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Thread: 0.6 mig wire

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    NSW
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    Default 0.6 mig wire

    Hi all,

    I need your help again please.

    I need to make a new gate as my current one was old and fell apart about a week ago in a storm.

    I was in the middle of trying to sort out my last thread fixing my boat trailer which is still on the top of my list of things to get done, well it's dropped to second as the wife wants a new colorbond gate to replace the busted one.

    I've been mucking around with a piece of the colorbond fence post (off the busted gate) which is welded to 50x50 RHS, and I've been trying to weld but keep blowing holes. I haven't yet tried welding it to a piece of RHS so I can concentrate the heat toward the thicker metal, but the colorbond fence material seems to blow really easy.

    I have cleaned the piece up fairly decent but as I say I just keep blowing holes, and there's black soot around the weld also like the gas isn't working or something.

    Anyhow I've been using 0.8 wire on different voltage and wire speeds with no luck yet, so wondering if I switch to 0.6 wire would it make much difference? I've never used it before and don't wanna have to unload the $54 for a new 0.6 feed roller and $15 fir the wire if it doesn't help any.

    Any advice much appreciated as usual

    Thanks
    Geoff

    Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    wollondilly nsw
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    Default

    Thinner wire will help but is the thicker wire working ok on another test piece of scrap? Assuming you are trying to weld the sheet. Colourbond is quite thin. Why not try riveting it instead of welding.

    Sent from my SM-T355Y using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Default

    Come on Garfield !
    Make it easier for us - more details,details, man !
    You are using 50 x 50 x what mm. My guess would be 1.6mm.

    Of course the amps and volt settings you have already tried will be handy -if no read out gives us the setting positions of the wire feed (amps) and voltage switches. We can hazard a guess of too high if you are burning holes.

    1.6 will be quite different to set up than say, 3mm.OK so the wall thickness determines settings.

    Remember,some of us are getting older and forget things- like the brand of mig you have. What gas flow are you using.

    If my dinosaur brain still works .6mm runs out around 0.025" so and if wall thickness is 1.6mm thats about 0.065" so I would say about 170 amps and 18 volts as will will need to be in Short arc mode.

    Forget trying to weld the colorbond to the RHS its not going to happen-.Mick is right-use rivets

    Grahame

  4. #4
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    Default

    As Grahame requested photo's of your settings, and a pic of the resultant hole will really help to identify your problem/s, plus the make and size (amps) of your welder helps
    Are you welding on the vertical or horizontal, or any other position?
    Any other relevant details will help, don't be frightened of over loading with pics, the more detail we have, will make it a lot easier for all.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2006
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    Default

    Hi all,

    Not using a 50x50 post yet, I'm just mucking around with the colorbond fence post at the moment with 2 ends cut at 45's and trying to join them.

    I'd say the thickness would be yeah 1.6, and my machine is a uni-mig 180. I tried the volts on 2 and the wire speed on 2, volts on 3 wire speed 2 and 1 etc with no joy.

    Attached is a pic of the colorbond fence post I've been trying to weld.

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  6. #6
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    Default

    Here is a pic of a colorbond fence post

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
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    wollondilly nsw
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    Default

    0.8 wire on 1.6 isn't a problem with the right settings. Used to do sheet metal for box trailers all the time with 185 amp mig running 1.6.
    Colorbond material needs to be sanded back to remove any zinc and paint from the metal surface or it will cause probs.
    Are you trying to spot it together or continuous run?
    How much strength are you expecting where the joint is?
    Not sure if this is an option instead of rhs or if you are using both in some configuration. It might be better to go straight to the rhs and use that. Better strength and workability

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


    Edited to fix all the damn typos

  8. #8
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    [QUOTE=littlemick;1923849
    Not sure if tgis is an optiin instead of rhs or if tiu are using botg in somw configuration.

    Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

    Say what? You got a screen on that SM-G930F? Slow down and look at it.

    Dean

  9. #9
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    Default

    Doh. Fat finger syndrome .

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  10. #10
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    Default

    Hi mate,

    Maybe the black soot is down to the metal not being cleaned enough but I tried all sorts of settings and blew a hole every time.

    Every colorbond gate I've seen has the colorbond fence capping on the bottom and the top welded to 50x50 post to hold the actual colorbond fence in... I've never seen it any different and to be honest it's the look I'd much prefer if I can.

    Was trying to run a continuous bead mate, not spotting it.

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  11. #11
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    Mar 2017
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    Default

    Are you getting gas through? (Silly question but had this prob on my tig with no holes in collet from new. Gas wasn't coming out at all)

    Assume you are using mixed gas- argosgield or equivalent?

    If you can put some copper behind the join while you weld you can minimise the risk of blowing through.

    Try welding on a piece of cleaned scrap colorbond away from an edge to help dial in settings as well as gun speed.

    Also try a vertical down rather than down hand. Even a 45 degree incline will improve the result.

    Let us know how you go

    Cheers

    Mick

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  12. #12
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    Default

    Some clarification here to avoid confusion. You are only welding the frame aren't you? Most people (me anyway) regard colourbond as the sheets used to cover the fence etc. It used to be zincalume posts rails etc with only coloured sheets. Personally I prefer that. One total colour looks pansy like to me. Insubstantial if you prefer.

    I am more used to building fences that will hold our bull and young lambs as well. I recall the concept of "Good neighbour Fencing" from when my brother was installing his in suburban Adelaide. "What," I said. Why? So they can knock your fence down without injuring themselves?

    Cleaning the surface means grinding or sanding back to bare metal.

    Dean

  13. #13
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    Default

    Funny you mention the gas, coz it doesn't really feel like there is any. It sounds different and looks different with the black soot and just doesn't quite look right.

    Is there a test I can do to check it check it properly?

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  14. #14
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    Check your gauges or flow meter.
    Listen for the gas coming out of the gun.
    Turn your wire feed down and pull the trigger.

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    Default

    As pipeclay says turn the feed down and pull the trigger. Your flow meter show move and you should hear the gas coming out of the gun

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