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Need help "gasless" MIG welding

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Big Burro, Jan 10, 2005.

  1. Jan 12, 2005
    JohnyJeep

    JohnyJeep BLOWING A XING NEAR U@2AM

    Beautiful Cody WY
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    513
    I agree Bob. I had to do the same thing with my new bottle :cry:


    Lucky for me my HTP Auto mig has a built in cart :D
     
  2. Jan 12, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    Steve,

    They have two different ones, I saw the one carried in the store and agree is was a POS. I hoping this ones better. FWIW, I called two of the three local stores (Escondido and El Cajon) and neither one stock this cart.

    I guess I'll have to keep my fingers crossed. Just tried calling their customer support to check on my order, but apparently you have to wait 48 hrs before they can check. !#$!@#$!@#$!@. [sigh]
     
  3. Jan 12, 2005
    ljspop

    ljspop Lurking Bronco Dude

    San Diego, CA
    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2003
    Messages:
    394
    Even if it is a bit cheesy - shouldn't take too many well placed reinforcements with to make it worth the cost/time savings of making one from scratch.
     
  4. Jan 12, 2005
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
  5. Jan 16, 2005
    Posimoto

    Posimoto Hopeless JEEP Addict

    Minden, Nevada
    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2003
    Messages:
    4,538
    I bought one of those POS from Harbor Freight. It works OK once you either gusset or brace all the uprights.
     
  6. Jan 16, 2005
    campwillys

    campwillys Member

    Georgetown , New...
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2005
    Messages:
    65
    get yourself a can of anti spatter for welding at the auto store
     
  7. Jan 17, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    Welding cart arrived today. I'm very happy with it. Seems quite strong, Posimoto must have the other model they carry in the store.
     
  8. Jan 18, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    I'm going to try to pick up a tank and gas tommorrow. In the meantime here's the cart with the welder on it:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Jan 18, 2005
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    Looks good Joel !! :)
     
  10. Jan 18, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    I'm pretty happy with it. :D Going to try to go get a bottle of gas at lunch. How did the conversion go for you?
     
  11. Jan 18, 2005
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    Hooked it up, checked for gas flow. Didn't strke an arc yet, maybe tonight. I set it up for the .025 wire for now. I want to stop by the welding supply place and pick up some tips for the roll of .030 wire I have.

    I was talking to a buddy of mine who worked at ESAB for years. He said the solid wire like ER70S6 with gas shielding (75/25) is better than the self-shielding fluc cored... but the flux-cored dual-shield, designed to be used with gas, is much better.
    In fact, <cut><paste> here is his email, FWIW:
    ***************************
    What you ran before was a self shielding flux cored wire. That crap is
    garbage. If you wish to stay with flux cored and since you now have the
    availability of shielding gas, you can use a good flux cored wire that needs
    a shielding gas to operate correctly. Are you using argon, argon mix, or
    Carbon Dioxide as your shielding gas? As far as mig wire is concerned you
    will get a better weld with it than with self shielding wire. .030 mig wire
    run hot will give you all the penetration that you will desire. You will
    still have to put up with spatter however. It will run smoother and put
    down a better weld than self shielding. Gas shielded flux cored wire will
    run the smoothest, produce the best weld , and will be the cleanest.
    Usually gas shielded flux cored wire handles rust a little better. You made
    the right choice to get away from the self shielding wire. That stuff is
    good in a pinch where you have no other options but mig and gas shielded
    flux cored wires are much better. You can probably get tips, etc. at TSC
    but you may be better served to go to MG or another local welding supply
    distributor to get the right wire for the gas and the type of welding,
    (position) you will be doing. They can make sure everything that you will
    use will match making your life much easier.

    JB
     
  12. Jan 18, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    Is the ER70S6 the wire that came with the conversion kit? How long did the conversion take? I think my kit came with the new liner, the regulator, an adaptor, wire and tips.
     
