[ratflinger]

Guys, I haven't done any serious welding in quite a while. I have read a lot, including Striders & TTs & others write ups. Especially about cutting back to the root and refilling. I have a Tig unit that should handle the necessaries & I have gas. This unit came with tips & wire for gas/no gas. Are you guys using gas?

 

[TwinTurbo]

a no gas tig? Do you mean mig? What do you have, a wire feed welder (MIG GMAW) or a tig (GTAW)/stick(MMA) welder?

I always use gas w/ MIG, Ar/CO2 75/25 mix, straight Ar w/ TIG

 

[mrvette]

a no gas tig? Do you mean mig? What do you have, a wire feed welder (MIG GMAW) or a tig (GTAW)/stick(MMA) welder?

I always use gas w/ MIG, Ar/CO2 75/25 mix, straight Ar w/ TIG

Yup same thing my pro/union welder buddies use.....they do my stuff,

same techniques, same same....

:cheers:

 

[Strider]

a no gas tig? Do you mean mig? What do you have, a wire feed welder (MIG GMAW) or a tig (GTAW)/stick(MMA) welder?

I always use gas w/ MIG, Ar/CO2 75/25 mix, straight Ar w/ TIG

Same here. I use gas with mig, it is optional but with tig it is not an option. You need gas

 

[ratflinger]

Sorry guys, my bad. It is a Mig. It came with no gas wire & tips as well as tips & wire for gas use. I didn't which way was the best, especially for more critical welds, (gussets, etc.) I'm not experienced enough yet to attempt suspension mods & the like.

 

[TwinTurbo]

if you have a welder w/ some amp capabilities you can have all the penetration you need, if you have a 110 amp for instance that can be on the ragged edge of good penetration for some metal work and dragging won't help you much, going w/ flux core will give you increased penetration (also, increasing the CO2 percentage will increase penetration) Whatcha got??

 

[ratflinger]

A Lincoln Pro-Mig 135

 

[TimAT]

I'm by NO stretch of imagination any kind of welding expert, but your Lincoln 135 is a bit light for any serious frame-type welding. I've got 3 MIG machines- a Century (Snap-On) 110volt box, a Miller 235 and a Miller 250. Of the 3, the 110 volt is great for sheet metal work, but if I've got anything heavier, I'll grab that Miller 250 everytime. Like TT, I use C-25 gas most always and .030 wire.

If I need a stick welder, I borrow a friends' Miller Bobcat 250- now THAT's a welder..

IMHO, if you're gonna' get serious about welding and reinforcment on your frame, hunt down a 220 volt MIG, run it with gas shielding and go.

:cheers:

 

[SMYDA]

I'm not a big fan of the 110 welders either. Their beginner machines IMHO.
My personal machine is a Miller 185 (220 V). I always use 75/25 gas.
On sheet metal I run .023 wire. Heavier jobs .030 and maybe .035.

Keeping new tips / nozzles is important to good welds.
I usually change out tips and nozzles every other week.
Depending on work load. Some weeks I'll weld 8 hrs a day, 3 or 4 days straight.
Some times I'll go a couple of weeks and never weld a thing.

I'll also run a filter on the wire, and keep the filter lubed.
This will go between the spool and the drive wheels.
Your cable will last 10x longer if you use one. My machine is 8 years old and
I haven't had to replace it yet, and that's in all the dust and grime of a bodyshop.

Be sure your metal is spotless before welding and with a little practice
you can do welds with a Mig that will look "ALMOST" as good as a Tig.

A good auto darking helmet is not a bad idea to have either.
I use a Speedglass straight 10 power.

 

[yellow73sb]

This link helps a bit. Even has videos

I don't think a mig should look like a tig at all

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

 

[grumpyvette]

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80366

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=124196

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80762

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80702


http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80370

these links have got some info and links you might want to look thru..

 

[SMYDA]

I don't think a mig should look like a tig at all

It Won't...............in the hands of a novice.

 

[The Torch]

I'm not a big fan of the 110 welders either. Their beginner machines IMHO..

110vac welders are not the workhorses that the 220vac welders are but they are not just for beginners. I have a Lincoln 110 unit that I use for some things and it is a whole lot more portable than a Miller 250 Syncrowave machine is. You just have to know the limitations of the machine

 

[yellow73sb]

It Won't...............in the hands of a novice.

Actually I change my mind. They do look like really big tig welds

 

[SMYDA]

110vac welders are not the workhorses that the 220vac welders are but they are not just for beginners. I have a Lincoln 110 unit that I use for some things and it is a whole lot more portable than a Miller 250 Syncrowave machine is. You just have to know the limitations of the machine

Your correct in your comments here. :cheers:

I build wrecks for a living.......in the industry I'm considered a Structural Tech.
Frame rails, tail clips, 3/4 chunks.....stuff better know as train wrecks.
A 110 is good for the hobbiest but I don't trust them in my line of work, and I
can't move as quick, they slow me down.

Sure you've heard the horror stories of cars breaking in half in a wreck after
being repaired at a bodyshop. God Forbid that ever be one of my cars.

 

[ratflinger]

Problem solved, burnt the damn thing up to day welding on my trailer. The arc started sputtering & then it quit. Guess now I have an excuse to buy the 220v machine. Anyone have anything against the 175 Lincoln that HD sells?

 

[yellow73sb]

I believe I have the 175.

Only problem I have is the cable to the gun needs to have a smooth bend or be straight for the wire to come out smoothly.

It's not really that much of an issue though

 

[SIXFOOTER]

I got a Daytona MIG160 from a local guy on ebay for $400 with a bottle of gas. I am by no means at all an acomplished welder, dirt dobber comes to mind. But I am learning, I managed to get my windshield frame fixed up. Got exhaust to do next.

 

[TimAT]

I'm NOT bashing Lincoln here, but if I was looking, unless Lincoln had a heck of a deal, I'd have to go back to Miller- if for nothing other than their tech support. And get the biggest (highest amp rating) you can. The bigger the machine, the more capablity it has. I though the 235 rocked pretty good- until I got the 250. Not much bigger in amp rating, but what a difference.

 

[mrvette]

Your correct in your comments here. :cheers:

I build wrecks for a living.......in the industry I'm considered a Structural Tech.
Frame rails, tail clips, 3/4 chunks.....stuff better know as train wrecks.
A 110 is good for the hobbiest but I don't trust them in my line of work, and I
can't move as quick, they slow me down.

Sure you've heard the horror stories of cars breaking in half in a wreck after
being repaired at a bodyshop. God Forbid that ever be one of my cars.

A man in the body business decades ago, my father's freind....he had a whole lot of sectioned cars on the road....1/2 a poncho with back 1/2 fromanother poncho.....wonder if it was possible to put a olds rear on a poncho front?? cut the whole car in 1/2 and start welding....

bet it is....

:devil: :devil: :cheers: