2 replies to this topic

[Mini MattPat]

Hi all,

Im hoping someone can provide some help or guidance, me and my dad have started to weld the boot in our mini and it was all going well until recently where it is now creating holes when we are welding. We didnt change anything from the original settings, but wondering if anyone knows why it maybe happening. I have include two images, one of the welder we are using and the settings and the other of the holes its creating.

Any help and guidance would be grately appreciated.

The second dial on the image below is normally on 1 or 2.

[Aridgerunner]

My guess would be the metal you're welding is very thin and maybe thinner than where you started. One trick I learned a long time ago is to place a piece of flat copper or brass sheet on the underside of the area you're welding. Hold it as tight to the metal as possible. Air gaps cause problems. The brass or copper sheet acts as heat sink and helps stop burning through the thin metal. I have several different sizes and shapes to help fit in difficult places. For copper I simply take a piece of copper pipe and flatten it with a hammer. Most my pieces are about 1-1/2" (38 MM?) wide.

Wishing you luck with the project.

[stuart bowes]

I know your pain lol I was blowing holes and swearing a lot before seeing any sort of improvement

 

some random thoughts:

 

practice on some off cuts of scrap first, cut a few slits in scrap sheet and try to weld them up from the inner end outwards (a slit will be a nice consistent straight gap instead of having two seperate pieces and trying to align them, it's a nice easy way to start off)

 

if you're patching bits in you want the gap to be quite minimal and very consistent.  

 

I can't see the 1st pic but judging from the comment about "1 or 2" Im guessing the settings are pretty minimal so you have no idea of what current you're running at, it's just low or high?  

 

what size wire are you using, if you're on 0.8, swapping that out for 0.6 will help a lot.  have the setting on the lowest possible and experiment on scrap with different amounts of stick out / distance from work piece until you get a nice consistent bacon sizzle and you can run a straight line

 

use your left hand like you're supporting a snooker cue, to keep it nice and steady.  comfy position makes a LOT of difference for consistency (I know though, in the boot, not the easiest)

 

copper backing bar can help as above but I gave up on that pretty quick

 

if (when) you do blow a hole, do a load of very short bursts all round the edge of it, waiting to cool in between to thicken up the edges all round and gradually work inwards, let the red go away before adding more

 

but mainly, practise a lot first

 

i started a thread here with good intentions but haven't added much to it since then to be honest

https://www.theminif...urite-settings/

Edited by stuart bowes, Today, 12:01 AM.