I have a Lincoln mig welder which I bought from Home D. It was the 650 dollar deal so it's a good welder. I have been so broke that I never picked up an argon tank(150 if there' s no core and full). Without the tank, I have been doing all my light gauge welding with Lincoln coated spool wire 0.35? I have had great luck and pretty beads with some pretty light gauge stuff; but recently, as I got into welding my doors back up from the chop, I started getting burn through. What gauge wire should I be using for the real thin stuff, 22 gauge, 24 gauge? If I go to pick up the argon does this help with heat and burn or just flow. I actually like the quality of my welds with just the core coat no Argon pretty nice. Will the tank and a different gauge wire help for thinner metal and nicer welds, or just help the flow? Please if anyone is a wiz with this light gauge sheet metal work, post and give me some pointers and tips like wire size, heat, and other details. I have tacked the window frames in spots to get them held, and then I actually ran out of wire! So, I need to run and get some regardless Any suggestions on what to buy or prefered coated wire, etc. will really be appreciated. Pork Out <!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->
Well do you have your WFS and Voltage settings adjusted properly? It's not going to be the same for 18 gauge steel or whatever you were welding before. Are you getting any porosity in your welds? I recomend having a bottle if you are welding on something like a roof (chop top). Remember the WFS is what adjust the amperage.
Yea, it's not speed, and I have it as low as she will go. I think my gauge is to thick? Does anyone know how thin core coated wire for no argon or map goes? 30, 25, 20? Pork
Have you tried stich welding it? That thin metal heats very quickly. Are you just trying to run straight stringer beads?
Sounds like your running too hot. I have the same welder and have used it for 2 years and have only used flux cor wire .Also your metal may be a little thinner in spots causing you to burn through, just stop often and let the metal cool
I will get a bottle, but I am curious if thinner wire helps. I have nice solid and sweet looking beads at around 18-20 gauge. It's just when I get thinner, 22, 24, and old thin tin, that it takes too much heat to burn the wire and, consequently, whatever I am welding as well. I do know I need the tank; it's just that we are broke right now and I was hoping a 12 dollar answer would supersede a 120 dollar answer. Pork
Why are you pricing Argon? Just get basic Carbon Dioxide as a shield gas...works great for me. More expensive "mixed gas" is a bit better for splatter control, but CO2 is a huge jump from cored wire AND you can go to a thin .023 wire. I pay...$35.00 ish for a tank and the yearly contract for tank rental is around $50.00. You'll save money on your wire costs too so that helps. (Don't forget to check your machines polarity IF you do change over.) Know anyone in the "fountain soft drink" business? The tanks of CO2 they have is the same as used for welding. Who knows...maybe one could fall off the truck near you or something...
Thanks Olds Vroom and CJ. I have to go to Tractor Supply to pick up some grinding and wire wheels. I will peruse their welding spool wire while there. S***ch welding and filling back in, after constant wire wheeling, may be the only way to get through these door skins and posts. Pork Out
I use .023 wire and 70% argon, 30% co2 mix works real well for me a clean weld. My lincoln welder is the 155 my settings for the 20-22 gauge is C for heat and wire speed is set at 4-5. At 20-22 I usually end up s***ch welding it and spacing the welds apart.
Gerry Moe; Thanks. I am starting to see a pattern that I can't ignore, and that's bottles and thinner gauge wire. I think I'm getting it boys. Pork
Just went out and checked my mix, been so long since I have looked always just take the bottle in and never pay attention. My mix is 75-25
Your welding machine should have a chart inside that shows ranges of metal thickness and what to use to weld it. I have never seen flux core smaller than. 035 and about as thin material as you can weld with that is gonna be 16 maybe 18 gauge if your good and a Max of 5/16 depending on your machine capacity. Maybe thicker with extra joint prep and p***es. .025 wire is good for 22-12 gauge, .030 wire is good for 20 - 10 gauge. I like .023 wire because it will go lighter than 22 or for those thin spots. Get your gas in a mix of argon and co2, you wont like straight argon and mig welding. Also be SURE TO CHANGE THE POLARITY ON YOUR MACHINE when you change over to solid wire and gas. The small bottles don't last very long, I like the 141 cubic feet ( approximately 48" tall x 7" diameter )
My ancient big Miller has a chart inside showing what heat range (metal thickness), vs wire size and it shows the "best" or "good" welds using any combinations. It does show an "best" on thin gauge with the smallest wire for my big machine (30 thou) by using argon/co mix at the lowest heat setting. But the chart shows "good" if using straight co2 with the same wire and heat setting. My chart shows no advantage for the 2nd lowest heat by using argon mix. I have had this welder for 30 years and never bought mix. I do so much of the medium heat range welds, that I can't see going with the mix. If I was just doing super thin stuff, I would maybe try it. And Yes to what Hacker said about soda machines using c02..if you know someone with a diner, or someone who delivers for a soda company...it would be cheap.
turn down the heat and move around. blow thruogh happens with excess heat but if you don't turn it down or move around you will warp the **** out of it anyway i use 95/5 but it is personal preferance. and the snobs will tell you that i isn't mig without the gas
yeah, look inside your machine for the settings, if your broke money wise, do not wase your money on expensive sheilding gas, especially when you are gonna grind anyway...and if its a 220 machine, you will have trouble welding down in the 16 guage and under anyway, just takes practice and lots of small short s***ches.....and move around alot......wire.....your choice....... .23 is fine......i always use .35.......at work and home........but thats me and my machines......really splitting hairs on alof this stuff......just practice.....get some co2 and some wire and practice.....your gonna have to grind it anyway....and if you can`t get penetration.....well....i donno what to say.....
you know i put off buying the tank way too long.....once i did i wish i started from the start using gas ....see if you can buy a small tank and then keep going up unitl you get the size thats just hard to carry, then you know you have one thats big enough
[and the snobs will tell you that it isn't mig without the gas[/QUOTE] Well it really AIN'T mig without gas. We all say MIG when we talking about wire welding. MIG is Metal Inert Gas. Even CO2 isn't inert. So... What we should be saying instead of MIG is GMAW - Gas Metal Arc Welding. When we're using fluxcore wire, it still isn't MIG, it is (you guessed it) FCAW - Flux Cored Arc Welding. I know all this and still can't well worth ****
The Jalopy Journal
