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Flux Cored Welding is not a “new” process, being dated back to the 1920′s. Instead of having the protective/stabilizing flux on the outside of the wire, as in “stick” rods, it is at the core of the wire. This flux does the same job as do the gases used Gas MIG Welding.

At Weyerhaeuser Timber Company, we periodically built rail-car “car sills”. These are the heavy metal frames upon which the railroad boxcar sits. We would use a “pantograph” machine for semi-automatically cutting out parts for the sill. Then we’d weld many of the parts with “jet rod” (7024 type), which is super easy to run on flat welds. The welds looked VERY nice.

For most other welding, we used heavy duty MIG welders. We’d fiddle with “gas” settings & wire speeds till it was just right. Then we’d just go & go till we got to the end of the pieces. We never had to worry about “duty cycle”, we just kept going. We could get a LOT done with those MIGS. If you are going to do a LOT of welding, you may want to start with a wire feed welder.

I prefer a flux cored welder because there’s no “gas” bottles nor pressure adjusting, nor are there issues with welding outside in the wind. It’s a personal decision; gas or flux cored. I would use the recommended setting ranges, running on the “hotter” side just to get the feel and coordination of running beads. An in-expensive, occasional use flux cored machine for the little jobs is fine. For my bigger jobs I go to my stick welder.

More tips and ideas for flux cored welding:
* If you go through eBay to but one, you may want to first go to welding supply shops & see them in person.
* Flux cored welders are mainly for the thinner materials. If you’re going to work on cars & the like, you would probably prefer wire feed over stick.
* I’ve done a lot of sheet-metal work with stick rods, but I needed to use really small rods, plus do a lot of “touch & go” welding, rather then continuous welds.
* One of your first accessories should be a pair of “MIG pliers”. They are great for helping you keep your equipment clean & to be able to easily convert to other wire sizes.
* When you install your 1st wire spool, don’t mess with bending it around much, or it may break. Re-threading & pulling out any that’s already in the guide tube can be a pain.
* Again, use recommended settings, then make adjustments as needed. Some machines are really limited for adjustments, so you may have to experiment with your gun positioning & arc length.
* I’d bet that there are as many variations for adjustments as there are different manufacturers & models. Be patient & keep trying.

Machine Selection:
* This is primarily dependent on your budget, then on exactly what type of welding you’ll be doing. If you feel that you might go beyond just doing your own thing, then get the best you can afford.
* The cheaper units are all pretty much the same: for light duty at home projects. The mid-priced ones can get you started in your business, but you’ll likely be up-grading as soon as you can afford to.

Flux Cored Troubleshooting:
* Don’t let go of the wire end when you’re loading a new spool! It may not feed right even if you can get it all un-raveled & fed through.
* If you feel the wire pushing against the bottom of the puddle, turn the speed down or the heat up (or both).
* Try not to keep the nozzle end too close to the puddle. That can make more splatter get into the tip piece.
* When you first start the weld, stay put momentarily to allow the puddle to form & fill the initial crater.
* Uneven feeding? Make sure the wire guide isn’t twisted or kinked.
* Can’t see an actual puddle? Clean you helmet lens & get closer. If all you’re seeing is a bunch of sparks, you’re not really seeing what’s going on. And again, you need to go at a speed that gives enough time for a puddle to form.

Don’t worry too much about how your welds look at first:
* While you’re improving electrode control, you’ll be learning more about different welding job situations.
* Plus I’ll tell you WHY it’s important to have good rod control.
* After you read these tips, THEN you can practice your welding rod control techniques.
* Whether you swing a golf club or a bat, if you don’t practice in correct ways, the results can be at least EMBARRASSING!

