Welding Noob

[csampson311]

I just got a new HF 90amp flux welder for Christmas. Its my first welder ever. So far Ive just been sticking scrap metal together to practice different joints and beads. Eventually I want to fab a go kart and some small things for my truck (not like a full roll cage or anything like that). Right now I just have a few questions. Because I have to run flux core the weld is extremely poppy and has a lot of splatter. After i finish a weld when the metal is cool there are a lot of little balls that make the piece look super messy. Should I mess with the feed speed or Is this something ill have to live with because its flux? My next question is where can I get steel pipe from? Home depot only seems to carry flat rods or square tubing. The only metal pipe they have is conduit and im not ready to give up a lung to weld that stuff.

 

[02RangerXLT]

Flux core will cause spatter, that's the way it is.

Second, I wouldnt try welding too thick of stuff with such a small welder, to really safely weld bigger tubing and other stuff you need to be experienced and/or have a bigger welder.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

^^^x2
You can weld with that hf mig but it is pretty small. Good for what you are planning and good enough to learn on. IMO some night school courses would be money well spent, and when you want to go to a bigger machine you can more knowledgeably pick a bigger welder. Google 'mig welding basics'.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[disciplerocks]

Yup get used to the splatter. And I have found it works great for things around 1/8" thick. Thinner it will burn through and thicker it won't penetrate well. And make sure what you are welding is clean.

 

[Explorin94]

I have that same welder. Dump the crap wire that HF sells with it and get some Blue Demon wire. I get mine at the local Car quest, but around you that will be your mission. The flux core wire will spatter like you are using a stick welder, so like other said you'll have to live with it. The Blue Demon wire isn't near as bad spattering like the wire that came with the welder. I have welded 3/16 steel with mine but I wouldn't use it to weld anything that was important enough for life.

 

[martin]

As has been mentioned, flux core wires vary quite a bit, the E71T-GS by Lincoln is the best one I've found so far. A thinner wire, .030, for instance will allow you to get better penetration in thicker metals but will take longer to weld due to the smaller amount of fill material. There'll always be some splatter with flux core but as you become better at it the splatter will be less.

 

[02RangerXLT]

^^^x2
You can weld with that hf mig but it is pretty small. Good for what you are planning and good enough to learn on. IMO some night school courses would be money well spent, and when you want to go to a bigger machine you can more knowledgeably pick a bigger welder. Google 'mig welding basics'.
Good luck,

Richard

I agree, classes would really be beneficial. I'm in welding school right now.

Yup get used to the splatter. And I have found it works great for things around 1/8" thick. Thinner it will burn through and thicker it won't penetrate well. And make sure what you are welding is clean.

Agreed, however the metal doesn't "have" to be clean, but it sure helps a ton if it is. Flux core is in its own way like "wirefed stick."

 

[Vexy]

If there are little balls everywhere and not a solid weld, you need to turn up the wire speed. I have the same welder and was on the same boat as you when I first got it. The thickest stuff you want to tackle is 1/4". Any higher and you won't have full penetration. Good luck

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

90 amps is NOT enough for .250 mild steel.

I have a 180 amp 220v Lincoln that will just handle .250 wall material with proper penetration.

 

[shane96ranger]

I also have the HF 90 amp unit. The wire it comes with sucks. I went to Lowes and got some wire made by Lincoln (.035) - what a difference! It's a lot better wire. Oddly enough, it was also cheaper than HF wants for their replacement wire for the welder.


EDIT:

the E71T-GS by Lincoln is the best one I've found so far

Interesting. Look at the P/N on this HF roll:

 

[pillen140]

i also have this welder, just got it, and as a matter of fact, just got done using it on my exhaust. if you say this thing cant weld thin stuff without burning through, you havent used this model. i was getting a little bit too much spatter as well, turned up the wire speed and it cleaned up a ton. for exhaust pipe, it worked awesome on wire speed 6 while on low setting. practiced on some other random steel i had laying around too. didnt try anything too thick though. (and that was with the wire it came with)

 

[scotts90ranger]

the HF spools are 2lb, the Lincoln spools are 1lb, at least that's what I ran into when looking for better wire for my 90A HF welder

I have mine almost maxxed out for 1/8", but I agree it's fairly versatile, a HECK OF A LOT nicer to work with than the 120A stick welder of theirs I have, that one is usable but a pain on anything other than 1/16" rods.

 

[02RangerXLT]

I guess I'm just skeptical of machines that won't let me choose my exact wire speed and exact voltage, all the cheapy machines give is a ball park. You'll definitely want to move to a bit higher end machine if you plan on doing lots of welding, and the funds allow. If funds don't allow, rock whatcha got!

 

[The Mud Addict]

I used to have a set of cut and turned D35 beams on my '92 Ranger, that was built using the H.F. flux core welder. Made the re-inforcing plates from 3/8's material, and I severly abused those beams. Never had any issues with the welds

 

[shane96ranger]

the HF spools are 2lb, the Lincoln spools are 1lb, at least that's what I ran into when looking for better wire for my 90A HF welder

I have mine almost maxxed out for 1/8", but I agree it's fairly versatile, a HECK OF A LOT nicer to work with than the 120A stick welder of theirs I have, that one is usable but a pain on anything other than 1/16" rods.

Oh wow, I never noticed that. So you are running the Lincoln wire as well, right? The only thing I've put together so far is a gate, and the little HF unit worked out fine for it. The HF unit isn't as good as my Dad's Lincoln MIG, but it does a really decent job.

I have a Lincoln stick welder that's a 240V (40-225 amp) that I've never used because my lazy ass hasn't wired up a plug for it yet.