Mig welding oddness.
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi, I didnt know where else to ask. Im using a 160amp sealey mig, 0.6 wire, 1mm sheet steel. I've got this problem where the wire is arc-ing before in actually touches the thing im welding. Its not arc-ing on the tip of the torch tho, like a dodgy earth. The wire is coming out, not quite reaching the metal, then forming a massive ball of weld on the end of the wire - some fine tuning of the gas seems to fix it, but there seems to be a fine line between not enough gas and too much where this happens. It doesnt seem right to me that the gas should have to be tuned so finely. Having said that its ever since i swapped from pure co2 to 5% argon that this has been happening.

Any advice? :(

Im no expert, byt it sounds like the wire speed is too slow

I know they say a bad workman always blaims their tools, but I was borrowing the use of a friends Sealey 160amp welder and I just couldnt get on with it at all. Welding on anything but a horizontal surface was near impossible.

David.

I would say wire speed too but it might not be the settings.
I've not seen or used a Sealey 160 but does it have a permenantly connected torch or a detachable Eurotorch ?
Most of the welders with permenantly connected torches use a nylon liner which wear quickly (especially if the reel of wire is a bit old) which literally drags the wire speed to below what you set it.

I have a Sealey 235 which has a eurotorch with a steel liner (except for aluminium where I have to fit a teflon one) and IMO it's the best MIG I've ever used.
I also use ArgoShield light as the gas, mostly argon with just a little CO2 and, again just IMO, that is far superior to any high CO2 gases.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

The switch from pure CO2 to Argosheild 5 will always need different settings and technique _ I,ve been there.

Pure CO2 has a much greater cooling effect on the weld, which is probably why you are having this problem.

As the others have said, speed up the wire feed.

I always play with wire feed speed to set up a welder.

Ive been playing with all the settings and going through wire speeds, think ive got it tuned in now. I think i just wasnt being delicate enough with the speed. It feels like it was much more forgiving on the pub gas.

I swapped the liner out for a steel one a long time ago, best thing i ever did, itwasnt designed to fit, but managed to bodge it in and it works great.

Ive been playing with all the settings and going through wire speeds, think ive got it tuned in now. I think i just wasnt being delicate enough with the speed. It feels like it was much more forgiving on the pub gas.

I swapped the liner out for a steel one a long time ago, best thing i ever did, itwasnt designed to fit, but managed to bodge it in and it works great.

Ive been playing with all the settings and going through wire speeds, think ive got it tuned in now. I think i just wasnt being delicate enough with the speed. It feels like it was much more forgiving on the pub gas.

I swapped the liner out for a steel one a long time ago, best thing i ever did, itwasnt designed to fit, but managed to bodge it in and it works great.

Ive been playing with all the settings and going through wire speeds, think ive got it tuned in now. I think i just wasnt being delicate enough with the speed. It feels like it was much more forgiving on the pub gas.

I swapped the liner out for a steel one a long time ago, best thing i ever did, itwasnt designed to fit, but managed to bodge it in and it works great.

Ive been playing with all the settings and going through wire speeds, think ive got it tuned in now. I think i just wasnt being delicate enough with the speed. It feels like it was much more forgiving on the pub gas.

I swapped the liner out for a steel one a long time ago, best thing i ever did, itwasnt designed to fit, but managed to bodge it in and it works great.

Hahahahaha mazin

Pardon? Can ya repeat that? Hahahaha...

When i first got my welder it was a bitch.. but after loads of setting up its now perfect!! I wouldnt want anything else! But when the wire runs out n i have to change it it can then take a bit of fine tuning again