toyota4x4907

So I'm practicing with my new flux core MIG (small Lincoln). Doing a crappy job, probably because I have no one to physically show me how to weld or how to adjust myself properly. And probably because the metal piece I'm using isn't in great condition.
Anyways. I have a few problems maybe some of you guys can help with.
1: When I finally keep a good arc, the welds look like crap, full of holes and odd burns. Given it is a flux cored machine, so I have read the welds arent always the prettiest.
2: When I keep a good arc and am able to run a decent bead (still with the above though) after keeping it going for 15-20 seconds, the contact tip gets red hot and theres actual fire. The nozzle has caught on fire and I've had to quickly blow it out! does it regardless if its on a lower amperage, high or low setting, or 1 or 2 setting. Plate I'm practicing on is 1/8 mild steel. I'm not welding anything together yet, just practicing keeping the arc and such.

Please don't tell me to trash the flux core, yada yada. Thank you.

Built2Grind

i have a little craftsman flux welder and no matter how long i weld i have never done that, are you letting the tip contact the metal? it could be causing you weld with your tip not with your wire.

stockwell45

iTrader: (1)

If its doing alot of sputtering and popping and you have alot of of holes in the weld, you probably have the tip too far from the metal. id turn the temp down just a bit too

bigt

if its flux you can really do sheet put in very small tacks.. if you are using sheet do small tacs.. for welding bigger thicket do small 1 inch beads then connect them all.. only way to get those huge nice looking ones is if your a good welder or a tig.
im kinda like you just learning trail and error... hope i dont botch too much when i actually work on my zook hahha

toyota4x4907

When I first started, I was contacting the tip, but I can refrain from doing that now.
The tip is too far away when it sputters and such, so yes I guess I knew that already Isn't it supposed to be about 3/8" from the metal?

How much wire should be exposed when first starting an arc?



BigT: Trial and error, trial and error

TinMan

Your contact tip catching fire is very interesting. I have never even heard of that before. I would have to see it in action to help you figure out what is happing.

On other notes if you are using flux core wire make sure you are running the right polarity. flux core should run electrode neg (-). That means open up the side of your welder and make sure your gun is attached to the neg terminal, and the ground clamp on the pos.

I find flux core easier with better looking beads if you pull the puddle. That way the arc can stay inside the molten puddle and keep the flux in a molten state and on top of the bead were is supposed to be

A short arc, and short wire coming out of the gun will give you a hotter start and help with the amount of start up spatter.

Clip the wire off each time you stop bead. Cut it wire off about 3/8" past the contact tip. This will also aid in giving a good start.

Short arc and short amount of wire between the tip and steel is hotter, Longer will help to cool things off a little.

Chip and wire brush off the slag at the ends of you beads before starting your next bead on restarts.

Use either a circle motion, or a C motion. But keep you arc in the puddle. If you leave the puddle and come back to it, you will be welding over top of cooled flux and cause contamination.

Is your welder new? If you do the above and it still catches fire, take it back.

Good luck

runneroffroad

make sure your gas is on. and put the amps at about 17.5 and the wire speed at about 3. gas should be around 30. try to keep your tip about a half inch away from the puddle.

4banginRunner

Flux core with or without gas?

toyota4x4907

Flux cored wire doesnt use gas The flux is the shielding agent as it is burned....

This machine is a dedicated flux core welder. Its not set up for gas, so I am assuming its already connected to the correct polarity.

The welder is new.

Thank you for all the tips tmcorbin. I'll be trying that on the morrow before work

4banginRunner

Haha...primary shielding gas for FCAW is straight CO2...flux core can be ran different ways, innershield, dualshield, welder newbbb

toyota4x4907

This I know. I was trying to look smart

Thank you though. I actually didnt know that

ethanp123

you need to remember that with flux core you need to keep a larger wire stickout then with mig, if you crowd the wire your going to get crappy results.

toyota4x4907

Better luck today. I cleaned the metal A LOT more than I did on the other side. Sanded, wire brushed, sanded some more, tack clothed, sanded then tack clothed more. Kept the heat lower (around 6 and 7) kept more wire out and didnt use anti-spatter gel.
The more I think about it, the more I think it has all been the gel stuff that was catching fire.
I was able to run some decent beads. Decent for a person with about 3 hours total of welding. Went through 8 tips though. haha. My hands arent very steady and keep touching the tip on the metal when I get done with a "bead"

No fire today

Fink

That gel stuff is a joke IMO...I've never had good luck with it.
It's better to just learn how to do it right without any aides.

Granted, I haven't welded in a couple years...at least for longer than a few tacks here and there.

Fink

ilostmypants

we use anti splatter gel in the welding shop at school and i find it really keeps the tip allot cleaner. you just have to use it right. aka run a 5-6 inch practice bead on scrap then dip the gun tip in the gel, then pull the trigger to blow out any excess, then cut the wire back with snips and go back at-er then your good for a while i usually only do it once every hour and a half weld shop class. the key is running a bead or 2 before you use it.

check this site out and try and watch some videos on youtube and stuff. to get a better idea of what your looking for and listening for when everything's going well.
www.weldingtipsandtricks.com

ethanp123

if your touching the metal with the contact tip, that's telling me your keeping way to short of a wire stickout. you should have at least 3/4 of an inch stickout with fluxcore.

StangBanger

Any progress? Lets see some pics of the beads youre running now..

toyota4x4907

They aren't worth showing. haha. I figured out my problems and got things dialed in correctly, but I'm out of room on the scrap metal I was using. Tomorrow, I'm planning on picking up some more scrap and actually welding things together, opposed to just running beads on plate.

peow130

longer wire stickout means more resistance... which means a colder weld.. which means less penetration.. amirite?

i weld 3/8ths of an inch from the metal, and i'm running .035 fluxcore