Mig welding question

[yomax4]

Going back and re-reading your opening post you say that the arc stops intermittently but the wire keeps feeding. When the wire keeps feeding in between arcs is it cold wire or is it red hot?

 

[MoArk Willy]

I would think that the 20 years you have gotten from that machine equals money well spent and the machine is starting to lose its power. Transformers do go bad and that is what powers your arc.
That being said, take it apart and blow it out. While you are in there look for any signs of arcing, loose or frayed wire. Inspect the coil for any burned spots. Any odors produced when welding?
Does it have a burnt odor when off?
As I said 20 years is a long time for a relatively inexpensive welder to last. Especially a machine who's sole function is to get shorted out repeatedly.

 

[handirifle]

I think the tip MIGHT have been the issue. It was pretty cruddy, actually. Swapped with a new one and this is what it looks like. I was in the middle of another project so no long time welding, but am hopeful.

Thanks for the assistance.

 

[handirifle]

I want to get my gas tank filled and do some solid wire welding. Gettin kinda tired of all the splatter.

 

[WranglerX]

I want to get my gas tank filled and do some solid wire welding. Gettin kinda tired of all the splatter.

Once I went to solid wire and gas I never looked back, except when conditions absolutely dictate flux core (which is very seldom) ...

Dale

 

[handirifle]

Going back and re-reading your opening post you say that the arc stops intermittently but the wire keeps feeding. When the wire keeps feeding in between arcs is it cold wire or is it red hot?

Never noticed, but if this tip is not the issue I will take notice. Hopefully that was it, but if not you guys have given me lots more to watch for.

 

[handirifle]

As for the solid core/gas, I went back to flux for several reasons. One being penetration, with this little machine I need all I can get at times. The other was cost. Plus its a 40 mile one way drive to swap the tank.

Third was laziness and convience. Lol. Don't have to be QUITE as clean with the flux core, but I try to clean it as much as possible. Just that sometimes on the property, repairs can't be cleaned as much as I would like.

 

[jaxs]

Hopfully the tip is your problem and is now solved but before parting,there's something else you might need to watch out for. If you sometimes wear that green sweater while welding,check the label for fabric content. As a matter of personal safty,if synthetic is listed,you should not wear it while welding.

 

[handirifle]

Thanks. Its an old sweat jacket I work in around the house. My gloves come almost to my elbows, and just bought a leather welding apron that goes from neck to almost my knees. I'm not real tall LOL.

I took the gloves off for the pic. I was actually involved in another project and swapped tips while waiting on something else, and ran that bead just to check. Then snapped the pics.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I also bought a leather welding apron. Very handy when you are not wearing your worst clothes. I had a tattered Kenora Dinner Jacket that actually caught on fire while welding Galvanized! That's always fun, to stop welding and realize your on FIRE!

 

[handirifle]

Yea its easy not to wear this stuff too, especially in summer. I suppose being on fire probably is a tad MORE uncomfortable than sweating.

I was using my 7" disc sander on a trailer I was working on, and noticed my leg getting warm. The sparks burned a hole right thru my jeans, and were starting to work on my leg. On top of ruining a nice pair of jeans, I had a 1" red spot on my leg for days. I considered myself lucky there.

 

[metalbender]

Ha ha. Whole new meaning to the warm fuzzy feeling. Been there, done that. Have a welding jacket with leather sleeves. Hotter than h### but I’ll take that over the burning type of heat.

 

[jaxs]

Yea its easy not to wear this stuff too, especially in summer. I suppose being on fire probably is a tad MORE uncomfortable than sweating.

I was using my 7" disc sander on a trailer I was working on, and noticed my leg getting warm. The sparks burned a hole right thru my jeans, and were starting to work on my leg. On top of ruining a nice pair of jeans, I had a 1" red spot on my leg for days. I considered myself lucky there.

Had the jeans been synthetic,they might have burst into flames. If not into flames,they could melt and stick to your skin. 100% cotton (like the jeans) will only smolder but never burst into flames. That's the good news about cotton,now something bad about cotton. If you remove the garment and toss it aside,it can smolder (no visiable smoke) for hours then re-ignite. Eventhough cotton doesn't flame up like paper,it can and will set paper on fire. If you question the fact cotton can smolder for hours then become fully involved,how about smoldering for days? Ask a cotton farmer, firefighter or anyone who's attempted burned a mattress or sofa. With all that said,I wear jeans and 100% cotton long sleeve shirts when Texas temperatures reach triple digits. When finished,I toss garments into metal barrel with lid. I live in the country and it's less than 50 yards from my shop to the house.

 

[WranglerX]

Another but different issue the green sweater brings up is, when I got my first welding jacket which was one of those nice green ones.... After about 10 minutes into welding noticed a lot of reflected light in rear of hood.... "Green tinged"... Pulled off green jacket and no more reflections... Was able to take jacket back to welding supply and exchange it for a BLACK one... NO more reflections into back side of helmet.... Just FYI in case you are getting reflections into back of helmet....

Dale

 

[Big Barn]

Another but different issue the green sweater brings up is, when I got my first welding jacket which was one of those nice green ones.... After about 10 minutes into welding noticed a lot of reflected light in rear of hood.... "Green tinged"... Pulled off green jacket and no more reflections... Was able to take jacket back to welding supply and exchange it for a BLACK one... NO more reflections into back side of helmet.... Just FYI in case you are getting reflections into back of helmet....

Dale

I wear a blue welding jacket when using a Miller.

Perhaps the green is most compatible with an Everlast...?

 

[aczlan]

I wear a blue welding jacket when using a Miller.

Perhaps the green is most compatible with an Everlast...?

My Everlast seems to be compatible with my black Hobart jacket and blue Hobart gloves...

Aaron Z

 

[handirifle]

Fashion welding?

 

[Roger9107]

For one, you're way past the capacity of the machine. I assume you are using spray transfer which is not suitable for thick metal. The weld will probably fail even if the machine could handle it. 2 as an older machine the duty cycle diminishes for a number of reasons. For metal that thickness I would use a stick welder with 7018.

 

[handirifle]

You need to read the whole thread. The flat bar is 1/8" thick. I explained that later. The width is 1" and 1.5". I would never try 1" thick material with this machine. Besides the issue turned out to be the tip was crusty.

The duty cycle seems to be fine for my uses currently. If I go to heavier metals, I will use a stick welder. I have in the past welded 3/8" with no problem. Not in one pass, but it works.