Quick Welding Question.

[8100]

I have converted my mig to gas less as i hardly use it now. My usual bad welding is now even more like someone has spat a pork pie out .The
leads i have heard have to be reversed for gas less welding is this true ? The topic may have been discussed before so apologies for that

 

[Bob c]

have a search on here

 

[The Stig]

Yes you need to reverse polarity on the welder.
Also what make of wire are you using? Cheaper brands aren't as good. I get on well with lincoln.

 

[TripleSix]

Reverse polarity for flux cored wire.

It will spatter more and not look as tidy but should still weld ok.

 

[traadilooar]

+ reckon the fumes that come off must be like smoking 40 an hour!

 

[Grassman]

May as well have a cheap inverter welder than use fluxed mig wire.

 

[Dman2]

Gasless mig welding is awful to get looking right
As above get a cheap inverter welder

 

[TheTallGuy]

There is very definitely a knack to using flux cored wire. The torch angle is much more critical as is the prep work. One of the issues is that the flux fumes up effectively inside the weld & arc plasma zone and travels out to form the shield, whereas with both normal mig and conventional arc the shield is already around the plasma zone leading to a more consistent arc and better weld. There's also the issue of impurities in the flux effectively combusting within the weld - hence why cheaper wires are often produce poor welds.

 

[Bury the Trash]

i never got on with gasless.



boy are stick inverters cheap nowadays. don't buy cheap rods tho..... get some from
Bohler ....

 

[8100]

Thanks all.I do prefer a stick welder and by all this arsing about with this mig just to do a quick repair i can see it getting retired soon.Gas is my preference for what i toy with but can not really warrant the cost of setup.I got given a mig and got a new lining put in the gun but the tensioner for the reel was missing so bodged one up but its not working great no matter how i tension it or the feed roller.Cheers guys i will keep eye on aldi and lidl offers on arcs

 

[Grassman]

Thanks all.I do prefer a stick welder and by all this arsing about with this mig just to do a quick repair i can see it getting retired soon.Gas is my preference for what i toy with but can not really warrant the cost of setup.I got given a mig and got a new lining put in the gun but the tensioner for the reel was missing so bodged one up but its not working great no matter how i tension it or the feed roller.Cheers guys i will keep eye on aldi and lidl offers on arcs

Inverter

 

[joe soapy]

Thanks all.I do prefer a stick welder and by all this arsing about with this mig just to do a quick repair i can see it getting retired soon.Gas is my preference for what i toy with but can not really warrant the cost of setup.I got given a mig and got a new lining put in the gun but the tensioner for the reel was missing so bodged one up but its not working great no matter how i tension it or the feed roller.Cheers guys i will keep eye on aldi and lidl offers on arcs

lidle got them this week

Got a jasic last week, it will run a decent looking weld

 

[Robt]

Was that one of the 70 quid inverter welders in Aldi? Excuse my ignorance but what's different between arc and inverter?
I am self taught on a huge oil cooled stick welder , doesn't look that nice but metal sticks together until I break it somewhere else , fancy a cheap one for my shed as will only get used a few times a year

 

[Grassman]

The inverter is like carrying your mrs handbag. Weird little thing. Welds as good as an arc welder but very portable and happy welding off a 13 amp supply all day

 

[TripleSix]

Was that one of the 70 quid inverter welders in Aldi? Excuse my ignorance but what's different between arc and inverter?
I am self taught on a huge oil cooled stick welder , doesn't look that nice but metal sticks together until I break it somewhere else , fancy a cheap one for my shed as will only get used a few times a year

Inverter describes the technology inside the Welder.

The copper windings and oil inside your welder have been replaced by about 5kgs of circuitry and MOSFETs.
Requiring a lot less input current, a lot more portable and higher no load voltage so it strikes easier.

It's still arc welding, no different.

 

[Dman2]

Was that one of the 70 quid inverter welders in Aldi? Excuse my ignorance but what's different between arc and inverter?
I am self taught on a huge oil cooled stick welder , doesn't look that nice but metal sticks together until I break it somewhere else , fancy a cheap one for my shed as will only get used a few times a year

Not sure of the difference
But I was very sceptical when I went to do some welding for a neighbour, and he brought out this little case with a tiny little welder in it.
Soon blew a hole in 1/4 plate though and decided I maybe needed to turn it down a bit

 

[TripleSix]

They do inverter MIG welders too....

 

[Robt]

Brilliant thanks guys! I'll get one bought

 

[bravheart]

Get it with Robt's oil cooled but

Is it just portability? Aldi mag has an arc welder for 40 quid or an inverter for 70 quid, both boxes look about the same size, they list different specs the only comparable I can see is working current, 45-100 on the arc and 10-80 on the inverter.


Just curious really, caus you all get excited about them-

What exactly (from the same supplier) does the extra £30 buy?

 

[Bury the Trash]

'Bohler phoenix blau 30' rods ....are not cheap but they are nice to weld with.

they cope very well with farm welding .