Hi guys... Wondering if you guys have a solution for me. Been having some serious problems welding 16 gauge to some rather thin 17 gauge. Feel like my settings are ok if I was doing 16 to 16... drop the amps down and I get some decent popping that blows holes in the thin stuff. (Popping like the wire is going to fast, but got it slowed all the way down.) Patching a battery tray, biggest problem comes at the verticle wall... pop! Instant sun poking through. Lincoln electric mig, 220 volts with a gas pack. Running .30 wire... gas at 15 on the regulator, forget what unit of measure. Thanks!
Maybe your gap between the pieces is too big? Make it as small as possible. You could always back it up with a piece of copper while you weld too. Bill
Got any Pics???? Your blowing thru the thin side not the 16 ga? If so you might be better off to cut out the thin stuff and replace it with undamaged metal. If its that thin it will more than likely break just above the weld.
It's a battery tray. I ***ume the bottom is rotted out. If this is the case lay your fresh piece inside and overlap. Once the batter is in it, it'll never show.
No pic's, can't get the camera to focus on it. Blowing through the thin on the verticle... and in a spot or two on the 16 where I overlapped the end and couldn't get it to lay to the contour.
Old rusted, pitted metal is a *****. you have to take it slow and do the best you can with what is left.
turn the wire speed way up. im curious to see what happens. id say try gas or tig welding it.... and melting the ROD to the base metal.
A few things that help me: Get the metal as clean as you can. If it's new and still has that layer on rust proofing **** on it... use solvent! Also, preheat the metal with a torch (handheld propane works well) not red hot... just warm it up. Lay your bead on the thick metal close to the thinner metal and let your "puddle" melt over to the thin metal. (does that make sense?!?!) This should happen a couple of millimeters behind the center of your "puddle". Anyway... that's what works for me... your results may vary!
It's steel wire, right? There was some guy a while back who accidentally had the ALUMINUM spool loaded. Not saying that you'd do something like that. Just suggesting that you take five seconds to confirm it before spending lots of time elsewhere.
run .023 wire, hold the tip a little farther away. 16 guage is pretty thick. This set up works on 24 guage. Try the 030 with the tip backed farther away, might do the trick.
.023 could help. are you trying to weld a continuous bead? if so don't. with the varying thickness of the rusty metal heat that is good for the thicker spots is to hot for the thinner spots. plus as your bead goes along the heat increases until you blow through. weld on little burst at a time, slightly overlapping. just a little circle, up to maybe a 3/16" long bead at a time are you wearing your helmet? just cause Jesse James welds stuff with his eyes closed does not make it the way to go. GAP.. I like a gap no thicker than the wire I'm using. the bigger the gap the less heat you'll need welding contaminated metal is always more of a ***** than the clean shiney stuff.. clean it up. either blast it or grind it til it is shiney blowing holes is too much heat. either adjust your settings on the machine, or the amount of time the heat is applied.
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