BrettW
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Anyone have a Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 welder? If so do you like it? thanks, bw
weld pac 100
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Boone
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I have that unit with the gas conversion kit. If I was shopping, I would buy a larger more powerful mig welder. I also have a 295 amp stick welder, if I didn't the Lincoln weld pak 100 would be gone. I was very unhappy with the flux core wire, the welds were terrible without any penetration.
The mig comes in handy for many things such as auto body welding but I find the 100 is under powered much of the time. One thing it does is forces me to stick weld which is more of a challenge but satisfying.
The mig comes in handy for many things such as auto body welding but I find the 100 is under powered much of the time. One thing it does is forces me to stick weld which is more of a challenge but satisfying.
davesisk
Platinum Member
About the best sign of poor penetration (given my limited knowledge) is that the bead is kind of lying on top of the workpiece rather than being part of it. If it's poor, you can usually chip the bead away with a cold chisel, or even break the pieces you're trying to fuse about by hand.
A neighbor has a Lincoln Weldpak 100 (I think). He really likes it (and so do I /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif), but he finds it underpowered occasionally. (He's building a rail buggy from round tubing and other stock.) Underpowered isn't ideal, but it's better than no welder at all. If the weld is such that you can make a V-groove, then you can get the necessary penetration by making layering it with multiple passes. Not quite as clean and neat as having it done in one pass, but it can be done. It is quite time-consuming though.
I originally started with a flux-cored wire only welder, and I agree, the readily available flux-cored wire makes some ugly welds (although it usually penetrates as good or better than gas-shielded solid wire given the same parameters). ESAB and a couple of other companies make what is supposedly some really impressive flux-cored wire, but it's quite expensive and I've never tried it.
In general, the rule of thumb is that you need about 1 amp for every 1/1000 of an inch. So, for 1/4", you need 250 amps to fuse it in a single pass. Of course, this depends on the type of joint as well. A butt joint takes less, but how often do you end up doing a straight butt joint? (In other words, why not just cut it the right lenght??? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif) A T-joint takes more amps to do in a single pass, and I'd say that's a more common joint for most things. Most stuff has lots of right angles.
Sounds like you're new to welding. Wire-feed (usually MIG) is by far the easiest to run a bead with. It does take some practice to get good welds, regardless of what type of welder you're using. I got into TIG a few months back, and I'm still learning...
HTH,
Dave
A neighbor has a Lincoln Weldpak 100 (I think). He really likes it (and so do I /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif), but he finds it underpowered occasionally. (He's building a rail buggy from round tubing and other stock.) Underpowered isn't ideal, but it's better than no welder at all. If the weld is such that you can make a V-groove, then you can get the necessary penetration by making layering it with multiple passes. Not quite as clean and neat as having it done in one pass, but it can be done. It is quite time-consuming though.
I originally started with a flux-cored wire only welder, and I agree, the readily available flux-cored wire makes some ugly welds (although it usually penetrates as good or better than gas-shielded solid wire given the same parameters). ESAB and a couple of other companies make what is supposedly some really impressive flux-cored wire, but it's quite expensive and I've never tried it.
In general, the rule of thumb is that you need about 1 amp for every 1/1000 of an inch. So, for 1/4", you need 250 amps to fuse it in a single pass. Of course, this depends on the type of joint as well. A butt joint takes less, but how often do you end up doing a straight butt joint? (In other words, why not just cut it the right lenght??? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif) A T-joint takes more amps to do in a single pass, and I'd say that's a more common joint for most things. Most stuff has lots of right angles.
Sounds like you're new to welding. Wire-feed (usually MIG) is by far the easiest to run a bead with. It does take some practice to get good welds, regardless of what type of welder you're using. I got into TIG a few months back, and I'm still learning...
HTH,
Dave
TOMLESCOEQUIP
Platinum Member
Brett........I have one........I have 2 miller migs at work but needed a welder at home on occaison.........I purposely didn't get the gas conversion kit because I wanted it for outdoor projects at home.......It works well for small repairs but I would want a larger welder for fabrication........It does what I've asked it to.....And the 110 volts makes it very portable and nice for projects at the neighbors (Been there done that!!)....No complaints............Tom
Anonymous Poster
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Sounds like your kinda new to welding also. RICHARD GAUTHIER
Guys, First of all thanks for the advise and posts. I am very new to welding and I've got a weld pac 100 on order. I dont have time for a college course in welding (I know that would be best), So I'm going to read books and practice on scrap metal. Any safety tips/welding tips you can give me at this point would be very appreciated. For instance, how do you avoid getting shocked? Essentially I know nothing about welding, but I like learning new things and doing things on my own. Any good books on the subject that you recommend? thanks again, bw
Tractors4u
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1. Get a good set of welding gloves, the leather ones that go way up your forearm.
