4 replies to this topic

[PaulColeman]

I've borrowed my brother-in-law's MIG welder to bang some panels on my daughter's Mini. I've got the power on the minimum setting and I've tried to back the joint with copper. I've started on the front floors and I keep blowing big holes which is making me very angry!! It's a Sealey and uses 0.8mm wire and I've got a big bottle or Argon/CO2 gas. I can't see where I'm going wrong and I've tried changing the wire feed but it didn't seem to make a lot of difference. Any ideas?

Also, I'm going to have to cover the welds on the floors with seam sealer as there are pin holes here and there on the bits I have managed to complete. Is the MOT man going to be okay with this? I was planning on stone chipping the whole of the underneath although the guy who blasted the shell advised me not to use either seam sealer or stone chip?

Thanks, Paul.

[sledgehammer]

First check the earth - if needed bolt it close to the area to be welded clean contact areas of paint / rust

is the torch kicking back - if so reduce wire feed - or turn power up

check gas is working and is not too high- should be a light blow - just enough to shield the weld - too much is as bad as too little

stike up on car , not patch , pratice on a thicker bit of metal

should sound smooth buzz / crackel - ( machine gun = too much wire , wire drip = too much power (unless very thick metal))

best of luck

If all else fails - pulse the trigger & drag the gun slowly along the join

I don't know why you wouldn't stone chip or seal welds ???

Edited by sledgehammer, 29 January 2012 - 08:49 PM.

[sonikk4]

Strange how all of the Major manufacturers use seam sealant and various forms of stone chip, anyway if you have pin holes in the floors then do not cover them in sealant. You need to weld these up.

Try tack welding all of the pin holes then grind back. As for blowing holes on minimum power setting you could be holding the torch in one place for two long OR have you been grinding the area where you are welding and have made the metal too thin??

[PaulColeman]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to take the easy route out and pay a mobile welder to come round and weld the floor pans in for me. I can do all the plug welds on the other panels myself but the seam welds are beyond me I think. I'll cut out the panel I tried welding and prepare another one.

Anything for an easy life!!!

Cheers, Paul.

[dave1293gt]

Swapping to .6 wire may help in the future