I don't remember seeing my dad ever use it, it always just sat on the shelf in the basp00get, this weird blue box as I remember it from being about 5 years old. He always stuck to his oxy-acet torch, he could braze real well. It's a 20 some-odd year old Chicago Electric "DUE MIG", 120 volts. With this y little hose out the back, apparently called a "4mm argon hose".
I finally after a few years of being curious, got around to searching, and today in the mail I got the adapter I needed, went and got a regulator, hooked the dusty argon tank in the corner of the basp00get up, and for the first time in my life, tried to weld. I successfully put together two short pieces of 2" exhaust adapter pipe. Plenty of "birdshiznit" weld, and some beads that actually look correct I guess, but I smashed it on the floor and tugged on it so many times and it just won't come apart.
My friend's dad said 14-20 psi for the argon, that seemed to work well. The lowest heat setting seemed good too, as did "3" on the wire speed. (Goes from 0 to 10). I do realize these are for different thicknesses of metal.
I guess I'd just love to hear any suggestions anyone has to offer. Someday I'll obviously buy myself a GOOD welder, but I can't imagine the convenience this will be once I'm proficient. The amount of things I'll now be able to build/fix. I'm pretty pumped. A few friends have told me that mig isn't too hard to just pick up and play with, so I'm happy that it worked out that way.
Birdpoop welds indicate you're not using enough heat. Your best bet is to just grab some s and get to practicing. Post up some pics and we'll be able to give more guidance.
I do have some laying around, that's for sure! I'd put some up now but too lazy. :hick: :hick: Will do though.
take s stuff say 1/8 butt both together and do one weld at 1 with speed at 2 on speed. do a little weld. then go to 2 on temp and 2 on speed. try again. then 3 temp 2 speed and so on for a bit.
You want to see a good temp color change in the metel about 1/3 inch out
Then post pics up to let others see. I do alot of my own welding and i do ok. I bugger up alot too LOL
Also getting realy good at welding rust LOL
now thats cool, getting a machine like that up and running. I hope you enjoy it. about all I can offer is like what was said. Make sure your metal is hot and is glowing slightly and dont move too fast.
maybe one day you can vertical weld , and when you can then you finally know how to weld.
Now take all that advice and toss it away if you want to weld sheetmetal....lol
I suck at welding anything thicker then sheetmetal
Yesterday on the right side, today on the left. Having a lot of fun, I'm addicted LOL. Completely sealed the pipe all the way around today.
Practice makes perfect...
Practice and a grinder. That's my welding eraser. After allot of practice I can weld left and right and down but up not so good? and if I hit sheet metal to long I blow through it even on the lowest setting Ive got a 240 welder though looking at a millermatic someday?