I'm still wondering about the electrolytic capacitors in the welder since they are about 40 years old. Two long term welders have both pointed at your gas flow issue, yet you want to chase a rabbit. Re-mix your bottle as suggested and turn up the CFH. These are super simple tests to rule out gas fl...

I too would address gas flow. I use 35 CFH with MIG. The small amount of gas used in comparison makes welds much better and saves time grinding out bad welds. Also, if your gas bottle (mixed) has been standing about for a long while, the gases will separate. Carefully lay the bottle on the shop floo...

Welcome! Become very practiced with Stick, then TIG before you switch to MIG. Learning to read the puddle with stick or TIG will make MIG more successful.

I’d recommend you make a “gantry” crane instead. Here’s a video showing you the basics of the crane. It will be more versatile, mobile, and the structure of it more stable. https://youtu.be/fpPkYImyyYk?si=7KsgzzJKuL4HZKZE Harbor Freight is a US retailer for inexpensive tools etc. you can look up in ...

Not sure. I’ve made a few for myself from 1” aluminum and I made one for another forum member about 2.5 years ago. You could investigate a service like Send-Cut-Send to see if they’d make one for you. You basically send them a detailed drawing, specify the material, and them machine/produce it for y...

My bad, I see now that the two pictures show a differing height of the handle tubes. Easiest way to tack it up is to put a single tack on backside of middle tube, then a single tack on one side tube (on the front side of it) then repeat on other side tube. This should provide you the means to tweak ...

Do you have a picture of what you’re trying to do? The two pics posted are duplicates of each other. At least a sketch?

For your setup, I like 50% peak, 25% background, 1.2 pps. I’ll set my amps around 90 and stay full contact so I need only focus on torch and puddle control.

I run 11 but I have older eyes. I also keep the sensitivity setting up so the switching from low to high amps doesn’t cause my helmet to flash me.

Welding is a perishable skill, so any time you can practice it helps keep you honed. Even if you only dedicate 15-20 minutes a week to welding beads on coupons, it will pay dividends.

And we’re still here waiting on you to post up the next progress pictures

For me, the two most critical aspects for FCAW are stick out and gun angle. Stick out needs to be longer than MIG, and gun angle needs to be straighter than you think.

Without seeing your welds, it’s impossible to determine other helpful hints…?

For a #5 cup (actually anything below a #6) a gas lens is unnecessary. Just use a standard collet body then you can reduce your CFH to about 7-9CFH. The turbulence created above a #6 is where a gas lens benefits the use. Smaller cups don’t create the flow needed to switch from a standard collet body...

Welcome. I’ve used that Maxstar plenty doing stainless piping for a food service company. Great little machine!

Jack - here’s a scenario you need to think through that might help dissuade your caution. Think about a rotary positioner. You clamp to the ground bung, secure the work in the chuck, then weld your butt off full speed, for multiple passes. That machine has an electric motor and bearing and bushings ...

Jack - here’s a scenario you need to think through that might help dissuade your caution. Think about a rotary positioner. You clamp to the ground bung, secure the work in the chuck, then weld your butt off full speed, for multiple passes. That machine has an electric motor and bearing and bushings ...

Whether it’s stick or dual shield, EVERY tie-in I’ve done for code level structural work I have ground and feathered my stops/starts. It adds time but guarantees results and passing inspection. There are lots of situations where it is not necessary and starting ahead then backing over works perfectl...

In the case of the pushrod, all of the welding current must pass through one or more bearings so the probability of damage is very much greater. This is simply not true. There are ample situations where a pushrod current passes thru one rod, down the camshaft, then back up again another pushrod wit...

Thanks, but your posts did nothing to inform me of things I don’t already know, and, don’t dispel my point.

To each their own I guess.

1. there is always a bearing or follower between the block/head and the pushrod that should not pass welding current. 2. there are no bearings or follower between the block and a head bolt - it is safe to weld. 1. I’m curious, what engine are you thinking of that exemplifies #1? I know of no engine...

If welding a pushrod in an engine, the welding current path is: Block -> journals -> cam shaft -> follower -> pushrod. We disagree. The head is bolted to the block. The pushrod extends from rocker arm (which is moved by the pushrod) to the cam lifter. The lifter sits atop a lobe. Journals typically...

CJ must be much luckier than I am. If I attempted to weld a pushrod (of any sort) with the return clamp connected to the block, every connecting piece in the current loop, including followers and bearings, would be welded together. You might clean the intended weld area, but all the other "joi...

The pushrod has a path to ground anywhere. It touches a rocker shaft, a cam lobe, and in turn the engine block. The block is mounted to the frame via the mounts, and likely a battery ground to the starter. So don’t worry about “locally” grounding the pushrod. To weld to it, you need to chemically cl...

I think we are going in circles here. You’re right. The relevant information the OP stated are: novice welder, race car is the project (frame, roll cage, drive train). Too frequently contributors stray from answering the specific question with details, options or “also cans” which cause confusion a...

Biggest issue with spray mode is position dependence. I can’t envision welding a roll cage with spray transfer for steel. thats why you use pulse. pulse spray can be used in all positions. Well his question was about pulse or spray, not pulsed spray. And again, I’ve never seen anyone weld a roll ca...

eg some machine won't run 6011 at all. Tweake I think you meant to say some lower end inverter type machines won’t run 6010. 6011 and 6013 are often recommended alternatives to that rod for these boxes. Vdot, grab a pound of rods, try them on each polarity and see for yourself what the differences ...