Flux core help!

[mikemounlio]

So i need some pointers on welding my front core support. I have an old Flux core welder.

I will not be getting a different welder! I dont have any friends that can come do the weld for me.


The welder is running pretty good right now. I am going to do a bunch of practice runs with the support metal i cut off and the scraps from my plate. Ill do my best to set up my practice runs to match the conditions in which i will do the welds. My question is about my travel pattern. Im welding 1/4 plate to the sheet metal of the frame area. SHould i do just a v shape travel with like 75% time on the 1/4 plate and 25% on the cars metal?

I will be using a pulling travel style (if theres slag you drag). 10-15° tip angle.

My welder has high and low 1 and 2 (low 1, low 2, high 1, high 2) and wire feed speed dial. Like i said im going to practice on as much material as i cad before i go messing up my car. I might not actually weld the car till the weekend. I really want make it hold and look decent.

Any pointers would help tho. I only had stick welding in school 8 years ago.

[william]

Lots of prep ! If you need a hand a I have is a flux core welder as well but it's more adjustable. I've been welding with it for years I would be happy to lend you a hand . I'm no pro but can get the job done.
Your only about and hour and half from me as well.

[shadetree]

^ hook up with William , practice and take your time . These cars have some thin and hard to weld to metal . Patience is everything ! Take your time mike . This can ruin the car very easy .

[sketchman]

I only was taught stick welding too.

If I'm doing thick to thin, I start on the thick part and move the puddle down onto the sheet metal. But I would not just do a continuous V pattern. I would make stitches letting the weld cool till it just starts to stop glowing. Then hit it again to make the next stitch. Because you'll need higher heat than you want on the sheet metal to get good penetration on the 1/4" plate. So you risk punching holes in the thin stuff.

[mikemounlio]

So I got some better wire and new tips and I'm welding pretty good. I plan to weld up my new exhaust this weekend so I played around with some old exhaust pipe. I was able to lay a good weld when the pipe was butted up really close. On the spots with a gap I had to stich it together. Build up the gaps a bit then hit it a bit.

Then out of the blue my welder stopped welding in position 1. It has high low 1 and 2. I now only have low 2 and high 2. I hope it's just hot or something

[mikemounlio]

I picked up the 180 amp 220v HF welder. It welds pretty good. I have some lincoln wire in it at the minute. I played with it for a good 3-4 hours today. I also got a metal disk for the 12" miter saw. I cut up some 15 degree segments to make a tight radius elbow.

in a bit i will post some pictures of the results. I did 2 elbows. i tried a few different heats and wire feeds. End result is not pretty. Its my 1st time really welding with flux core. I have tac welded several time but this was my 1st time actually making something. Ill give more detail about the welds in the next post.

[mikemounlio]

This was my 1st try. All the pipe was cut by hand with a grinder so it was kind a mess.

same picture with light

inside of the 1st elbow. as you can see i dont have full penetration of the weld.

this was my 2nd try. I cut this pipe with a miter saw with a metal disk. The segments are 15 degrees.

Weld went all the way through in spots. I also punched several holes i had to fill in.


anyway the welder has a b c d e f and wire feed speed. ANy help or pointers would be nice.

[Flyin4stroke]

It looks fine get a grinder and clean it up and wrap it up. It's exhaust doesn't have to be pretty.

[mikemounlio]

Think it will hold up? If so i have wrap already!

[ryanprins13]

When welding thin metal stitching is a good way to go. Not as pretty generally but stronger. For thick to thin try pre-heating the thick metal with a torch and see if that helps you, its what i do. Make sure joints are clamped or held as tight as possible. Make sure anything to be welded is perfectly clean so you have no issues with bad grounding. Use sandpaper, sander, degreaser...
Once exhaust is welded give it a quick grind and then sand blast the welds. Hold it up to a bright light and mark any holes. If its along pipe tape a flashlight to something and shove it up the pipe in a dark room. Weld up the holes then grind it nice, sand blast it again and check once more but it should be good by then. Holes in exhaust is no fun for anyone and could delaminate or blow a hole in pipe wrap.


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[Greywolf]

I've got a Hobart Auto Arc 120, and like you I have flux core wire and am new to the game. If Santa Claus doesn't leave me a gas bottle in December I think I'm going to drop some tax refund cash on it because the spatter around those welds is pretty much a signature of flux core wire from what I've heard.

[ryanprins13]

I should say i have only used flux core wire once. Learned stick, mig and did aluminum with a spool feed on a mig rather than learn tig. Then my brother got a flux core and i tried it for a minute and used the arc instead, lol. With practise you can get pretty good with an arc welder. My brother was good with one. He once cut up an ebay exhaust manifold and welded his own ram horn style manifold out of like 20 pieces of cut pipe with an arc welder. Turned out well and i would have had a hard time doing that with a mig back then. So Practise as much as you can with that flux core welder, try different settings, mess around with it a bunch and figure out what you and it can do before welding important stuff


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