Wire quit feeding after I welded it to the tip. Somehow a little piece of welding wire got wrapped around the wire feed. I didn't see it. Re-loaded wire through to the gun, and as soon as I grounded and fed wire, the wire between the end of the roll and the infeed got red hot and melted the plastic guide tube. That wrapped wire was shorting the whole thing out. The molten hot wire cut right through the infeed tube. I managed to turn the tube upside down so the cuts were no longer a factor to finish the job. Fortunately the plastic infeed tube is replaceable. Now I know why.

Break is over. Back out to the garage!

First time mine did that, I pulled the trigger....click, click, click....puff of smoke from the unit. The wire backed up inside the unit and went thru to the other side and grounded out the circuit board. $125 fix.

Get it back and it jams in the feed tube. Replace it for $20

Next time I use it wire jams in the new feed tube and I have to replace it again. This time I have to run the new tube on the outside of the of the assembley because the feed tube won't come out of the main tube.

Works fine......(crossing fingers)

I guess I got lucky then. This stupid plastic tube *should* be less than $10

My welds are improving. I can now get 70% of them to look like this. Not pro work for sure, but I'm kinda happy with it. And welding is the coolest thing since fire itself. I should have started doing this a long time ago.

That aint a bad looking weld........you can see everytime you changed your position.....

before you strike the arc..... dry run the weld... see how far you can lay a bead down before you have to move your position..

K I looked at the weld again.. slow down.... watch the puddle and work it up and down till you see it pool with the base metal

Tim,
I like your 'dry run' tip. I'll have to remember that one!

Thanks Tim, I'll give it a try. I really want an auto-darkening helmet. Mine is too dark also. I can't even see what I'm doing. If it ain't red hot, I can't see it.

dunno how to describe it but in that pic wherever the bead gets narrower ... Ill bet you were changing position....

drop some coin and get an auto dark hood... they RULE...

I know alot about a lil bit and a lil bit about alot...


welding.... I know about

>Mine is too dark also. I can't even see what I'm doing

The auto-darkening helmets help, but your also need a lot of light on the weld area. The arc is not a great source of light to see what you are doing. I use a large spotlight with a spring clamp that I can point at whatever I'm welding.

If you can see a light when welding your helmet isn't dark enough IMHO.

Mike, I've got a Miller auto-darkening that is solar powered. I love it. Just sit it outside for 8 hours and its good to go for a couple months. Every so often I'll stick it outside just to keep it fully charged. They are supposedly supposed to recharge during use, but I don't weld enough to maintain a charge on it.

>If you can see a light when welding

I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Are you supposed to weld completely blind? If you have strong enough lighting you can easily see the weld area even with a 14 shade helmet.

My experience has been that most of the light used during welding is the light of the arc. I don't notice any ambient lighting once the arc has been struck. Maybe it's my focus on the weld, but I don't think I see any other light.

But you were the guy looking for an opthalmologist.

Thanks for the Miller helmet recomendation. I'll check into it.

Gint, If you already have a shield.... go to your local welding supply and pick up and auto darkening replacement lens...

get one wilth as many sensors as possible.... this way you dont block the sensor if your in a wierd position....

I'll check into that too Tim, thanks. My helmet is a super cheapy though. It would really be nice to have it as a spare. The boys are pretty fascinated with welding. My 11 yr. old wants to help and watch.

My welder cart is almost finished.

dont matter if you have a cheap shield.... the lenses are standard sizes..

oppps missed the part about your son wanting to watch....thats a good reason to treat yourself to a kEwL new shield I guess..

I edited my post (perhaps after you read it first). My "helper" wants to see what's going on. My step-kids don't really have any industrial genes. I was pretty excited that he asked to help. And he wants to watch. Maybe I can make a welder/mechanic/auto whackjob out of one of them yet.

Gint,
just tell them they aren't allowed to help. that usually does it.

These kids NEVER ask to help. They are all great kids, but the 11 yr. old is my favorite. If he wants to help, I want to help him help.

OK, here it is! It ain't pretty, and it's not finished, but it's all mine and I made it myself.

what model miller is that mike?

