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Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13247 Location: Tejas!
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:51 am Post subject: wire size, mig welding |
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ok, bought a new welder yesterday, a weldmark re-badged lincoln sp135, the welder I learned with.
for working on vw sheet metal patches, rust repair, etc, what size wire should I be using? I need to go pick up a bottle and wire, and tips, so any help would be great. thanks _________________ Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13247 Location: Tejas!
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:58 am Post subject: |
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and, I have and will probably do another steering box raise or 2. will the wire I use for sheetmetal also work when doing the box raise, which involves welding the piece of the frame rail you cut off, boxing in the frame rail, etc. I would assume yes, just need to turn up the juice and the wire speed, but want to make sure. _________________ Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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westcoast-paul Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2006 Posts: 822 Location: CanadaYaHoser
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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.23 for sheet metal
i personally like .3 for general _________________ - Paul |
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67type0ne Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2008 Posts: 426 Location: Alcolu SC, Oakdale CA
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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.23 should do just fine . VW skins is VERY thin . With a mig I would just do a series of spots with the whole patch . I would do the spot the panel then connect the spots deal . As for the steering box raise your wire should do fine...turn up the gas some to help keep the wire a little cooler...if you go to high with to little on the gas with the thin wire it will burn the wire at the tip....kinda like a blown fuse would do . You should be able to do good with it though .
Glenn |
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Erik G Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2002 Posts: 13247 Location: Tejas!
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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thanks. I think I was using .3 or .35 with my friends welder, a lincoln 100. It was tough to do rust repair even with the wire speed turned way down, because it wanted to just blow through regardless of how careful I was and how slow I went. it worked flawlessly on the box raise with the amps turned up
I appreciate the help _________________ Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
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Tim10 Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2004 Posts: 1433 Location: Minneapolis
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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I use .23 on body steel.
.35 flux on the thick structural stuff. _________________ Dub Infested- PART WI$H LI$T-CLICK |
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Campy Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2005 Posts: 4933 Location: Chico, CA
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:10 am Post subject: |
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What they mean is .023 inch thick wire (.23 would be a little thick ).
My first welder was a Lincoln sp100, the precursor to the one that you have. Now, I have a 220 volt Millermatic, and I used .023 or .024 wire in both of them, having welded panels on four old bus bodies. Remember that you have to replace the guide tube with one that has a more narrow inner diameter. You can do it yourself.
If you are going to do much welding, get a large spool of wire and put one of those pieces of felt, with the little clamp, on the wire where it comes off of the spool. Buy a little can of the oil that goes with it, and squirt a little oil on the felt every once in a while. _________________ Don't worry; be happy. (Baba) |
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westcoast-paul Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2006 Posts: 822 Location: CanadaYaHoser
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Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 8:35 am Post subject: |
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ya - dust is the #1 killer of liners.
that and stepping / kinking _________________ - Paul |
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