Fixed my Welder

[MiniDave]

I fixed my welder today.

The last time I used it the wire kept melting, stopping the weld - the tip was full of weld slag and was shorting out. The tips are a consumable and I had new ones on hand but when I managed to get it out it left copper in the threads of the wand, and I could not get them picced out of the threads. So I ordered a 5mm X .8 tap from McMaster Carr and it came in this afternoon.

2 min work with the tap and the threads were good as new.

I replaced the copper tip, put on a new gas shroud cup and fired it up - it worked like new again.

This is just an inexpensive Clarke 110E mig with gas welder, ($400 IIRC) but I've had it for 20+ years and it's done everything I've needed - no, I'm not welding truck frames with it! I did most of the work on the Jag rustoration with it and it's always worked a treat. I also built my MINI lifter uppers with it and countless other little projects over the years. It lays down a pretty nice bead once you get it dialed in....



It's good to have it working again, and it shows to go you that even inexpensive tools can last a long time if you take care of them.

[tsumini]

Yeah replacing the tip on mine did wonders for weld quality. Nice bead.

[MiniDave]

danko......that's about as thick as you can weld with only 120V

[MiniDave]

A home shop Mig welder is one of those tools that you don't use every day, but when you need it boy howdy is it a handy thing to have!

And if you're going to do any sort of old car restoration, it's practically a gotta-have tool for your shop. It just allows you to do so much more....

Since they've come down in price the last 10years or so they've really gotten affordable too.

And while 94Touring does his work with flux core wire, I find that bare wire and gas shielding gives a much cleaner, smoother weld, which means less grinding and cleanup.

The first thing I build with mine was a cart to hold it - I built it out of a 2 wheel handcart.

[Jims5543]

I have a cheap POS Harbor Freight wire welder. I have made some impressive bird shit like welds with it.

I used to know how to weld, I actually took welding classes when I was in High School. I'll be damned if I remember any of it.


I have a torch setup that needs some TLC and I would love a wire / gas setup, someday.

[94touring]

I learned on a pos harbor freight, but the Lincoln fkux core welder isn't bad at all.  Gas is better. 

[MiniDave]

I had a Lincoln 175 at work that was a sweetheart, the Clarke works just fine, but with this goofy switch set up to make the heat adjustments, it's a bit of a PITA to get set up, these inexpensive ones don't have a very long duty cycle either but I rarely run a bead more than a few inches long - even so, the ground clamp gets pretty warm sometimes!

all in all, for what I paid for it 25 years ago or so, it's been a great tool.....





Even the cheapies like the HF will weld fine once you learn the limitations and work within them. Hell. I've welded with a coat hanger wire and a battery when in an emergency situation!

[Merlin]

I modded my first HF welder to actually work. I came across my hobart 120 at a pawn shop years ago and have been using it ever since. I have the convenience of having access to gas from work, so I leave it in mig trim all the time. I ahve had my eye on the Eastwood AC Tig machine for some time. It comes down in price during the end of the year, so this may be the year for me to grab it.

[tsumini]

What gas do you guys use? I have CO2 and tried to trade for Argon/CO2 but the trade up was too expensive so i just stuck to CO2.

[MiniDave]

I use Mig mix - 25% argon 75% co2, but it's not expensive at all - I have the small bottle - knee high? -and i think it costs in the low $20 to fill it.

[Merlin]

I use 75/25 as well. I think the small bottle is $30 year rental and $20 to fill. I end up filling it every year.

[Tim]

You lucky guys.  I have the same bottle and same mix, but it costs $80 exchange for the fill.  I own the bottle, but I still have to swap it each time for a full one.  Maybe I should see if there is a place to go to get them filled.  That $80 includes a chunk of change to our frivolous provincial government to waste on something (but they tell us it's an environmental charge - TAX).  Sheesh.

Tim.

[MiniDave]

Oh, you're in Canukistan.......I didn't know, sorry.


;D