2. Never wear shorts when you are welding!
3. If you do wear shorts, make sure you are wearing socks! Hot sparks and slag in your sneakers will make you dance a little jig around the garage!
4. Never weld over a garbage can with paper in it!
5. Jeans that have holes in the knees with little frayed strings around the hole are suceptible to combustion!
2. Never wear shorts when you are welding!
3. If you do wear shorts, make sure you are wearing socks! Hot sparks and slag in your sneakers will make you dance a little jig around the garage!
4. Never weld over a garbage can with paper in it!
5. Jeans that have holes in the knees with little frayed strings around the hole are suceptible to combustion!
Anonymous Poster
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Don't get wet or let your eguipment get wet and you won't get shocked when you are welding. Get some scrap metal and practice on and adjust your heat on and that molten puddle you make is the weld,so you got to see it and learn to control it. There is a lot of books and videos out that could help you,HOBERT welding is one you could look up,as well as LINCOLN welding and THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY. RICHARD GAUTHIER
davesisk
Platinum Member
I agree with all the above, plus:
1) Wear long sleeve shirt (if it just isn't too hot) in addition to long pants and big thick gloves. Arc rays will give you a serious sun-burn!
2) Wear a welding hood. Arc-rays will give you cornea blisters that I've never had, but have heard are QUITE painful. If you can swing it, get an auto-darkening hood (Harbor Freight has a cheap model that is pretty decent after you replace the head-ratchet)...you'll be amazed at how much better you weld!
3) Don't weld around anything flammable. Really. 3200 degree molten metal will set things on fire that you never thought would burn, let along gasoline vapors, hydraulic oil, wood, dried paint, grease on the workpiece or table, etc. Metal conducts heat, so you can weld in one spot and set something on fire a few inches away. Be aware of this.
4) 3200 degree molten metal stays hot for longer than you'd think, even after it's not red anymore. Don't touch it without gloves until you're sure it's cool!
5) Get good at welding the same way you get good at anything else: study it, then practice, practice, practice, then repeat.
6) Start with mild steel. That's about the easiest thing to weld. (If you don't know what steel alloy you're buying or salvaging, it's probably mild steel.)
7) Try not to breath any of the fumes from welding. Most fumes won't kill you within seconds or anything, but they're not exactly the healthiest thing you can breath either.
8) Don't weld anything with zinc (galvanized), chromium (Chrom-moly steel or stainless steel), or particularly cadmium (some nuts and bolts)...these range from making you sick for a couple of days with the former to serious health risks around the latter. I'd pretty much suggest to stay away from anything except mild steel until you fully educate yourself (be patient, it'll take some time...see #5!)
9) With just a few exceptions, clean/grind/wire-brush/etc. the parts you are going to weld. You can get away with rust and paint when stick welding with some stick electrodes (6013), but most welding processes (like yours, MIG) don't like contaminants getting into the weld pool.
10) For MIG, you want it to sound like a Geiger counter that's right on top of something radioactive. Set the voltage setting first (to the right amount of heat, you'll probably have to experiment to get a feel for the heat required for different thicknesses and joint types), then set the wire-feed speed to get that right sound. Again, practice makes perfect. Always try a new joint on scrap first!
One of the better books I started with was the "Welder's Handbook". It's a quick read, and I still refer to it from time to time.
Another suggestion: take a look at HTP's web-site ( www.htpweld.com )...they have a video about their MIG machines that has some great content for new welders. They sell it, but if you inquire seeking advice, they might send you one for free.
Good luck and welcome to the somewhat unusual "hobby" of fusing metal... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Dave
1) Wear long sleeve shirt (if it just isn't too hot) in addition to long pants and big thick gloves. Arc rays will give you a serious sun-burn!
2) Wear a welding hood. Arc-rays will give you cornea blisters that I've never had, but have heard are QUITE painful. If you can swing it, get an auto-darkening hood (Harbor Freight has a cheap model that is pretty decent after you replace the head-ratchet)...you'll be amazed at how much better you weld!
