Will .030" Fluxcore Work for Minor Rust Repair?

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I've got a Harbor Freight auto darkening helmet (insert GASP and "well, if you don't care about your eyes" comments here, lol). I've had zero problem with it and I can see well. Of course I've never had a better one so I have nothing to compare to!
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I use the Harbor Freight auto darkening helmets also Dan and never had an issue either. So happy welding buddy.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks Bam. Can't wait to get out there and on it tomorrow.

Since these first holes are on the very bottom of the door and I'm not taking it off, I was thinking of welding them with the stinger on the inside of the door. I have fairly good access through the giant speaker holes. I'll be using a copper backer. Do you think that's better (for me as a starter) than trying to tack overhead by laying on the ground?

I figure down hand welding is always better if you can manage it.

[unclesalty]

The easiest weld would be down, with a sheetmetal backing strip behind the bad area, then you can open all the rusty stuff up and have at it. You can still use the copper chill block, of course. Harbor Freight also has flux cored wire in .023, in the smaller rolls, (5 lbs?) for cheap. Whatever matches up with your rollers. If we can pull the doors by removing the hinge pins (?!?) i would do so, even though youll stiill need a second set of hands.

[dicer]

I would never use flux core on body panels. Too much mess and porosity. Even with stick welding it takes heat to keep the flux out of the weld bead, and a nice short arc. X2 on the HF auto dark helmut, they work just fine.

[Russell Ashley]

"I've got a Harbor Freight auto darkening helmet (insert GASP and "well, if you don't care about your eyes" comments here, lol). I've had zero problem with it and I can see well. Of course I've never had a better one so I have nothing to compare to!"

I've also got a Harbor Freight auto darkening shield that I've had for probably four years now and it's been good. A couple of months ago I decided to spring for a Lincoln Viking shield, $200 from Ebay, mainly just to see if I could tell any difference. It has a larger viewing window and a "grind" setting, and seems to have a wider range of adjustment. I like it better than the HF shield but overall unless you just wanted it, like I did, it's probably not worth the extra money for a hobbyist like most of us are..

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hi Russ,

I have no doubt a name brand helmet would be better. I suppose I probably WILL buy a better one at some point but I wanted to get started and $39 (I think) was gonna get me started a lot sooner than I think it was gonna be $199 or $250 for a name brand. I read enough good comments from DIY'ers over on the GarageJournal website and figured I'd try it.

It's nice to know others have had good luck with theirs too, thanks for posting. Now go look on my other thread at my nasty girl with her new chrome grill!

[Russell Ashley]

Dan, remember what I said earlier, there's no such thing as too much chrome.

That grill looks great.

[Dan in Pasadena]

UPDATE

Today I switched my Hobart Handler 140 over from .030" fluxcore to solid .023 wire and ArCO2 gas for the first time. I have no instructions with this machine so did what seemed logical/what I've been told:

Installed the tank and regulator,chained in place - I need NO Teflon tape, etc?

I switched the drive wheel so the smaller wire groove is now being used.

I advanced the wire through the cable, then installed a new .023" copper tip in the stinger

I switched the polarity in accordance with the diagram inside the machine.

What have I missed gentlemen and D'ne?

All advice appreciate. Saturday I will weld closed some of my NUMEROUS holes. (What the HELL was it with guys drilling holes in these trucks?)

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh and I've read to use the lowest psi that will work. I've read 7-8psi but also read 15psi. If its not windy I'd THINK 10 or less would be ok(?)

Is it critical how far the wire sticks out when I start each tack?

(Dumb question coming)
Is gas coming out ALL the time or only when I pull the trigger?

I know to flap wheel or grind the metal clean before starting. Any other tips?
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[Clarance J]

Just speaking from experience Don't forget to turn the gas off when done welding. Its easy to not do that at times and as you know that gas is not free. I have the small bottle and at 40.00 for a new one that was a quick 40.00 gone.

[Dan in Pasadena]

So the gas IS coming out all the time?

[Clarance J]

Hey Dan, The gas will only form the shield when you pull the trigger to weld. So its not flowing all the time but the gas will slowly leak out over a period of time. So you weld this week and forget to shut the bottle off you might not have gas next week. Back to the store.

[Russell Ashley]

Also Dan, don't forget to turn the gas ON before you weld, LOL. Don't ask why I said this...

