Technical TOOLS, Top Welding Tips...

Use a chunk of aluminum for a heatsink and its possible to fill large holes by backing the hole up with the aluminum and filling it with your M.I.G.
The molten wire won't stick to the aluminum,but will fill the hole or gap quite nicely.

 

Wear good leather boots or at least keep your feet away from the weld area as much as you can. You'd be surprised how quickly rollers can find the spaces between your shoe laces and burn the most sensitive parts of your foot.
Also, don't sit and weld in any position were weld drops in your lap. It hurts...bad.
For the test guestions..sadly it's been awhile since I welded anything,but I'm pretty sure we used 70/30 Argon/CO2 where I used to work,but my memory really...what was I saying? I've never had the pleasure of welding stainless or aluminum

 

when making plug welds,
make the hole big enough to be able to start the weld on the parent metal, get a puddle going and then weld around the hole.

Paul

 

when tacking with a wire feed,
position the wire where you want the tack,
shield the area with a gloved hand,
close your eyes and make your tack.

 

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(25) Nutsacks ARE flammable.

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I've got the scars to prove it.

 

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For the test guestions..sadly it's been awhile since I welded anything,but I'm pretty sure we used 70/30 Argon/CO2 where I used to work,but my memory really...what was I saying? I've never had the pleasure of welding stainless or aluminum

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Good answers...!

Can anyone answer what's the best gas to use for MIG welding stainless, and what's best for aluminum??? (Hint..., partial answer previously mentioned!)!

 

heres my two cents worth.been welding for 20 years,sheet metal shop.maintain your welder,clean the inside once in a while.change your tips on your mig regulary,use good wire not the cheap ****.clean the wire feed wheels,only use steel wire in one linerand use stainless in an nother.as for gas i use tri mix thats what they call it up here in the north.the gas works very well on stainless also if welding mild steel thewelds are much hotter with tri mix.

 

AG90 and Argon, respectivly.

I don't keep AG90 around, so I get by with straight Argon for both. I'd much rather use the TIG... especially for aluminum.
Unless I'm welding alot at once.

JOE

 

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Can anyone answer what's the best gas to use for MIG welding stainless, and what's best for aluminum???

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Argon with the appropriate electrode for material being welded.

 

Don't use an arc welder when wearing jeans with split knees.
Those little white threads are like candle wicks. Lifted my hood to see my leg was on fire. Pretty funny stuff after I beat the fire out.
Dan

 

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when widening or narrowing or reversing rims, mount them on a spindle with a gauge set up made of heavy wire or s**** metal so as you skip weld you can turn the wheel to check for true.

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If you have a friend with a drum/rotor lathe,chuck the wheel you are working on in it,to check for true. Tack it in four spots,check it again,then start to skip weld it.

 

Use the proper diameter wire for the job. .023 is ideal for sheet metal, .035 is not.
Many 120V welders can only handle .023 & .030, neither is a good choice for frame or critical suspension work.

Have enough AC current available. The bigger 120V units will draw up to 20-25A. If in doubt have someone measure the AC while you are working, anything over about a 10% drop is asking for poor welds. I have a stiff 240V line into the shop. From there I have a dedicated #10 120V line going to a 30A outlet for the 120V Mig. Changed the plug on the Mig to match.
The biggest problem people have with 120V MIG's is not the unit, it is the AC. But they blame the welder.

For frame and other heavy work I always use the 240V 175A Mig.

And I'll repeat what others said. Spend the money for maintenance, always have new tips and liners on hand.
And stay away from cheap off brand wire. Always inspect new wire, if it has been sitting in a moisture prone area it is suspect, even if the plastic wrap looks good. Look carefully for any rust specks.
Rusty wire will make more of a mess than flux core.

 

Skip around a lot when welding sheetmetal. Do not come back to an area until you can touch it with your hand.

Tack and hammer the weld. This will relieve the stress, and help keep the panels in alighment.

 

NEVER LAY DOWN A LIT TORCH... A curled up torch hose can be like a live snake. If you let go of the torch head, it might spin around and burn you or your new 20" billets.

NEVER USE A TORCH ON CONCRETE... A direct flame or even hot slag from cutting can cause concrete to "pop". You'll end up with all kinds of ugly holes in the concrete, and you might shoot your eye out, kid.

 

wingnutz mentioned spray anti-splatter. i've never used spray, but i've got a can (tub?) that i dip the mig tip in occasionally that works really well. don't know the brand, but the local welding shop has it.

 

Out of all of these posts, maybe I missed it, but when tig welding always keep the tungsten as sharp as possible. And yes im reading decade old posts, its how I learn! LOL