weld advice

#1
i got my lil hf 90 welder couple days ago and set it up to try it out tonight. anyway its been a long time since i welded at all so i was wondering if someone might be able to help with the results i got.
when i go to weld it just flashes and causes these little balls of metal but wont get a bead going


 

TomH

New Member
#2
I have heard that the wire that comes with them isn't any good. Buying even wire from Lowes or Home Depot is much better not to mention name brand stuff.
 
#3
i have also heard this, and did plan to get some from tractor supply. i had thought that using this wire to practice a lil bit would be a good way to get into it
thanks
 

TomH

New Member
#6
Just hope it works ok and is not something else. Your going to get spatter with the flux core wire whatever kind, but at least you will get good steady heat so you can adjust it.
 
#7
I have the HF style welder and found a real good ground is needed and the settings need to be on high for thick metal. I would try with your wire feed rate at 4 and slowly increase to where you get better results. The welders from HF are far from perfect and each one has its own personal settings. But with practice you can get some nice welds out of it. Good Luck
 
#8
Run it on the high setting and set your wire speed about half way 5 ,
Keep a pair of side cutters handy for trimming wire to 1/2 to 3/4 " from tip.
Grind your metal shiny clean before welding it likes it clean
start your weld then bring the tip away from the weld slightly it does not have to be that close or it smothers itself and gets way to much splatter in the tip.
weld slowly like a slow dance with a hot chick lol.
Practice and play with wire speed and angle you are feeding the wire into the weld puddle.
And lastly get some good wire , I pay $25 for a 2 lb spool of good lincoln wire as opposed to $12 for cheap shat that splatters and is poor quaulity.
Rob
 
#11
kinda looks like your running the heat to low wire speed could be faster and move the tip slower . your looking for a sound when you strike a arc it like frying bacon . and like was said above check your ground . migs can play all kinds of hell with you if the ground sucks . as the wire will still feed out but not puddle well even with the best wire and welders .

forney wire is good also if you can find blue demon wire thats some good stuff and cheap . as a bonus it made here in the usa , i ran a spool as it was some good stuff but supply problems killed it being shipped here :sad:

also you can check out this http://www.youtube.com/user/weldingtipsandtricks/videos lots of info
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#12
You guys are saying that a wire feed running cored wire is not instance success without a learning curve? As I read the posts I sorta got the idea that it is worse than an arc rod as far as the setting of the machine...but that can't be true. Was also saddened to hear that it is 'pot-luck' on getting a roll of wire that really works. Thanks guys for the info...I'm hoping some day to learn how to weld.
 
#13
Hey OldSalt its not really that hard to learn , just as with any skill it takes a little practice ,we are not talking about certified , xray tested welds here . Just trying to keep our old minibikes running.
Rob
 
#15
Almost looks like your trying to weld zinc coated or galvanized material. If your gun bucks with wire contact and keeps bucking, crank up the voltage first. If it helps but still bucks slow down your wire speed. Run your gun 10 degrees before 90, this will help splatter. If you lean your gun like at a 45 the metal wants to fly off the puddle and create splatter. Flux wire will push or pull but for best penetration keep the top of the gun 10 degrees off 90 behind the puddle and push the nozzle towards the direction of the weld. Keep the contact tip as close to the puddle as possible without freezing the wire. If you run Lincoln, ESAB, Pro Star or a namebrand wire you will definately benefit from it. Get some clean metal and practice, you don't want to get hurt.
ps: Old salt has a lot of merit with his opinion of flux core machines, they sux for the most part, my advise, learn to stick weld and then go wire. Welding courses at community colleges start around 350.00 a course and are a lot of fun. :thumbsup:
 
#16
I'm am not much of a good teacher but I can say it's almost never the wire or the welding machine fault.
First the metal MUST be clean,always best to sand or grind before you strike an arc.
Second practice a lot using different wire speeds and heat. do this before you start in on something you really need welded.
And last slow down and take your time! no matter how good you think you are it still takes time to learn and get the hang of it. remember you are melting not gluing...
 

Oldsalt

Well-Known Member
#19
that was sarcasim on Oldsalts part man :laugh:
O.K. There was a bit of sarcasm in the post.

I have had experience with a lot of forms of welding over a long period of time. At 14 I started welding with 1/8th and 5/32 6011 welding boat trailers together at my uncle's boat shop. At 17 I worked at a camper company welding 20 ga. 1" sq. tube with 1/16th and 3/32. The started at a company [about 19 then] setting up resistance welders [mostly for projection welding] and seam welders. Then by 21 I worked at a boiler shop as a helper. Helped with a lot of submerged arc welding on really thick plates; learned a lot. Saw a LOT of welders that could weld...not just say they could. From there I went to the manufacture of rolling stock at Freuhauf...aluminum, steel and stainless steel tanks [short arc, sigma, tig, heli-arc, and arc rod]. Then shipboard equipment with the use of a lot of 70 series low-hy rod [all positions were required]. After that it was manufacturing many types of food processing equipment.

But I never got to run cored wire!

Now I'm finding out that the stuff is a joke! That the guy that buys one [non-gas set up] had better know how to weld to start with!
 
#20
O.K. There was a bit of sarcasm in the post.

I have had experience with a lot of forms of welding over a long period of time. At 14 I started welding with 1/8th and 5/32 6011 welding boat trailers together at my uncle's boat shop. At 17 I worked at a camper company welding 20 ga. 1" sq. tube with 1/16th and 3/32. The started at a company [about 19 then] setting up resistance welders [mostly for projection welding] and seam welders. Then by 21 I worked at a boiler shop as a helper. Helped with a lot of submerged arc welding on really thick plates; learned a lot. Saw a LOT of welders that could weld...not just say they could. From there I went to the manufacture of rolling stock at Freuhauf...aluminum, steel and stainless steel tanks [short arc, sigma, tig, heli-arc, and arc rod]. Then shipboard equipment with the use of a lot of 70 series low-hy rod [all positions were required]. After that it was manufacturing many types of food processing equipment.

But I never got to run cored wire!

Now I'm finding out that the stuff is a joke! That the guy that buys one [non-gas set up] had better know how to weld to start with!
:shrug: everyone has to start somewhere and my somewhere had to be an inexpensive somewhere. i appreciate your story though it was pretty cool! :thumbsup:
 
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