  13. Jan 18, 2005
    ljspop

    ljspop Lurking Bronco Dude

    San Diego, CA
    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2003
    Messages:
    394
    Cart looks good, but I gotta ask - is that carpet in your garage? It's bad enuf you put it in the Jeep....



    :D :D
     
  14. Jan 18, 2005
    JohnyJeep

    JohnyJeep BLOWING A XING NEAR U@2AM

    Beautiful Cody WY
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    513
    Looks like too much time on welding carts and not enough wrench time on the jeep. R)R)
     
  15. Jan 18, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    Carpets only by the washer/dryer and the computer. :D

    John, I'm just trying to make the welder functional before you come down and help me weld in the engine mounts. :D
     
  16. Jan 18, 2005
    MOP

    MOP Active Member

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2003
    Messages:
    1,131
    You still want bigger casters? I have 4 brand new ones that may be perfect if you want to pay shipping. I have yet to dream up a use for them myself, and don't think I will. I got them for free, so I am not losing anything.
     
  17. Jan 18, 2005
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    6,193
    Thanks MOP...I'd love bigger casters but they'd upset the space-time continuim....:rofl:

    In other words..I designed the cart to just fit under my workbench height-wise with the casters that I had....
     
  18. Jan 18, 2005
    JohnyJeep

    JohnyJeep BLOWING A XING NEAR U@2AM

    Beautiful Cody WY
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    513

    ok Joel, as long as it's not the Borrego weekend. :D ;)
     
  19. Jan 19, 2005
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    Joel, yes, ER70S6 comes with the kit. It's .025 diameter, I think it's Lincoln L-56.
    The install of the kit took me maybe an hour and a half. It really doesn't take that long once you know what you are doing, I spent alot of time reading the manual and instructions. I could probably do one in 20 minutes today.
    I installed the new liner, gas line, solenoid, etc. I read that the same liner is used for both .025 and .030 wire, all that was needed was a different tip (not included for .030) and of course the wire. My buddy had given me a 2# spool of .030 ESAB SpoolArc 86 (also ER70S6, a solid wire) sometime back... so on my way home from work last night I picked up three .030 tips for it. Spent all of $1.81 :D
    I put the new wire in, installed the tip, and fired it up for the first time since I converted it to gas. I used some scrap, clamped a 1/8" piece to a 1/4" piece and tried it out. I set the heat up to D, ran the wire feed between 4 and 4.5

    :shock:

    :D

    If you hold the puddle long enough, this unit has sufficient drive to get decent penetration into the 1/4" stock. If you go too fast, you'll get a cold weld, not enough penetration. For the 1/8" stock, I ran it at C3, and that was good, but not quite enough when joining the 1/8 to the 1/4. I'd still run that at D4 and weave across the joint a bit being careful not to linger too long on the 1/8 stock.

    The Jeep frame appears to be about 5/32 thick around the rear horns (or where they were :rofl: ) I'm reconstructing the bottom of the rail, and part of the side of the rail on the drivers side with 1/8 stock. I got some 3" for the side, and 1 1/2" for the bottom. On the 3" side I'm going to weld it on the inside, along the top. Then I'll weld it along the outside at the lower portion of the side (the lower half of the side of the C channel on the drivers side is missing for about 4", it was too thin to weld to) I'll take some pics tonight to show what I mean.

    Overall, I'm very pleased with what I can do with this little welder now that it's converted, at least on test welds. I hope to do some "production" welds tonight :D
     
  20. Jan 19, 2005
    vanguard

    vanguard

    Lynn, thanks for the update! :beer: I picked up a 20CF bottle of argon/CO2 at lunch. The bottle was $80 and the gas was $25. I decided to purchase the 20CF bottle rather than lease a 40CF later. WestAir said they would credit me the purchase price later if I want to upgrade to a 40CF. Great guys. Also picked up a couple of 4 1/2" cutting disks for the angle grinder.
     
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