MillerMatic 175

I know you guys are just dying to see the finished product. And I finally finished it. So...

I love this stuff. Pretty sturdy paint all in all.

Hammered? Isn't it safer to get hammered from beer than paint?

Joshua Skinner

P.S. Nice cart!

Gint,
I used that paint on my solid tranny mounts. It looks nice and is pretty durable.

Instead of building cool Mig dollies can't you spend some time welding on your car?

G-man,Beautiful cart
You're way stronger than me to lift the tank into the bracket holder,or is it hinge quite cleverly?
What's the latest on the "Dipped Tub"?

Nothing "latest".. until the dipped tub comes out of the solution some time next week.

Looks good Mikey. Now..try welding new metal to 30 year old metal. Welding new clean metal to new clean metal is EASY compared to new metal to old metal. Every time you hit a air pocket of tiny rust bubbles it "pops/crackles" on you. Great for a light show. Pain in the ass to deal with.


B

Wow! Thanks for the quick responce! Now I've the Great 914 Guru Sorry off post,but debating on changing out my Koni's rear shocks for some adjustable Bilstiens,I've have 22mm frt Tors.22mm frt sway,Konis shocks(frt) and 180's springs in rear,Is it ok to change from all Koni's set-up? I'm after to lower the rear.

Put the threaded collars and 10 inch Eibachs or H&R's on it and drop it like a bad habit.

125$ for 100/125/150/175/200 # springs.

Your are correct. The factory lowest setting on the Koni's is not low enough with a Weltmeister spring. So... sell them and get a shorter spring combo..


Oh.. use PM for this or start another thread so we dont "steal" threads.


B

Gint, good job on the cart, it looks great. I will be purchasing my mig next week and you just inspired me to not buy the cart. I will make my own

I may "look" stupid, but in reality, that's the reason you and yours are doing the job and not me. I don't have that kind of experience yet.

Hey Geoff,
See above comment. The MIG cart is to welding what the work bench is to wood working. The beginner project. Besides, you (I) have to get the bottle and 75 pound, 220v MIG welder around somehow.

Hey Kev,
Thanks for hijackin my thread. Just kiddin ya!

Gee,

You guys LIKE the auto-darkening lenses?

That is not for me. I burned my eyes once and will never use anything other than a solid shade ever again. After I burned my eyes, I went down to the welding supply for a better helmet. What the man at the supply store sold me (instead of a new helmet) was a darker gold reflective lens, new glass, and many cover shields. I believe it is an 11. Since that time, I have never burned my eyes even when welding 12+ hours in a day. (MIG, Stick, or TIG)

The Gold colored lenses allow you to see your work MUCH better than the older Green tinted shades (like I burned my eyes with). I can usually weld with no additional lighting, but if I need the light, a single 150W flood/work light is enough for anyone to see with.

I am simply afraid to try the auto-darkening lenses. I work with Union Millwrights who weld all day long every day and none of them that I have talked to use the auto-darkening lenses either. They taught me to keep the helmet loose enough that it falls down by shaking your head just before striking your arc. Being an engineer, I simply can't believe that the auto-darkening lenses react fast enough to the ARC to always protect your eyes.

It really sucks to wake up in the morning with what feels like sand in the back of your eyes and have your eyes so sensative to light that they water as you drive to the eye doctor......



Get your helper a welding helmet. Let them learn as well. Heck, let them grind as well. Be good to those who WANT to help. You may NEED thier help someday and if you let them help they would be more willing when you actually NEED them. I used to be a helper.....

just my $0.02

Brad,



It sounds as if you have done this. I thought I was the only one.... Anyway, Do you know if any parts of the unit body may be of different steel composition. On my recently dipped tub, I was welding in the area of the rear trailing arm mounts on the longitudinals (where my home made reinforcing kit welds) and I swear that some of that metal is different than the rest of the car.

I definately know what you mean about the popping and crackling....

Start a trhead on Your Tub.

That tub would be mine, and the thread already exists. See my sig. Brad has posted a couple of threads on a tub that he had dipped a while back. Just do a search.