Tips for welding

Tips for: MIG welding, Aluminum MIG welding, Flux welding, TIG welding, Electrode welding, Plasma cutting, Electroresistance welding...

MIG welding

  1. For thin metals, use a wire with a smaller diameter. For thicker metal, use a larger diameter wire and a stronger machine. See machine recommendations for welding capacity.

  2. Use the correct type of wire for welding the base metal. Use stainless steel wires for stainless steel, aluminum wires for aluminum and steel wires for steel.

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Use the appropriate shielding gas. CO2 is good for protecting welds on steel, but can be too hot for thin metal. Use 75% argon / 25% CO2 for thinner steels. Use only argon for aluminum. You can use a triple mixture for stainless steel (Helium + Argon + CO2).

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There are two common types of wire in steel. Use AWS classification ER70S-3 for all-purpose, economical welding. Use ER70S-6 wire when more deoxidizer is required for welding on dirty or rusted steel.

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Make sure your contact lead, gun hose and drive rollers match the size of wire you are using.

Clean the gun barrel and drive rollers from time to time and keep the gun nozzle free of spatter. Replace the contact wire if blcorroded or poorly conducting wire./p>

Keep the gun as straight as possible when welding to avoid poor wire feed.

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Use both hands to position the gun when welding. Do this whenever possible. (This also applies to electrode welding, TIG welding and plasma cutting.)>

Keep the tension of the wire feeder and the pressure on the wheels enough to ensure that the wire is fed, but do not over tighten.

Keep the wire in a clean and dry place when not welding to avoid contamination that causes bad welds.

Use DCEP (reverse polarity) on the power supply.

Aluminum MIG welding

  1. The best wire feed for aluminum is done with a power gun. If you cannot use such a gun, use the shortest possible gun and hold the gun as straight as possible. Use only argon as shielding gas. When welding with aluminum, use only the push technique.

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If you're having trouble with your wire feeder, one thing you can try is a contact lead one gauge larger than the diameter of the wire you're using.

The most common wire type is ER4043 for all purpose work. ER5356 is a stronger wire (easier to add) and is used when stronger and tighter welds are required.

Clean the aluminum before welding to remove the oxide layer. Use a steel brushin stainless steel, which is used only for cleaning aluminum.

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Fill the crater at the end of the weld to avoid a crack. One way to do this is to stay in the welding section for a second at the end of the weld

 

Welding with powder-filled wire/strong>

  1. Use the pulling technique/p>

  2. Keep the wire clean and dry to achieve the best welding results.>

  3. Welding is similar to electrode welding, because the slag layer must be removed after welding. Use a scraping hammer and a wire brush.

  4. Self-shielding powder-filled wire does not need shielding gas. (The protection is in the wire.) Therefore, it is suitable for working outdoors, where the external shielding gas has less effect.

  5. Self-shielding powder coated wire is generally more difficult to weld on thin metals than MIG welding.

 

TIG welding

  1. A good process for thin metals - a very clean process that results in aesthetically good welds./p>

  2. Use argon protection for steel, stainless steel and aluminum.

  3. Use DC-Straight Polarity (DCEN) for steel and stainless steel. Use AC for aluminum.

  4. Always use the push technique with a TIG torch.

  5. Match the size of the tungsten electrode to the size of the sleeve.>

  6. Aluminum - use a pure tungsten electrode, AWS classEWP (Green Identification Mark).

  7. Steel and stainless steel - use 2% thoriated tungsten, AWS class EWTH-2 (red identification mark).


Electrode welding

  1. Use the drag technique for most applications.

  2. Take precautions with flying materials when cutting slag.

  3. Store and dry the electrodes - follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

  4. Penetration: DCEN - The smallest penetration, AC - medium (there can be more splashes), DCEP - the greatest penetration.> 

Plasma cutting

  1. Clean, dry, clean air flow is important.>

  2. Stay at the recommended air pressure (more air is not necessarily better!)>

  3. Lightly place the tip of the torch against the workpiece.

  4. When starting to cut, start at the end of the material to be cut and make sure the arc has completely penetrated the metal before continuing.

  5. The burner must be perpendicular to the workpiece.

  6. The working cable should be attached as close as possible to the workpiece.>

  7. If you can see the arc going through the bottom of the metal you're cutting, it will take the guesswork out of your cutting speed.

 

Electric resistance welding

  1. Resistance welding is not recommended for aluminium, copper or copper alloys. Use only on steel and stainless steel.

  2. For more heat (current output) use shorter pliers.>

  3. For units without heat control, the length of the arms can be used for control. For example, for thin metals where you want less heat, longer arms can be used.

  4. Note that longer arms may bend and you may lose pressure when welding./p>

  5. For welded metals, make sure there are no gaps between the pieces - this will weaken the weld.

  6. Keep the alignment of the pegs straight so that the tips touch precisely. Also, maintain proper pressure adjustment - not too much or too little pressure.

  7. When you need one side of the weld to look good, you can flatten (machine) the tip a bit on that side./p>