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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    3

    Unhappy Why do my welds look like this? (flux core, gasless MIG)

    My tested weld run on a spare piece of the steel plate was okay, but this happened when I tried to weld the same steel to a steel door jamb.

    Vertical weld, I tried slow and fast spool speed, low and high current (my SCA welder only has 60 or 100A setting), running down and pushing up ... still got sloppy welds like this:

    beads.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    nsw
    Posts
    256

    Default

    vertical can be a bit tricky.

    check this video on wire feed speed first

    Setting Wire Feed video

    once you get a puddle going then a slight side to side manipulation will help you as you progress the weld upward............some guys like a pronounced weaving side -to -side action with a slight pause on the end of each weave.

    often called a "Z weave"

    there are some great videos on YouTube about vertical mig welding and some on fluxcore too if you have the desire for visuals

    fluxcore ( like mig) requires the right balance of volts (power min or max in your case) and wire feed speed......getting the balance right is important, so check to see if there is a chart of recommended settings for your particular welder.

    if no chart then :

    try setting the power switch on max and adjust the wire feed knob untill you get a nice smooth bead with no stubbing or other irregularities and a good crackling sound.

    do the same for the machine set on the minimum switch and decide between the two which will suit you application the best.


    lincolnelectrictv on YouTube has some good trouble shooting tips on fluxcore welding but not necessarily vertical. weldingtipsandtricks on YouTube can give you some hints on vertical mig too.

    anyhow, keep practicing and if you are unhappy with the door weld then grind it out once you feel more practiced in vertical and reweld it.

    good luck

    ps more pictures would help, plus the settings next to the welds give great info for us amateur weld inspectors hahahah

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    535

    Default

    What's the door jamb made of? Zinc plated steel? Did you clean it off?

    Sorry, can't help with mig welding. But it does look like it wasn't nearly hot enough.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    I'd say too low wire speed, hence the series of blobs rather than a continuous bead.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Wodonga Vic
    Age
    38
    Posts
    633

    Default

    Adding to meadow street's YouTube recommendations, I've found ChuckE2009 really helpful for tutorials and troubleshooting https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJA...b5sg79yld7T3hA

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    283

    Default

    Looks to me as though you never got the arc onto the shiny bit of steel. If you are running at low power, which this seems to be, then you really need to puddle the melt carefully.

    Cheers
    Roger

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by NathanaelBC View Post
    My tested weld run on a spare piece of the steel plate was okay, but this happened when I tried to weld the same steel to a steel door jamb.

    Vertical weld, I tried slow and fast spool speed, low and high current (my SCA welder only has 60 or 100A setting), running down and pushing up ... still got sloppy welds like this:
    Could you post a pic of your test weld please, also was the test piece done in a vertical position or on the flat? Did you move the welder any distance, use an extension cord, or anything else. Using an extension cord, if on the light side, can cause a drop in power available. Use a heavier ext. cord and as short as possible, on any jobs.
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Near Bendigo, Victoria, AUS
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,102

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    Could you post a pic of your test weld please, also was this done in a vertical position or on the flat? Did you move the welder any distance, use an extension cord, or anything else. Using an extension cord, if on the light side, can cause a drop in power available. Use a heavier ext. cord and as short as possible, on any jobs.
    I think you missed something in your quoted original message.... Kryn. You quoted him as welding in the vertical position and he did post a photo....
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Hi Joe,
    I asked, if the test weld was done in a vertical or on the flat. Have rephrased the question to validate this. (I faled inglis at skool.) The reason for asking is that changing from flat to vertical would require a different setting.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Near Bendigo, Victoria, AUS
    Age
    72
    Posts
    3,102

    Default

    You are right, Kryn. I misunderstood your comment. Usually you don't need to and can't really change much other than wire feed on these low end welders. Once you have found the right speed for the wire size and high and low voltage output, you can leave it alone. On mine the feed motor is actually connected via a rectifier diode to the welding output and the wire speed changes when you change voltage. That happens to match by chance or design. SInce I only ever use one size wire, I donl;t have to touch anything other than setting the voltage to high for material over 2.5mm and to low under that. The width of the weld and fillet size is controlled just by my welding speed. Vertical up is no different to down hand and I find vertical down impossible with gas less wire.... Overhead (not above my head! but welding underneath something) is OK too.
    The biggest issue is the 'messy' splattery look of the surrounding 2 inches or so... Using lots of anti splatter spray helps a bit for cleaning up.
    One day I'll get a 'proper' MIG....
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by NathanaelBC View Post
    My tested weld run on a spare piece of the steel plate was okay, but this happened when I tried to weld the same steel to a steel door jamb.

    Vertical weld, I tried slow and fast spool speed, low and high current (my SCA welder only has 60 or 100A setting), running down and pushing up ... still got sloppy welds like this:

    beads.jpg
    NathanaelBC,

    First of all,Welcome to the Forum.

    In the absence of much of the information needed to provide you with an adequate answer,I will try and guess to fill in the gaps.The SCA 100 amp welder is a cheaply priced gasless wire feeder.

    Being cheaply constructed ,it does not have the features which would enable you to weld a wide range of different thickness metals.

    At a glance I would say your door jamb is a much thicker metal than your original piece of metal.That means an entirely different setting was required for the second (door jamb) weld.
    The deposition reads like a book to me.Voltage setting and amps -way too low.

    This machine - bearing only two heat settings ( voltage taps) was not physically able to provide that setting needed - whether it was the specific setting used or if it was just under powered for that job- hard to say..

    If it is to work at all ,the most likely setting to work for the door jamb weld will be High voltage ( High/ Low rocker switch on High) and wire speed (the dial) up near 100 amps.
    Try 12-15 mms of wire stick out and see how that goes. Make sure your earth clamp is contacting to clean shiny metal - give the metal a touch up with the grinder.

    Settings for vertical welding don't vary greatly from those on flat.Its the manipulation of the torch/gun that is important.

    As the others have said watch a few videos on the subject of vert welding with flux core gasless wire.

    Good Luck

    Grahame

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Thanks everyone for the feedback, I'll go get some more info on the settings I tried and get back to you ...

    The door jamb steel I assume was coated, but I used a brass wire cup on a grinder and stripped it back pretty well. It's the same thickness as the mild steel plate I was welding onto it.

    I'll check the tips, clamp etc.

    You know, I haven't even checked the polarity of the welder - I assume it's tip negative given it's only a gasless machine, but you never know!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Canberra, Australia
    Posts
    3

    Default

    Well, I know it's bad form to blame your tools but that really was a crap welding machine; got it on sale for $200 from Supercheap and it was fun to play with and learn from but it was pretty limited given just two voltage settings and fixed electrode positive polarity which isn't ideal for flux core.

    So I just upgraded to still affordable but much more featured UniMig Razorweld 175 and have just been practicing with it, using argon mix shielding gas and solid wire SO MUCH BETTER.

    I still have a lot of learning and practice to do but now I have hope I can actually do useful welding not just making ugly beads of wire.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Mackay North Qld
    Posts
    6,446

    Default

    Nathanael.
    Congratulations on your new purchase.

    If I recall the Unimgs had a pretty fair instruction book. It should be a big help in getting you sorted for the run settings

    Can we look forward to some pics of your welds and that will make it easier to to fine tweak your machine?

    Grahame

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    As mentioned the guy on Youtube ChuckE does some useful videos, he done one on how to set a MIG's wire feed and heat setting using a multimeter, a stop watch and a ruler

    i dialed my new machine in the other day to ChuckE's video and ran a beautiful weld on aluminium i also used the Lincoln online calculator for wire feed speed

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