Corsa B welder and welding advice

[garbaldy]

Why is everyone on such a downer with gasless MIGs I've welded loads with one and found it fine.

Is it a case of a bad workman blames his tools ?

[Bstardchild]

Why is everyone on such a downer with gasless MIGs I've welded loads with one and found it fine.

Is it a case of a bad workman blames his tools ?

 

Do you weld outside or inside?

[garbaldy]

Both. I started with a gasless Clark and I do admit the welding is better with gas but not by much.

It's a pain outside sometimes now with only a gas welder but I just set up some shielding.

[spike60]

How do you change the polarity of the earth/ground for gasless? I have 2 migs, a Murex Tradesmig160 amp jobby and a Cebora Pocket mig and have used neither for years but looking to resurrect them. I've got a small reel of gasless to try, do i have to reverse the polarity? Sorry for the hijack!

[Bstardchild]

Both. I started with a gasless Clark and I do admit the welding is better with gas but not by much.

It's a pain outside sometimes now with only a gas welder but I just set up some shielding.

 

Well I've only used flux cored wire once - but it was inside a garage and 10 secs after starting I couldn't actually see anything any more due to the amount of smoke given off....... Required frequent stops to let the lucas out of the garage which meant all the heat put into the garage to make it comfortable was also lost.....

 

Put me off using it inside

 

I used the reel up making up some moveable plant pot stands - once used up I never saw the need to buy another reel as like you I either weld inside or set up some shielding if welding outside

[garbaldy]

Yes i clean forgot about the smoke your right it was like cobwebs floating about in the air.

[AndrewD]

How do you change the polarity of the earth/ground for gasless? I have 2 migs, a Murex Tradesmig160 amp jobby and a Cebora Pocket mig and have used neither for years but looking to resurrect them. I've got a small reel of gasless to try, do i have to reverse the polarity? Sorry for the hijack!

Hello, feel free, and anyway it gives me the chance to help out. My Clarke gas / no gas has terminals inside you can unscrew and swap the leads on (excuse poor torch light camera phone without flash photo)

 

[Bstardchild]

Yes i clean forgot about the smoke your right it was like cobwebs floating about in the air.

 

Better description than I could make....... If I was doing a lot of non automotive stuff outside I'd use it again but if I can get it in the garage I'd rather weld with gas and normal wire

[Dippy]

I find that using TIG welding gloves (less than £5 from Toolstation) make it easier as they are lighter and more flexible than welding gauntlets.

 

As said above practicing is what its all about, must admit to no experience of gasless welding though.

[alf892]

Couple of things I learned early:

 

Read the guidance on settings - it is better than guessing.

 

Make sure you set/use the right shield.......when correct you can see the weld forming. Many supplied with a welder are too dark

 

Don't do long runs........even when correctly set up this will result in a hole. If you can do a long run you probably don't have enough penetration. Also more inclined to cause distortion.

 

Try to avoid using your skin (esp ears) to catch any molten metal.....it stays hot for quite a while. This is sometimes not that easy when in a contorted position under a car...

 

Use a good earth clamp and not the shitty croc clip that comes with the machine.

[AndrewD]

Gas 0.6mm wire Vs No Gas 0.9mm flux core!

 

This is from the point of view of a numpty novice. And I am sure what I have to say will please many of you...

 

Practicing on thinner sheet like a computer case, which I estimate to be about 0.6mm - 0.8mm ( I only have a steel rule), and gas is much easier. Flux core starts arcing and you have to move, I was doing it all by ear as there is not much to see and if you are not fast enough it just falls through. With gas, you can see the pool and you can see when and how to move and you have more time. The bead is thinner, there is less distortion, it is neater and more refined. Once the wire speed fine tune was adjusted and the gas flowing fast enough, it just worked. Flux core I had to experiment with the settings and the speed of movement and then replicate that to get a good consistent weld. Interestingly I find I need the mask darker, I was using 9 with flux core but find I need 9 1/2 for gas, is it brighter? A positive in the other direction though, is that with flux core, regardless of how slow the wire was, it never burnt back to the tip. It would go back and stop arcing, a but more would come out and it would arc again, but it never burnt back and stuck at any point. Gas welding however did allow the wire to burn back and slightly stick to the tip, after I stopped welding.

 

I am sure a good welder can get very good results with both, and that there might just be a knack to flux core. I have also read that despite the manufactures specifications, flux core is really unsuitable for thinner material, i think this is probably the case. If you have the room to do all your welding inside, I would say it is a no brainer, use gas. If like me you are very limited for space though (I have the top of the tool chest I fixed as a welding table, and that is it for inside space), I can see the advantages of flux core on thicker materials where you don't mind cleaning up a bit after, like fixing a gate or a bench in situ,without having to put up windbreaks and having to pick a calm day.

 

I guess the biggest thing though, is that I have been wondering how I can get good enough to do work on a car. Switching to gas and running six 2inch long beads (the first three where with too little gas and so can almost be discounted), and I can see how this welder in the hands of someone with a bit of experience could easily be used to weld a car.

[sal]

Keep at it and you'll get the knack for welding. Loads of good advice already posted.

 

Regards the chassis leg. I've not done a corsa but have sorted a few cavaliers and it looks very similar. After you unbolt the bits you need to remove use a spot weld drill to remove the round Spring seat and see how much rust there is. The chassis leg is double skinned at this point so you may need to repair both skins. It's not a difficult fix but is time consuming.

[AndrewD]

Keep at it and you'll get the knack for welding. Loads of good advice already posted.

Regards the chassis leg. I've not done a corsa but have sorted a few cavaliers and it looks very similar. After you unbolt the bits you need to remove use a spot weld drill to remove the round Spring seat and see how much rust there is. The chassis leg is double skinned at this point so you may need to repair both skins. It's not a difficult fix but is time consuming.

Thank you for your advice on the drill and the task, from what I can see from the road, I think it has gone through both in some patches. I was getting worried about my welding, but switching to gas has made such a difference that I can now see the way forward with that. And as you say, the advice keeps flowing for all aspects of the task, so again thank you for you help everyone.

 

Time I fortunately have on this car as it is not on the road, so I am taking what might be my only chance to really get my hands dirty, as it where (oh for the time, space, money, knowledge and ability to undertake a real restoration project). Once this is done (or some of it perhaps before), there are also some minor bodywork and livable with issues with the car which I am going to sort. I hope this proves to be an interesting or helpful zero to hero story for someone. It is a mad idea, but I am enjoying the progress (albeit small so far) and the company here and on mig-welding.co.uk.

 

PS. I don't expect a body shop finish with spray cans on the drive, just to stop the patches getting worse.