Off Roading Forums banner

I got my welder...Now I have a few questions

1K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  **DONOTDELETE** 
G
#1 ·
I went out and got the Millermatic challenger 172 MIG welder the other day. I have read a bunch of the books and such but there are still a bunch of questions that need asking.

1. The Welder is designed for 230V power. Will it damage it if I use 220V? I am moving in 10 days so don't want to pay someone $200 bucks or so to put in a 230V outlet until I move into the new place. Can I just plug it into the outlet where the dryer plugs in? I know this is a common sense question to some of y'all, but I would like to know the answer and then why.

2. I can't see anything when the dark lens is down on the welding helmet. I have to aim, keep really still while I flip the lens, squeeze the trigger and then see where I am at. By that time I am at least a few mm off and sometimes miss the whole thing if I am working with something small. What do y'all do to overcome this problem? I know they have autotinting lenses. Do they work well? How fast do they tint and then untint? Do your eyes ever get "flashed?" I think this is my biggest obstacle at this moment.

3. What do you recommend for clamps and such for holding the pieces of metal together.

4. What is the procedure for clipping the excess wire sticking out of the gun? Should I turn the machine off before I clip? What would happen if I accidently activated the trigger while I was clipping? I know it's energized when it is feeding and I would think that it would shock you. I am assuming you can touch the piece of metal you are working on and not worry about getting shocked because the piece is grounded.

Also, if you have any info or tips that you feel will keep a rookie welder alive and welding high quality welds will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Bakes
83 Scrambler
http://www5.ewebcity.com/4x4trails
 
See less See more
#3 ·
/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif Brownbagg.....you are a master of the brief reply./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif That business with the helmet flipping down is the big bugaboo of all welders. AT LEAST WITH WIRE, you can set the wire in the vee before you drop the helmet. With stick electrode it's a lot tougher. Us guys who weld alla time just find a sharp corner to hold the wire against and kick the trigger to get rid of unwanted length. REMEMBER if the wire speed is right, it sounds like eggs frying. If it goes poppety-pop it is too fast./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave
Quadra-Trac modified by the crack moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif transfer case team.
 
#4 ·
in the few MIGs ive used the wire is ALWAYS hot as the machine is on, but as long as you arent touching the material your welding ( or anything grounded) you can juist clip the wire off.

the autodarkeneing helmets are nice, but big $$$ and not really neccesary unless your welding 12 hours a day.

I weld 8-10 hours a day, and I really cant justify a autodarkening lense
here is a little trick, if your using an 11 shade or lighter lense
shine a bright light on your work, then with the helmet down you can see before you touch and get the arc!

I do this all the time when doing small precise stuff when im using a machine without my beloved footpedal control.

OzarkJeep
77 CJ5, in a bunch of sanded and primered pieces
 
#5 ·
Brown Bag, you have your sh*t together!!

I'm the most long winded bastard I know, so I know I couldn't have done it as well!!
Good job!

"I Have The Body Of A God... Buddha"
 
#6 ·
I have used an autotinting shield for years, as far as expense goes, it's well worth it, even if only welding for a few hours at a time. And they're only about $110 now, with a 10 year warranty. Truly the only way to go, very nice to weld with one. No, your eyes won't "flash" due to the 1/3,000 second reaction of the lens. BTW, once you have the helmet, you just buy replacement lenses, but I haven't had to in 5 years.

Clamping can involve C-clamps, vice grips, your foot (with boot), a 2x4 with pressure, or any means of keeping the two pieces together, even a quick tack weld will do.

To clip the excess wire, I usually just put the wire on the clamp and give it a quick jolt while sweeping the gun down and away from me. The wire will shear off and be nice and short. It takes a little practice, but once you get good with it, it's a lot easier than getting the clippers each time. The small pieces come off the cround clamp easy as well, so the clamp never gets beat up or looking like a porcupine.

As far as tips to weld, just practice, practice, practice. The more you do it, the better you'll get.

JEEPN
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled!
GM151/SM465/NP205 twinstick/7"Lift/33"TSL's/IHC D44's 4.10's Lock'd
 
G
#7 ·
Your other issues have been addressed, so I'll just add my opinion on the auto darkening lenses. They are the ONLY way to go, especially for a beginner. JEEPN is correct you don't get flashed the lens is to fast. I don't know about them all, but the one I used at work went dark if the battery was dead which seemed to be a good safety feature. They also have solar powered ones now. Seemed silly to me until I thought about it. I was thinking "I do my welding in the shop. How's it going to get charged?" OK, so I'm a little slow sometimes. (Hint: the arc charges the shield instead of the sun) Sure, I can start an arc with a stick with a normal helmet, but I like the auto dark better. Especially when dealing with nickel rod which can be hard to start anyway. With your MIG starting an arc is a little easier, but you will still love the ease and accuracy of an auto dark. Until you get the "feel" that will come with practice and time the auto dark will mean less misses, less stuck wires, and an overall easier time of it when welding.

My other car is a BULLDOZER
 
G
#8 ·
My automatic darkening shield is worth it's weight in gold. I can't see a thing if I use the standard kind. It's totally adjustable. I think I got mine from Harbor Freight tools for about $200. It's not cheap, but it makes welding and learing to weld so much easier. You won't be shocked if you clip the wire with it on. I leave about a 1/2-3/4" lenght of wire out when I weld.

 
G
#9 ·
I want to get an auto darkening helmet. I wish that I had one when I first started welding, it would have saved my eyes a litle with all of the accidental touches when I was lining the wire up on the work.

I do agree that flux-core does not give a pretty weld, but with enough practice, the right amperage, and wire speed-- I have been able to get pretty welds with great penetration. I actually cut them apart on test material to check. It is all in keeping a constant motion with the right motion-speed for differing thicknesses of matrial.

As for scars, I have been welding gussets to my skid plate before I line up my tranny, in shorts with a short sleved shirt. Does it hurt? yes it does, but not all that bad. You just get used to it. But if you leave your skin exposed, get ready to look like you just laid in a tanning bed with your shirt/shorts on. It'll give you an orange sun burn.

And one final hint, don't weld on galvinized unless you want to have lung problems, the fumes are atrocious. I learned that first hand.

Just my experiences.

Robert87yj/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif
engine rebuild w/4.0 head done, now for the MPI
 
G
#10 ·
As for the 220V/230V/240V they are all the same. HOWEVER, there are about 5 different plug styles. This is because they are each designed for different current. My welder (Century 170GS) uses a 50 Amp plug. Dryers and stoves use 30 amps plug. I went to the hardware store and made a extension cord with a female end to fit my welder and male end to fit the dryer plug. Just don't turn the welder all the way up or you'l trip the breaker. Make sure to use real thick cable too, like 4 gage.

You can get an Auto-Darkening lense on ebay for less than $100. (from "source-pay" or something) Just make sure you turn it on first, they auto-shut off if you leave them sitting for a while. Trust me, this is no fun to find out.

You can't zap yourself by clipping the wire while the power is on. No juice is flowing though the welder unless you pull the trigger. Just don't pull the trigger while cutting.

My name is Ted, and I'm a Jeep-a-holic. /wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif
[email]tzeiger@excite.com[/email]
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top