3) Don't weld around anything flammable. Really. 3200 degree molten metal will set things on fire that you never thought would burn, let along gasoline vapors, hydraulic oil, wood, dried paint, grease on the workpiece or table, etc. Metal conducts heat, so you can weld in one spot and set something on fire a few inches away. Be aware of this.
4) 3200 degree molten metal stays hot for longer than you'd think, even after it's not red anymore. Don't touch it without gloves until you're sure it's cool!
5) Get good at welding the same way you get good at anything else: study it, then practice, practice, practice, then repeat.
6) Start with mild steel. That's about the easiest thing to weld. (If you don't know what steel alloy you're buying or salvaging, it's probably mild steel.)
7) Try not to breath any of the fumes from welding. Most fumes won't kill you within seconds or anything, but they're not exactly the healthiest thing you can breath either.
8) Don't weld anything with zinc (galvanized), chromium (Chrom-moly steel or stainless steel), or particularly cadmium (some nuts and bolts)...these range from making you sick for a couple of days with the former to serious health risks around the latter. I'd pretty much suggest to stay away from anything except mild steel until you fully educate yourself (be patient, it'll take some time...see #5!)
9) With just a few exceptions, clean/grind/wire-brush/etc. the parts you are going to weld. You can get away with rust and paint when stick welding with some stick electrodes (6013), but most welding processes (like yours, MIG) don't like contaminants getting into the weld pool.
10) For MIG, you want it to sound like a Geiger counter that's right on top of something radioactive. Set the voltage setting first (to the right amount of heat, you'll probably have to experiment to get a feel for the heat required for different thicknesses and joint types), then set the wire-feed speed to get that right sound. Again, practice makes perfect. Always try a new joint on scrap first!
One of the better books I started with was the "Welder's Handbook". It's a quick read, and I still refer to it from time to time.
Another suggestion: take a look at HTP's web-site ( www.htpweld.com )...they have a video about their MIG machines that has some great content for new welders. They sell it, but if you inquire seeking advice, they might send you one for free.
Good luck and welcome to the somewhat unusual "hobby" of fusing metal... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Dave
TOMLESCOEQUIP
Platinum Member
Brett.......When you order the auto darkening shield from harbor freight( If you ever borrow one you'll want one of your own...usually on sale in their catalog for $79) get a couple of their welding magnets to hold the pieces you are welding in place till you can tack them together. The magnets come in 2 sizes and sell for between $3.99 and $ 10.00.........Very usefull for holding small pieces when benchtop welding...........Tom
Tractors4u
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It won't shock you even if you hold it with your bare hands. As some one mentioned about getting the welding magnets, also get some C clamps and a set of the vise grips with the deep jaws for welding.
davesisk
Platinum Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Can you hold one and not get shocked?)</font>
Depends. You have to make sure that you have the work lead (often incorrectly called the "ground clamp") hooked to the workpiece AND capable of conducting electricity. The current flows out of the MIG Gun, through the workpiece, then back throught the work lead. If you don't have the work lead hooked to the workpiece or the metal worktable OR it's not a good connection that will conduct electricity, then you generally can't start an arc. However, if you happen to the holding the workpiece with a bare hand and touching something else that's truly grounded with bare skin, then it start an arc by conducting electricity through you! So, always make sure you've got that work lead connected to a good connection, whether it's the workpiece or the table. Electricity will always take the path of least resistance, so just make sure you're not it! I wear big electrically insulated leather gloves regardless, I think it's a good safety measure.
Get a variety of C-clamps and vise-grip pliers, etc. Some things just take 3-4 hands to hold, and you simply can't do it and weld at the same time. HF usually has plenty of vise-grip pliers and C-clamps on sale, so check it out...
Dave
Depends. You have to make sure that you have the work lead (often incorrectly called the "ground clamp") hooked to the workpiece AND capable of conducting electricity. The current flows out of the MIG Gun, through the workpiece, then back throught the work lead. If you don't have the work lead hooked to the workpiece or the metal worktable OR it's not a good connection that will conduct electricity, then you generally can't start an arc. However, if you happen to the holding the workpiece with a bare hand and touching something else that's truly grounded with bare skin, then it start an arc by conducting electricity through you! So, always make sure you've got that work lead connected to a good connection, whether it's the workpiece or the table. Electricity will always take the path of least resistance, so just make sure you're not it! I wear big electrically insulated leather gloves regardless, I think it's a good safety measure.
Get a variety of C-clamps and vise-grip pliers, etc. Some things just take 3-4 hands to hold, and you simply can't do it and weld at the same time. HF usually has plenty of vise-grip pliers and C-clamps on sale, so check it out...