[Denee007]

Good morning Dan! I keep a good pair of wire cutters handy, so almost every time I weld, i just snip the wire flush to the nozzle. I start with a nice sharp wire that starts the weld. I have the tip slightly recessed in the nozzle. slag from welding will accummulate in the nozzle requiring removal on the nozzle now and then to be cleaned so not to restrict gas flow. I set my gas at 15 on the flow meter adjusted with the trigger pulled to allow flow. Logic dictates for me the amount of current needed depending on the thickness of the metal with playing with wire speed to achieve a good crackle, a steady bzzzzzzz.
Play with scrap, cleaner the better metal will help make the best weld, rusty crap will result in a crappy weld. Don't weld your project stuff until your confident to some degree. Have a grinder handy to expose raw metal for a good weld. I like my 4.5" angle grinder.
I hope this helps! It's a matter of practicing to become familiar with your new machine/toy! I may have mentioned, but when you like a particular wire size, I bought the large size spool, lasts forever and doesn't seem to become tangled. The little spools tend to go k-boing becoming tangled.

I follow Jody Collier on welding tips and tricks and have signed up for his news letters on welding! Watch some of his stuff, he's fun to watch and listen to.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/htp-tig-welder.html
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[dicer]

As far as the HF autodark helmut vs $300 or so name brand. I just bet both units are made in the same factory and same assembly line. The HF unit has never let the arc flash me, it is plenty fast. In the past with the old normal helmuts I've been flashed plenty. I think the HF units are a good value for the price.

[_Ogre]

agree with dicer
the exhaust guy in our shop has a $250 helmet,
i like the fit of my $39 hf helmet better.
it fits my scandinavian ogre chin

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Also Dan, don't forget to turn the gas ON before you weld, LOL. Don't ask why I said this...

Yeah I think we all do that from time to time. It lets you know real quick

[mknittle]

I had one HF helmet go bad but it slowly got darker but never got an arc flash.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if one or two places mold the helmet and another one or two places makes the lenses assembly.

Sure, the window size may be smaller but you know that upfront before you purchase so its not like it should be a surprise/disappointment.

As for the gas? Yeah, I'm more likely to forget to shut it off than I am to forget to turn it on!

I'm gonna play around with the initial settings. The chart inside the lid says to use #3 of 4 current setting and #50 of 100...I think...wire speed setting for 18ga. sheet metal. So I'll start there and set the gas at 10 or 15 psi.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I wouldn't be at all surprised if one or two places mold the helmet and another one or two places makes the lenses assembly.

Sure, the window size may be smaller but you know that upfront before you purchase so its not like it should be a surprise/disappointment.

As for the gas? Yeah, I'm more likely to forget to shut it off than I am to forget to turn it on!

I'm gonna play around with the initial settings. The chart inside the lid says to use #3 of 4 current setting and #50 of 100...I think...wire speed setting for 18ga. sheet metal. So I'll start there and set the gas at 10 or 15 psi.

That should be a good place to start. Just remember do the shortest beads possible. little more than a spot and skip around to keep the heat down. If you learn on sheet metal when you get around the thicker work will be easy!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm clear on just tacking and moving around. What I DONT know is how soon the previous tack cools enough before I can go back and add another without causing a warp?

I've got a couple places where I'm going to weld shut a 1/4" diameter hole - not big enough for a metal "plug". So each tack will be very close to the next. Can I spot say a couple times, move over to another hole, then come right back? Or should I let a minute or three minutes go by?
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[mknittle]

I let them cool enough to lay a gloved hand on the area being worked. I ware tig gloves. when an area gets too hot I do something else for a while.
I am pretty cautious though. It just seems better to take the time and do a job once than to come back and fix it.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I totally agree on not having to fix it - cause honestly I wouldn't know how!

I don't know what TIG gloves are/look like? The gloves I bought from HF are pretty heavy though they're soft. I think they were meant to be stick welding gloves. I'll just err on the side of waiting too long rather than welding too soon.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I totally agree on not having to fix it - cause honestly I wouldn't know how!

I don't know what TIG gloves are/look like? The gloves I bought from HF are pretty heavy though they're soft. I think they were meant to be stick welding gloves. I'll just err on the side of waiting too long rather than welding too soon.

TIG gloves are thinner than other welding gloves. That helps with feeding the filler rod. I like them because when I am working with body panels I can feel if the parts are flush and it is much easier to hold parts when tacking them.
You have to be more careful though as they are thinner.

HF gloves are likely for stick welding. that is all the HF here has in two sizes huge and giant. I had a pair of those that lasted along time because they sat on the bench until the stitching rotted. they do work good for bending heated parts.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by mknittle

...that is all the HF here has in two sizes huge and giant.

Yeah, no...poop! They ARE Gigantor sized, ha ha

Originally Posted by mknittle

... I had a pair of those that lasted along time because they sat on the bench until the stitching rotted...

Yeah, but they're cheap when you've got nothing and are starting out - like me!

I DO have some ordinary thicker rawhide styled leather work gloves that will PROBABLY work fine since I don't truly need the gauntlets that the HF ones have - do I? I mean you don't get the popping you sometimes get (well I did, I'm a lousy welder, remember?) with stick welding, do you?