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Old 01-17-2019, 10:12 PM   #1
slumlord44
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Default Mig welder question

I talked to a few friend with Migs and figured out that mine has a non adjustable gas regulator and theres all have an adjustable regulator. Will and adjustable regulator be worth the cost?I have a Hobart 110 volt mig that I bought many years back. Never used enough to get good at it. Dug it out and been using it on some sheet metal repair on a '65 Mustang. Still not realy getting the hang of it. So should I try an adjustable regulator?
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Old 01-17-2019, 10:15 PM   #2
Smoke.eater
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Personally I would, being someone who used to do X-ray quality welds as well a lots of sheet metal work the proper gas flow is essential for a quality weld.

Do you know what cfm it’s flowing at?


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Old 01-17-2019, 10:16 PM   #3
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Default Re: Mig welder question

If there is not sufficient gas flow, it may be one of your issues of not getting the hang of it


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Old 01-17-2019, 10:25 PM   #4
Hot Rod Reverend
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Default Re: Mig welder question

The expense of a regulator is nominal compared to the increased quality it will provide your welds... buy it and install it as soon as possible
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Old 01-17-2019, 11:37 PM   #5
slumlord44
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Thats what I've been thinking. $30-&35 on Amazon shipped to my door by Wedensday. Think I will just bite the bullet and go ahead and order one.
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Old 01-17-2019, 11:47 PM   #6
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Default Re: Mig welder question

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If that doesn’t improve things, try looking into the ground connections, tip, liner( the slightest kink in it can alter some finicky machines) and the wire. If the wire has rust, grime, a fair amount of dust or grit, or even some bends can also hamper things


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Old 01-18-2019, 01:14 AM   #7
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Default Re: Mig welder question

I've just gone through the process of setting up a mig for sheet metal work. Getting the Gas flow right helped some. Get some off cuts and setup on a bench to get it dialed in.

Make sure you are getting enough heat into the weld for penetration. You'll need a tack setting and a welding setting. I find a tack setting has high voltage and lower wire speed and my weld setting is higher wire speed and lower voltage. Gas CFM for me is anywhere between 10-15 litres per minute. I turn it up when I'm linishing the weld and there are defects in it.

I find with welding sheet metal it helps to stop and let the area cool off in short bursts. Zap and watch the colour of the surrounding metal when it gets red hold let it cool off and go again. I end up over lapping little C shaped welds. This way you can get heat in to get penetration but not too much heat that you end up blowing holes.

Practice makes perfect. Cut some scraps up and practice on the bench.
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Old 01-18-2019, 11:34 AM   #8
Ole Don
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Default Re: Mig welder question

My wire welder came with an adjustable flow regulator with no gauge. I put the tip next to my ear and pull the trigger to hear gas rushing, then regulate to a medium hiss. On my welder, I could never use fine wire, but I did rather well with .033 or .035. Like the guy above said, weld things that don't need welding to stay in practice.
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Old 01-18-2019, 12:39 PM   #9
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Oh, another thing. The cleaner the materials the better, I clean my mig joints as good as I do my tig joints. Those processes are not as forgiving as smaw


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Old 01-18-2019, 01:27 PM   #10
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Rusty welding wire can mess things up. Often a hidden culprit.
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Old 01-18-2019, 02:41 PM   #11
richard crow
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Default Re: Mig welder question

what gas are you using it,s important
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Old 01-19-2019, 01:08 PM   #12
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Default Re: Mig welder question

You should be using Argon-25% CO2......Bob L
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Old 01-20-2019, 12:15 PM   #13
Ole Don
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Reread post number nine. I have a book on weekend welding, for hot rods, race cars, and airplanes. The guys tig welding often wipe down the rod with acetone before welding. The book also said to always weld down. If you need to weld it, turn it upside down if you have to, but always weld down.
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Old 01-20-2019, 01:06 PM   #14
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Default Re: Mig welder question

What is welding down?
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Old 01-20-2019, 02:51 PM   #15
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Quote:
Originally Posted by 56sedandelivery View Post
What is welding down?
Having the material being welded physically below the arc. Gravity can be your friend.
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Old 01-20-2019, 02:52 PM   #16
Smoke.eater
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Yea I think he was referring to vertical down


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Old 01-21-2019, 12:38 AM   #17
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Got regulator from Amazon. Played with flow adjustment. Better. Watche a couple of vidios. Discovered that the gas shield on the torch tip was not adjusted properly. That helped. Vidio guy said the ground clamp on my Hobart was junk. Suggested replacing it or wraping it with braided copper wire. Did that. It helped. Still need more practice but it is working much better now. I am using Argon/Co2 mix. Also adjusted my helmet to the lightest setting. I can see better now which also helps. Regulaor was $25 from Amazon with glass sight tube with a steel ball in it. Decent quality and seems to work just fine.
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Old 01-21-2019, 01:20 AM   #18
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Default Re: Mig welder question

Good to hear it’s running better


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Old 01-24-2019, 12:20 PM   #19
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Default Re: Mig welder question

I found that with my rather cheap wire feed welder, it works better on sheetmetal to "push" the stinger rather than the conventional method of pulling. I am able to see what the weld is actually doing this way.
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