Dave
Gary_in_Indiana
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<font color="blue"> I dont have time for a college course in welding </font>
I didn't, either. It was one night a week from 6-10 PM... and it was the best thing for which I ever made time . I'd even had a number of people offer to show me how to weld and, quite frankly, one of them was probably a better welder than any the school had as instructors. I still opted to go for the formal class simply so that I would have all of the safety training and best possible environment in which to learn. I'm glad I did.
As to tips, I'm going to pass along some things I picked up there with the full disclosure that I'm sure I'm leaving something out.
Wear long sleeves at all times. Button your collar. If you're wearing a shirt with pockets, wear one with flaps and close them. Get and wear one of those silly welding caps with the bill out the back. It can keep sparks, etc., out of your hair and from landing inside your collar. You can get protective clothing in leather, which offers the best protection, or in a treated cloth. which is very good though only for a limited number of uses. Each protective material is available in the form of a jacket/shirt, an apron, sleeves (above elbow to inside gloves) and even chaps (to protect your legs). Good leather welding gloves are a must.
Never wear tennis shoes. Wear good leather work shores instead. Always make sure your pantlegs extend beyond the top of your shoes even when you're seated. It'll keep sparks and worse out of your shoes.
I have an auto-darkening helmet that was a great help. Mine happens to be a Hobart. If I were buying one today with what I know I'd spend a few dollars more and get a Jackson as the time to darken is less than half that of the Hobart. To be fair, we're talking 1/11,000th of a second vs. 1/25,000th of a second but we're also talking about your eyes.
Learn to ARC weld first. The class I took in MIG welding required an ARC welding class as a prerequisite. At the time I was taking it I couldn't imagine why I needed it because I wasn't going to ARC weld. I was going to MIG weld.
The first night of the MIG welding class I understood why. The ARC welding class was where I learned what welding was and the how and why of welding. The instructor laid down a beautiful bead with a MIG welder and asked what I thought. Of course, I thought it was great. He then banged the material on the table and the two pieces came apart cleanly. I learned right then that you can't just glance at a MIG weld and tell whether or not it's a good weld. The MIG welding class taught me the proper techniques of making a good MIG weld instead of just a MIG weld that looks good.
Again, my best advice to you is to make the time to take a class at your local vocational technical school or community college. Sorry for beeing so long-winded but I wanted to cover these things as I sincerely believe them all to be important. Good luck with whatever you end up doing. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I didn't, either. It was one night a week from 6-10 PM... and it was the best thing for which I ever made time . I'd even had a number of people offer to show me how to weld and, quite frankly, one of them was probably a better welder than any the school had as instructors. I still opted to go for the formal class simply so that I would have all of the safety training and best possible environment in which to learn. I'm glad I did.
As to tips, I'm going to pass along some things I picked up there with the full disclosure that I'm sure I'm leaving something out.
Wear long sleeves at all times. Button your collar. If you're wearing a shirt with pockets, wear one with flaps and close them. Get and wear one of those silly welding caps with the bill out the back. It can keep sparks, etc., out of your hair and from landing inside your collar. You can get protective clothing in leather, which offers the best protection, or in a treated cloth. which is very good though only for a limited number of uses. Each protective material is available in the form of a jacket/shirt, an apron, sleeves (above elbow to inside gloves) and even chaps (to protect your legs). Good leather welding gloves are a must.
Never wear tennis shoes. Wear good leather work shores instead. Always make sure your pantlegs extend beyond the top of your shoes even when you're seated. It'll keep sparks and worse out of your shoes.
I have an auto-darkening helmet that was a great help. Mine happens to be a Hobart. If I were buying one today with what I know I'd spend a few dollars more and get a Jackson as the time to darken is less than half that of the Hobart. To be fair, we're talking 1/11,000th of a second vs. 1/25,000th of a second but we're also talking about your eyes.
Learn to ARC weld first. The class I took in MIG welding required an ARC welding class as a prerequisite. At the time I was taking it I couldn't imagine why I needed it because I wasn't going to ARC weld. I was going to MIG weld.
The first night of the MIG welding class I understood why. The ARC welding class was where I learned what welding was and the how and why of welding. The instructor laid down a beautiful bead with a MIG welder and asked what I thought. Of course, I thought it was great. He then banged the material on the table and the two pieces came apart cleanly. I learned right then that you can't just glance at a MIG weld and tell whether or not it's a good weld. The MIG welding class taught me the proper techniques of making a good MIG weld instead of just a MIG weld that looks good.
