Welding to sheet metal, help?

[Muddy Beast]

So I'm welding in 1/4 2x6 square tube as rocker replacements, and I'm having a really tough time welding to the sheet metal at the door sill.

I'm using a 90amp HF flux core welder with .30 wire. I've played around with 5-7 wire speed on high and found 6 works the best for the wire speed, I think I may need to turn the setting down to low though...

Regardless, here are some pics. Yes, I know these are super ugly welds...but they were slow and should have penetrated well. I just couldn't stop burning through though.

~Scott

 

[jeeperjohn]

Use the low setting and concentrate the heat on the thicker piece.

 

[Muddy Beast]

Use the low setting and concentrate the heat on the thicker piece.

Beyond that, any tips for when I should make the move to try and bring the weld over to the sheet metal? I've been waiting till I get a good pool on the 1/4 then I try and quickly swing over and back but I keep melting the sheet metal.

~Scott

 

[danny Benavidez]

Can not see from the photo. But are you welding overhead or on the side ? Most welding with flux core is flat position only.
But anyway ( do not lower the heat) try to weld with many tacks one after the next and let the puddle cool about 1~3 seconds before added the next tack weld.

"If your not poping holes your not welding steel."

http://www.iidesign.info/tsd_Ifab.htm

 

[RCP Phx]

I'm using a 90amp HF flux core welder with .30 wire.
~Scott

Well theres 110% of your problem!

 

[danny Benavidez]

I just do not understand why thay do not sale a MIG conversion
kit for this things. All he needs is shields gas and solid steel wire.

 

[waxer]

He can be welding with shielding gas and solid wire and still have problems. He also could be welding just fine with flux core wire on that HF welder.

I believe the problem is the lack of welding experience.

 

[RCP Phx]

I just do not understand why thay do not sale a MIG conversion
kit for this things. All he needs is shields gas and solid steel wire.

Why?Where are you going to get consumables/parts.Good welders pay for themselves.Crap is crap!

 

[jdxj]

Just did mine. Let the pool build up then kind of push it toward the sheet metal it'll just kindof catch it. Seemed like it worked better to move forward on the 1/4"then come back and up alittle to the sheet. takes practice and some bondo work to mak itlook real good.

Take the peices you cut out and do some practicing.

 

[jdxj]

Also weld about an inch then skip ahead a inch and do another inch then go back and fill in the spaces. Keeps the heat down

 

[Frank Z]

You'll get better results using .023" wire and argon/co2 shielding gas.

 

[SleeperXJ]

Get some scrap metal and practice.
It's poor form to practice on the final job

 

[dgrigorenko]

i just did this not too long ago, but with GMAW (mig). how i got it to come out decently was just to weld on the 1/4, and allow the weld pool to just consume the edge of the sheet metal. welding to sheet with FCAW will be a challenge.

 

[alafootball]

two ways as stated to doing this...tacking (spot welding) all the way.. or run a (C) cup (work left 1/4 in. left then a quick run back over it and up just to catch the edge) <---___)___)___)___)__) <---- either way needs to be hot to penetrate.
like welding aluminum hot and fast keep moving dont sit on it or u will burn threw. PRACTICE YOUR TECHNIQUE...

 

[alafootball]

also drag off the thicker metal to end your weld good luck..

 

[xjphil18]

just remember your CLAMS Current, Length of arc, Angle, Manipulation, and Speed

 

[Muddy Beast]

Ok got it figured out. Went to my buddies and used his 220V 175amp lincon with gas...my welds look WAY better and didn't burn through for the most part. I'm going to get my other rocker replacement in place tomorrow and drive to my buddies to finish welding it all, I'll try and post pics when I'm done of what the rocker replacements look like.

Turns out flux core just really sucks.

~Scott

 

[sunburned]

Can't wait to do this mod, but definitely going to get a tank and some MIG wire before hand. Don't have much welding experience yet, but I've heard welding sheet metal with FC isn't very user friendly.

 

[xcm]

hey, dont blame flux core for all this... back when i only had a 110v machine, i got good-ish welds to the sheetmetal.

 

[kastein]

Just did mine. Let the pool build up then kind of push it toward the sheet metal it'll just kindof catch it. Seemed like it worked better to move forward on the 1/4"then come back and up alittle to the sheet. takes practice and some bondo work to mak itlook real good.

Take the peices you cut out and do some practicing.

Best advice yet. Blow all the holes you want in the junk you cut out, figure out what works, then do the actual welding.

I'm no welding expert... my welds started out looking pretty much like that.

Think it's already been mentioned, but make sure you're mostly pointing the gun at the thicker metal - i.e. if you're looking straight down the joint with the quarter plate on the left and the sheetmetal on the right, keep the gun at like 1 to 2 o'clock.