TIG or MIG?

[rwingsfan]

Used to use 9013 rod in the Navy welding steam pipes. Man the slag on that rod would just peel off like snakeskin. I could blow it off, now 6011 is a different story. I welded high pressure steam lines for 6 years in the Navy, that was 30 years ago. Recently started to get my welding skills back with a Hobart 140. Still needing a little practice, but starting to look good again and this machine seems to get plenty enough penetration for anything on the bike, although I've always like to weld hot and go faster! I am using 80/20 stargon. Is pure CO2 that much better penetration? and what wire size do ya'll like. I seem to do fine with the .024

 

[Jack]

75/25 and I prefer .023/.25 wire. For good penetration turn the wire feed down and amperage up and weave from L/R pulling it. It'll take some practice to get it right but you'll want to hear the arc producing a popping sound and while observing the puddling action weave the nozzle L/R while laying the filler. Makes for some beautiful welding but takes practice.

 

[gmiller217]

my big question deals more with my workspace. i want to get a proper mig setup but i don't have a garage and can only work outdoors. how much wind does it take to affect the shielding gas and contaminate welds? from what i've heard that is the one benefit to having a fluxcore setup.

You are correct as to the advantage of flux core welding outside, it doesn't take much wind to ruin a weld using gas. That being said, I am in the same situation (no garage) I bought one of those king kanopy garages at sams club and built my Jeep frame inside it. It is flame retardant but will still burn so you have to be careful with torches any welding I need to do on my bike can be done in my basement if I choose to drag my 200lb mig welder down the stairs

 

[David M]

75/25 and I prefer .023/.25 wire. For good penetration turn the wire feed down and amperage up and weave from L/R pulling it. It'll take some practice to get it right but you'll want to hear the arc producing a popping sound and while observing the puddling action weave the nozzle L/R while laying the filler. Makes for some beautiful welding but takes practice.

I hope I'm not getting OT but... I just bought a Lincoln 140C and for Mig ( vs flux core w/o gas ), they recommend a Push technique. I'm still learning a lot and would like your opinion as to why you like pulling instead of pushing. So far, I find that with pushing, I can't see a damn thing but it's still the early days in my welding experience.

 

[Jack]

Push or Pull depends on the welding situation and most importantly what you feel comfortable with the most. For me Pulling gives the most visual of whats' happening to make corrections in wire speed,amperage settings and to adjust hand speed for filler application spread and penetration of the weld.

 

[Tech7]

When I was a kid, my buddies dad was a welder for Boston Bridge and Iron. And like all welders, did side work at his house. That's all he did was stick weld. Did hardfacing on loader buckets and shit. He used to weld our foolish car projects for us. He'd weld driveshafts for us when we'd shorten them. Weld ladder bar mounts to rearends. Looked like they were welded by a machine. Just incredible. Man, the stuff we learned. And we didn't even know we were.