How to transition to MIG?

[BigBlue1]

In deference to Rob the OP here. You will LOVE MIG. Get gas, weld indoors if you can and enjoy!

Yep, getting all set up. And it will be getting warmer in MN soon so I'll be able to get out to the shed and spend some time practicing.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[ArlyA]

Here is some of the welders I use. I don't own them.

 

[coxhaus]

It's going to be 80 this afternoon here in Texas. As soon as I finish my turning plow I need to find a welding project. I built a woodrack last year this time.

 

[yomax4]

It's going to be 80 this afternoon here in Texas. As soon as I finish my turning plow I need to find a welding project. I built a woodrack last year this time.

I like the rack. I wish I would have built a small one before I filled my wall space with everything but. I have steel sticks and drops piled all over. I keep everything down to 1"

 

[Big Barn]

What I remember is it costs about the same to fill a 125 or an 80 bottle. So I bought the 125 bottle. They are getting heavier as I get older. But I am getting more creative on having to move them.

Here are two single bottle carts I made for transport and supplying gas for suitcase welders.
The entire bottle and cart can be strapped down as necessary on a truck bed.

 

[coxhaus]

Nice carts Big Barn. I guess with a cart I could roll my 125 cylinder up a set of ramps. My old 3/4 ton Ford diesel is pretty high off the ground and now has a camper shell on it. It still might work with a camper shell if I can stand on the ground and push the cart up the ramps. I don't know if it would be too steep.

I heard Texas welding has a truck which comes to my small town once a month on Fridays. They said they will deliver and pick up if I want. I was going to talk to them about delivery some more.

 

[Big Barn]

Nice carts Big Barn. I guess with a cart I could roll my 125 cylinder up a set of ramps. My old 3/4 ton Ford diesel is pretty high off the ground and now has a camper shell on it. It still might work with a camper shell if I can stand on the ground and push the cart up the ramps. I don't know if it would be too steep.

I heard Texas welding has a truck which comes to my small town once a month on Fridays. They said they will deliver and pick up if I want. I was going to talk to them about delivery some more.

For 125 cf cylinders I would see about the delivery. Air Liquide used to deliver O/A to the farm years ago but I very much doubt they would service such a small account these days.

I don’t go through much welding gas and I no longer have a pickup truck so it’s fortunate I can probably toss the 80 cf bottles in the back of my daughters Jeep. LOL

 

[BigBlue1]

Or just bring a friend along to the gas supplier. The tanks aren't that heavy and I'd suspect two people could easily deal with any that you might use.

Rob

 

[Big Barn]

Gotta make a few friends first.

 

[coxhaus]

Yea I may not use enough gas for delivery. I am in town so it would not be much out of their way.

I do have a friend right now which helps load the 125 cylinder in my truck. It is not real often so he doesn't mind. Once I get to the LWS supply they unload and load it back so I don't need help while I am there. Then when my friend comes into town for groceries or whatever he swings by and we unload it. I am working on a lift. I bought a used lift off a small service truck. It is an old cummins lift. I have an old boat trailer that I am thinking about cutting down to be pulled by my garden tractor which is 1100 pounds.

But I almost bought a used old tractor with a front end loader. Then I could use the front end loader. In which case I would want to mount my small crane, lift on my tandem axle trailer so I could lift stuff onto the trailer. So I am undecided right now but leaning back toward the boat trailer idea.

In my young days I would load the 125 cylinder by my self. It is only in the last couple of years that I have slowed down.

 

[Big Barn]

Sounds like a cool project to me!

 

[BigBlue1]

Wow!! What a difference an auto-darkening helmet makes. Especially one that can be adjusted to the correct shade for MIG welding instead of my old-school stick welding helmet. Really nice to be able to see not only the arc itself but the puddle and the surrounding metal a bit too. With my new helmet I might even get better at stick welding.

Couple of test welds with the new setup. First one is flux core. Second one is solid wire and C25. As you can see from the left side of that one, I started out without gas until I realized my problem.





I think I'm going to like this MIG stuff.

Rob

 

[ovrszd]

You realize you have to give details. What settings? What thickness of metal? Push or pull?

 

[dragoneggs]

Wow!! What a difference an auto-darkening helmet makes. Especially one that can be adjusted to the correct shade for MIG welding instead of my old-school stick welding helmet. Really nice to be able to see not only the arc itself but the puddle and the surrounding metal a bit too. With my new helmet I might even get better at stick welding.

Couple of test welds with the new setup. First one is flux core. Second one is solid wire and C25. As you can see from the left side of that one, I started out without gas until I realized my problem.

View attachment 645136

View attachment 645137

I think I'm going to like this MIG stuff.

Rob

You are on your way... you will love it. Yeah, get in the habit of checking your gas and ground. It is usually one of those two that trip you up especially if it is a while between weld projects.

 

[Big Barn]

You are ON YOUR WAY Big Blue !!!

 

[BigBlue1]

1/8" steel. MIG settings: voltage 4, wire speed 4.5 (4.75 for flux). C25 @ 20cuft for solid. I guess it would be push.

 

[yomax4]

1/8" steel. MIG settings: voltage 4, wire speed 4.5 (4.75 for flux). C25 @ 20cuft for solid. I guess it would be push.

Just to note, That flux core in theory should be pulled or dragged but it being what it is, It's hard to tell either way. Looking good !!

 

[the old grind]

Did you get those numbers, Richard?

 

[BigBlue1]

Just to note, That flux core in theory should be pulled or dragged but it being what it is, It's hard to tell either way. Looking good !!

I was going right to left with that one so I'm not sure exactly what that would be considered. Probably angled towards the left, so that's why I said push.

I'm looking forward to trying stick welding with this new helmet too. I might not be bad at striking an arc when I can actually see the parts being welded. And if I can see the puddle I might do a better job with the actual weld. Maybe I just needed a $75 helmet and not a $800 welder?? ;-) Just kidding! I always need another tool and it has been a _long_ time since I got a major one.

Rob

 

[Big Barn]

Did you ever mention what auto dark helmet you bought?