Mig welding help
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 67
From: Nashville Indiana
Mig welding help
I had some rust on my truck so I bought a replacement panel, cut out the rusted area (about 6x6 area). I haven't mig welded in 20 years and just couldn't get my welder set up right so I haven't been able to weld in the panel. I am looking for someone in my area that could weld this patch in for me, I would pay of course. I am in between Columbus In and Nashville In. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sm
Connoisseur d'Junque
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,183
From: The Hudson Valley
How old is your wire?
My old man's HTP welder worked great when we got it 25 years ago, but over the years, it seemed to lose its savoir faire.
We never did major work with it, but it was always around to do a job here or there.
As the years went on, the occasional annoying wire glitches grew more frequent, and finally, you couldn't run it for more than a few seconds without getting giant knots of wire inside.
He replaced the tube liner (they wear) but it didn't help.
One day last year, I was helping him do a small but important welding job, and it just wouldn't work, not even for a few seconds. He called HTP and talked to them. They said to check the wire, and sure enough, the copper-plated steel wire had very slight, almost imperceptible, surface rust, all along it.
He ordered a couple of new rolls of wire, I installed one when they came, and, BANGO! it worked just like new.
If you can't get a good weld, and your welder has been sitting, consider getting a new reel of wire.
- Eric
My old man's HTP welder worked great when we got it 25 years ago, but over the years, it seemed to lose its savoir faire.
We never did major work with it, but it was always around to do a job here or there.
As the years went on, the occasional annoying wire glitches grew more frequent, and finally, you couldn't run it for more than a few seconds without getting giant knots of wire inside.
He replaced the tube liner (they wear) but it didn't help.
One day last year, I was helping him do a small but important welding job, and it just wouldn't work, not even for a few seconds. He called HTP and talked to them. They said to check the wire, and sure enough, the copper-plated steel wire had very slight, almost imperceptible, surface rust, all along it.
He ordered a couple of new rolls of wire, I installed one when they came, and, BANGO! it worked just like new.
If you can't get a good weld, and your welder has been sitting, consider getting a new reel of wire.
- Eric
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 453
From: Chisago City, MN
I run a welding shop, and am a welder myself. A new roll of wire is the first thing I would try. We do a lot of mig welding in the shop and the rolls of wire can get rust on them just sitting over the weekend in the humid summer weather. After that, check anything that could be sucking in air with your shield gas. Regulator connections, your nozzle insulator etc.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 5,506
From: Seneca Falls, NY
How old is your wire?
My old man's HTP welder worked great when we got it 25 years ago, but over the years, it seemed to lose its savoir faire.
We never did major work with it, but it was always around to do a job here or there.
As the years went on, the occasional annoying wire glitches grew more frequent, and finally, you couldn't run it for more than a few seconds without getting giant knots of wire inside.
He replaced the tube liner (they wear) but it didn't help.
One day last year, I was helping him do a small but important welding job, and it just wouldn't work, not even for a few seconds. He called HTP and talked to them. They said to check the wire, and sure enough, the copper-plated steel wire had very slight, almost imperceptible, surface rust, all along it.
He ordered a couple of new rolls of wire, I installed one when they came, and, BANGO! it worked just like new.
If you can't get a good weld, and your welder has been sitting, consider getting a new reel of wire.
- Eric
My old man's HTP welder worked great when we got it 25 years ago, but over the years, it seemed to lose its savoir faire.
We never did major work with it, but it was always around to do a job here or there.
As the years went on, the occasional annoying wire glitches grew more frequent, and finally, you couldn't run it for more than a few seconds without getting giant knots of wire inside.
He replaced the tube liner (they wear) but it didn't help.
One day last year, I was helping him do a small but important welding job, and it just wouldn't work, not even for a few seconds. He called HTP and talked to them. They said to check the wire, and sure enough, the copper-plated steel wire had very slight, almost imperceptible, surface rust, all along it.
He ordered a couple of new rolls of wire, I installed one when they came, and, BANGO! it worked just like new.
If you can't get a good weld, and your welder has been sitting, consider getting a new reel of wire.
- Eric
Connoisseur d'Junque
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,183
From: The Hudson Valley
The feed rate has to be right for the materials and power - too slow and it will sputter.
The shield gas has to be set to the right pressure and has to be actually coming out - check to be sure there are no restrictions.
Dirty / greasy / painted / rusty surfaces will sputter, shiny clean ones will weld much smoother.
- Eric
The shield gas has to be set to the right pressure and has to be actually coming out - check to be sure there are no restrictions.
Dirty / greasy / painted / rusty surfaces will sputter, shiny clean ones will weld much smoother.
- Eric
'87 Delta 88 Royale
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,514
From: Margate, England
I don't want to teach Grandma to suck eggs, but is the metal you're working on clean?.
I learned a long time ago I cant weld rust. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious.
If you haven't used your welder in a long time maybe it needs a bit of an overhaul, same as a car that hasn't been run for a long time.
Could be you're out of practice, again no disrespect intended, try your hand on some old metal until you have your hand in again.
Roger.
I learned a long time ago I cant weld rust. Apologies if I'm stating the obvious.
If you haven't used your welder in a long time maybe it needs a bit of an overhaul, same as a car that hasn't been run for a long time.
Could be you're out of practice, again no disrespect intended, try your hand on some old metal until you have your hand in again.
Roger.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,304
From: NJ
I still say the problem is not you if you have welded before. I also say check ground clamp where wire attaches. Recently my welder was sputtering and when I grabbed the ground clamp the bolt that holds the wire to the clamp was so hot it branded my palm... Ouch, and of course that was the trouble, loose connection.
Connoisseur d'Junque
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,183
From: The Hudson Valley
Good point - you never think about the ground clamp if it looks okay.
Also, the wire where it attaches to the plug on the other end, and the plug itself.
Remember, arc welding uses high current but low voltage - it doesn't take much resistance to slow it down.
- Eric
Also, the wire where it attaches to the plug on the other end, and the plug itself.
Remember, arc welding uses high current but low voltage - it doesn't take much resistance to slow it down.
- Eric
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