7 replies to this topic

[CBJ805T]

Hi I'm just practicing my welding prior to taking on any welding on the mini. I've read Neil's welding guide as well as the tutorials on the MIG welding site. However I'm struggling to get the right results when butt welding 2 panels together.

I'm using a Clarke 135te welder and hobby gas 5 (5%co2)

I'm prepping the panels and clamping them together with intergrips. The gap between is 1mm-ish. I tack them together as shown below



But regardless of my settings I just blow holes in the panels.

Below from left to right:
1 = position 2, min, wire speed 7
2 = position 2, min, speed 6
3 = position 1, min, speed 6



Im welding in the pattern shown, and below each butt weld is a run of each weld.
Penetration below (Top = 3 and bottom = 1):


Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Also what flow should I set my regulator to. ( does it matter? ) currently set as below



Thanks Chris

[drdsport]

hi chris. i keep the gas to a minimum and the amps up but welding thin panels i find start/stop method the best for me. make sure you have good penetration tho, welding panels to cars aint the best job in the world cheers kev

[Larson250]

Hi,

I'm by no means an expert but my brother is. He has just set my welder up and although different to yours my fine volts are on one, my coarse volts are on one and the wire feed is four and a half ish. the regulator is set at 12. he recond only go higher if it is draughty in the garage.

Hope that makes sense and is of some use.

Dean

Edited by Larson250, 16 February 2013 - 07:03 PM.

[sonikk4]

Have a look at the what tools do you need to weld thread. ( Its a pinned thread) The settings you need are on there. Your gas flow should be a gentle hiss. The setting you have at the moment is way too high.

[CBJ805T]

Thanks for your help but I'm still struggling a bit. I've set my power settings to 2, min, speed 7, as per Neil's thread and I've reduced my flow to 10ltr/min or 24cft/hr. This has certainly improved things, but I'm not getting anywhere near the penetration that Neil or the mig site shows.

How do I increase penetration of the welds without blowing holes in the steel?

Thanks

Chris

Edited by CBJ805T, 17 February 2013 - 06:13 PM.

[tiger99]

Is the gas flow so high that it is blowing the metal away, I wonder? Never actually seen that happen before, but it is WAY higher than what I have ever used, so I have to wonder. An excess of gas should normally be harmless (but a waste of money!).

Keep the voltage on minimum, and while running a bead on plain metal, not a joint, try adjusting the wire speed very carefully until you get the constant sizzle often described as bacon frying. Then keep that setting when trying to do the joint. On most welders the wire speed setting only needs moving by a small amount around its nominal setting, going from 6 to 7 is quite a lot.

If that is not right, up the voltage a step, and repeat until you get it sizzling again.

Edited by tiger99, 17 February 2013 - 06:16 PM.

[sonikk4]

To be honest with you if you are using 0.9mm thick steel sheet instead of seam welding try the pulse welding method instead. Its just a series of overlapping tack welds on that setting that you have now.

Give that a go and see what happens.

[Shifty]

I've never got on with Co2, try some argoshield, thats much nicer to weld with and quicker as well.