100, and voltage adjustments 1-4. The wire size is .035. What I'm getting is gobs of welds instead of small spot welds. I play around with the settings without much of a difference. This takes quite a bit of grinding to prepare the body work on my 52 Studebaker coupe. I don't want to warp the metal with the grinder. Hope this helps.
http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/ Try this board -- lots of good folks to help you get started. one question - are you using flux core wire? You can't use "solid" wire without gas. Make sure you've got "flux core" loaded.
Use .030 flux-core for bodywork. Works OK. If your welder has a place to hook up gas, Do it! Big difference. Then use .023/.024 wire. Josh
Somewhere on your welder should show the correct voltage setting for the thickness of metal you are welding. My guess is that you should be on setting 1, or the lowest setting, for 18-20 ga. Wire speed is more of a personal comfort thing. The wire speed on mine runs from 0-10 and I'm set somewhere around 4. If you start telling people that you're using FCAW (Flux core arc welding) on body panels, prepare for them to freak out and chastise you. If you take your time and make spot welds only, FCAW should be okay. However, be aware that your warpage is more than likely going to come from the heat of your welder than the grinder.
No offense, but flux-core is for when your tractor done broke in th' back 40 or you're one of those guys on "Deadliest Catch" and your stick welder fell overboard. (and I have owned... past tense... a flux-only "mig") Get the gas setup as soon as you can, it is a night and day difference. You're sure your using flux-core wire? kinda sounds like you've got solid wire...
Is the wire coming out smoothly? Or are the drive rollers slipping? You may want to check your wire spring tension adjustment. If you've had the welder for a while, the wire groove in the drive spool can be worn to the point where it will no longer drive the wire properly.
you have to make sure your polarity is reversed for flux core wire. Your ground will be positive and stinger for mig will be negative.
sounds like too much wire and too little heat. Id suggest higher heat ands slow down the wire speed...then spot weld moving around a lot to avoid concentrating the heat too much in the one area......
What are some of the problems that appear from using flux core on body panels? I've seen guys use flux core before for filling holes and small patch jobs. Seemed like decent welds if the dude knows what hes doing.
One of two things causes this to happen. Using solid wire without gas and/or having a magnet to close to the weld, Or just behind it. It disrupts the arc field.
There's a LOT of things that can make a bad weld. I use magnets for holding **** together all the time. Never had an issue.
i would use the smallest wire you can find like .023 my little mig i keep at home had 023 in it and i accidently bought 030 and couldnt figure out why it all of a sudden welded like ****. when i figured that out and changed the wire that did the trick. the low amp welders have a hard time melting the larger wire. if your welder has the hookups for a bottle i wood get one. easier welds to clean before bodywork
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