Again, my best advice to you is to make the time to take a class at your local vocational technical school or community college. Sorry for beeing so long-winded but I wanted to cover these things as I sincerely believe them all to be important. Good luck with whatever you end up doing. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
pajoube
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Gary,
Great commentary, good advice for all welders to be.
PJ
Great commentary, good advice for all welders to be.
PJ
CSAW
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Preparation, preparation, preaparation. Grind any dirty metal before you weld it. Also grind where your ground clamp is going to hook to work piece. The better things fit together before you weld them the better they are going to be after you weld them. They will also be much easier to weld if you are not trying fill gaps. Have fun welding and did I mention preparation? If I can do an attachment I will post a picture of a welding project (bumper) during a test fitting before painting. The bumper has since been raised a little and painted black.
Attachments
Gary_in_Indiana
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<font color="blue"> what made the instructors first weld so bad? </font>
He just ran a bead down the seam. It looked very nice. It just hadn't fused with the metal. It was just laying on top of the metal. I'm so new at all of this I hate to try to tell anyone how to do something like this. The best description I've heard was that you need to 'stitch the weld' to get a good weld.
It probably not only takes a better welder but also a better writer to really be able to explain this in print, but I'll give it a shot here. To stitch the weld you move your point from one piece of metal to the other and back much like a continual "Z" pattern if you're welding vertically. You'll naturally hold the weld a bit longer at the ends of your sweeps and that's good. That's what fuses your weld into the metal you're welding.
Again, I'm sure there are better explanations out there, but I hope this at least conveyed part of the idea, anyhow. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I'm happy you're going to look for a class to take. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I sincerely believe you'll be far better off having done so and be genuinely glad you did when all is said and done. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I think I learned more in the ~100 hours I spent there than I would have in five to ten times that much time spent trying to learn on my own and from friends despite their best efforts and intentions. Just learning NOT to follow my first instinct to put my foot into a bucket of water if I ever get something hot down inside my boot was worth the money. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
He just ran a bead down the seam. It looked very nice. It just hadn't fused with the metal. It was just laying on top of the metal. I'm so new at all of this I hate to try to tell anyone how to do something like this. The best description I've heard was that you need to 'stitch the weld' to get a good weld.
It probably not only takes a better welder but also a better writer to really be able to explain this in print, but I'll give it a shot here. To stitch the weld you move your point from one piece of metal to the other and back much like a continual "Z" pattern if you're welding vertically. You'll naturally hold the weld a bit longer at the ends of your sweeps and that's good. That's what fuses your weld into the metal you're welding.
Again, I'm sure there are better explanations out there, but I hope this at least conveyed part of the idea, anyhow. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
I'm happy you're going to look for a class to take. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I sincerely believe you'll be far better off having done so and be genuinely glad you did when all is said and done. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I think I learned more in the ~100 hours I spent there than I would have in five to ten times that much time spent trying to learn on my own and from friends despite their best efforts and intentions. Just learning NOT to follow my first instinct to put my foot into a bucket of water if I ever get something hot down inside my boot was worth the money. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Anonymous Poster
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DON'T worry about getting shocked,you won't get shocked,this is not the same as,say, taking an extension cord and cutting the ends off it and trying to weld with it,you got a machine in there that cuts down the voltage and steps up the amps,so even under the worst circumstances you won't get hurt,just tingled a little,thats if your gloves are wet,etc.. You can hold onto the piece you are welding on and won't get shocked,with your bare hand,now you might get burned from the heat if your to close,but not shocked,so quite worrying about getting shocked.Have you ever heard of a welder getting shocked to death while welding? Not from his or her machine anyways.You will probably want to upgrade on your machine after you get started and relize you are not in any danger here,don't worry to much about the eye burned effect,you will know if you get a flash and how it happened,you need to start with about a shade 10 or more lens and don't look at the arc without looking through that lens.A little flash won't burn your eyes much. I have had mine burned shutin the morning,after getting to much that day,when I first started out helping on gas pipelines.If you are welding,[by your self anyways],you know when the arc starts,so you got your hood down.But I have had my eyes burnt 2 or 3 dozen times,some alittle,a few times a lot,and I can still see,I do this stuff for a living so its a working condition you might say,I will say that its been several years since I've had my eyes burnt.So don't worry to much about getting shocked,etc., dive in there,and use common sense,and you will be none the worse for it. RICHARD GAUTHIER
