My Epic Welding Failure(updated 08/02)
 

So Im trying to tackle some the welding that needs to be done on my car both maintenance and turbo. I bought a very used but I think functional wire feed flux core, and my gf got me the mask for xmas.
The welder is a 75 amp POS that im sure I paid to much for but I just need to fix a motor mount issue, and a rear jacking point issue and then make some of exhaust stuff. The mask is a HTP striker i got off ebay. Do you think ill damage my eyes using it?

Pic of said items:

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And pics of the failure:
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Im not even able to strike an arc!!

I tried for like and hour today and it just pops as soon as the wire hits the metal. I tried it on high and low setting. I did the "scratch like a match" thing and just touching and lifting up, but it would either stick to the metal or just get red and not do anything. Is it maybe the material or the wire? The wire is 0.03' which I know is pretty thin. Any tips would be much appreciated.

and some random pics of the saw I bought for the project aswell, if it ever gets anywhere. (I know i need to change the blade)

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Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

dont change the blade those things cut like butter :y

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

First off the saw is no good for anything but wood or depending on the blade, some aluminum. Return it if you are thinking about doing some exhaust work.

Turn the wire speed all the way up on the welder and try it that way. Make sure the ground is good. Check all the connections inside the machine (after you unplug it) You may want to reverse the polarity for flux core or vice versa. Look at your spool. Is that even flux core wire? Doesn't look like it.

Oh, and I wouldn't use a 75 amp machine to do anything structural. It may or may not even be good enough for exhaust depending on the duty cycle.

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

i was going to say, youre running solid core and your polarity is backwards. my HF came that way too :y

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

are you welding mild or that aluminized ----?

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

You need to get your head checked a metal blade and that saw will work great. I use a similar one compound mitres Whats wrong with you why would you think that. He can make seriously precise cuts with that.

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

You were right, its just solid wire. What type of monkey puts tig wire in a fluxcore welder? That ------- sucks. It makes sense that the polarity is reversed though, since the wire is getting much hotter than the material. Should I bother trying to switch the polarity or just wait till get the proper wire? There doesnt appear to be a switch for changing polarity.

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

do both. you have wingnuts inside the wire panel to switch the polarity?

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

Well there not wing nuts just regular nuts and bolts that connect the positive and negative. I just put the right wire in, still no good. So ill try and switch the wires. I wish I knew what I was doing.

If i dont come back, you"ll know how I died. :1

Re: My Epic Welding Failure
 

Hrm...why are you scratching or lifting anything? Pull the trigger with the tip of the gun like 3/8" off the metal, what happens? The wire is feeding consistently right? Pull the trigger with it nowhere near the metal/ground clamp and watch how fast/even it feeds. In that pic you have the speed all the way down, crank that ---- up.