What am I doing wrong

[Clay45]

For outdoors you may wish to consider gasless fluxcore. Its messy but will save the gas for when you can work inside.

 

[sd455dan]

In the old days we use to have regulators with heaters built in to them. Just plug a 120-volt extension cord to it. But I haven't seen them in years. You could also hang a mechanic's drop light on the regulator, the heat from the light bulb will help keep the regulator from freezing up.

Thanks, I didn't know that there was actually a purpose built heater for regulators.
In the winter -and unheated shop i don't get to far with the mig due to freezing- even frosting the outside , so i tape a 1200 watt hair dryer to a chair next to the reg.

Hoping the Op can post some pictures of the material and welds, i have mig welded some old unknown type steels before that sure made a mess of the tip.

Migged regular mild steel right next to it, just to prove I wasn't losing my mind:laughing:- and at least in that case, was definitely the metal causing the crud/spatter problem.

 

[IslandTractor]

For outdoors you may wish to consider gasless fluxcore. Its messy but will save the gas for when you can work inside.

Fluxcore isn't really any messier than stick. MIG and TIG guys get upset because of spatter but frankly it isn't hard to clean up and saves all sorts of grief trying to control gas outdoors. Better penetration too.

 

[Shield Arc]

One thing to be aware of when switching from Mig to self shielded flux core. Mig guns can not handle self shielded wire. .035" wire will most likely run through a Mig gun OK. .045" wire might if you have a 1/16-inch liner in the Mig gun. 1/16-inch wire or bigger, no way!
If you are going to run a lot of self shielded wire, get a dedicated self shielded flux core gun. I have had great luck with Lincoln's K-126 guns.

 

[sd455dan]

Holy Cow- some of those self shielded wire guns are hard core...

600 amp rating on one of them (k116) - bet with the right supply could lay down some really substantial beads in one pass.

 

[newbury]

OK, so I have learned to Mig Weld via the web. Just being honest here. I am learning a lot, but some things don't make sense.

Wanted to ask you guys why the head of my welder looks this way. I seem to get it gunked up pretty quickly. Am I holding too close (I have to weld outdoors so MIG gas is an issue). Or is this just how after running 24" of weld the thing looks and cleaning is part of the process?

If welding outdoors I thought the general advice was to stick weld. Can your welder do both?

 

[IslandTractor]

If welding outdoors I thought the general advice was to stick weld. Can your welder do both?

Flux core MIG works fine outdoors. Just as good as stick. As pointed out earlier you are limited to 0.035 gauge wire with standard MIG guns but unless you are welding more than quarter inch steel that is no issue. My stock Miller Passport and Multimatic Kit guns do just fine.

 

[Shield Arc]

Holy Cow- some of those self shielded wire guns are hard core...

600 amp rating on one of them (k116) - bet with the right supply could lay down some really substantial beads in one pass.

I've been on jobs running 70-pounds of wire a day, at over 450-amps with a K-126 gun for months at a time.

 

[IslandTractor]

I've been on jobs running 70-pounds of wire a day, at over 450-amps with a K-126 gun for months at a time.

Probably building things that don't fit on a tractor!!

 

[Shield Arc]

Ferry and container ship docks.