Let’s talk about arc pressure and gravity:
1) Arc pressure is produced by the voltage from the machine as it’s pushing the molten metal outwardly.
2) The pressure will vary depending on machine settings, rod size, & the amount of arc gap.
3) Gravity not only effects the direction of the molten metal, but also it’s going to try to make your puddle drip.
4) If you’re arc welding in a flat position, you mainly just worry about keeping the rod at right angles to the work-pieces, & tilted away from the puddle, to help control the puddle & the slag. (And that will help you to SEE THE PUDDLE!).
5) If you’re going to weld in a vertical position, you need to aim the arc up-ward to preheat the metal & to help keep the puddle from dripping.
6) At the same time, in vertical welding, you no longer need to worry about slag, because gravity is keeping it out of the way.
7) For horizontal positions it’s a lot the same. Gravity will try to drip the weld, so you aim the arc upwardly.
For overhead jobs you keep the rod nearly straight up for the same reasons. You don’t want to do any weaving in overhead welding, instead just use straight “stringer” beads.

Pipe welding:
* Pipe welding is rather unique, in that it involves all positions as you go around it. You will gain real electrode control experience in pipe welding!
* Horizontal welding on pipe can be tricky too, because you need to keep changing the rod angle as you go around.
* Save overhead welding practice for last. Get used to ELECTRODE CONTROL & amp settings in the easier welding positions first.

General tips:
* Learn to keep the arc length as steady as possible, plus keep the rod angle steady.
* Weld in a straight a line. This helps to give your welds to look better, and to give them more strength.
* Use both hands to steady the rod. Either place both hands on the rod holder, or one hand on the rod itself, until it gets too short (or until the rod gets too hot).
* Work on a steady speed to keep a uniform puddle shape. An oval shape is good, but don’t let it get too pointed. A round shape may be too wide, unless you need a wider or heavier bead for the job you’re doing. You’ll soon be able to judge that your welding speed is right for the job size & situation.
* Finding a good amperage setting for the job at hand, will help you to concentrate on getting a good weld, & not be fighting sticking rods, or having the rod burn through the work-piece.
* Learn to hesitate slightly at the start of your welds to ensure that the “puddle” forms sufficiently.
* Also pause a bit, at each side of the bead, when you’re doing a weave weld, to make sure there is good penetration.

REMEMBER, Don’t worry too much about how your welds look at first! Now start practicing!

Joel Ort of Miller Electric Mfg. Co. shares his tips for MIG welding success. Placing the focus on MIG technique, Ort’s useful comments are applicable for many garage applications involving farm and automotive repairs. Topics include: simple setup, butt joints, T-joints, lap joints and horizontal, vertical and overhead welding positions.

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If you’re in the need of welding equipment but on a tight budget, you will be pleased to know that oftentimes you can get the right tools to get the job done at a fraction of the cost. Many welders who want to start their own welding shop or business are the ones usually interested in buying pre-owned welding equipment.

Purchasing used welding tools is one way to practically stock your arsenal with equipment from the best manufacturers in the industry. Quality new tools are always expensive, so opting for used tools is your perfect bet for inexpensive quality if you know where to look.

There are many factors that need to be considered in purchasing previously-owned welding equipment and other tools. Here are some tips to help you get the best deals in second-hand welding machine:

Before anything else, you need to decide on the brand of the equipment you want to use. It’s always better to choose the reputable manufacturers such as Miller, Lincoln and Hobart. A dynamic, multi-purpose machine would be a fantastic choice because it is capable of doing TIG, MIG, stick welding and other processes.

Cruise the second-hand equipment shops. Many stores have a section for welding equipment and other tools. Chances are, you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for at a very cheap price.

Skim the classified ads. While used welding tools might not be listed, you can still look for moving sales around your area. Call ahead if there’s a phone number provided in the advertisement and see what the seller has. Take note that nearly 500,000 employees in the USA work in factories that do welding jobs. This means that it’s not impossible to find used welding equipment around for sale.

Shop online! If you want to look for more options, visit the online auction shops like Ebay or classified ads sites such as Craigslist, where you will find tons of bargain listings. If you decide on buying the second-hand welding equipment listed in the internet, you should insist on seeing the actual photos of the equipment and inspect them beforehand.

Please remember that second hand welding equipment varies greatly in price. Some tools are much more expensive than the others. But whatever the price of a piece of welding equipment you choose, it is always essential to make sure you get the best value for your hard-earned money!

Born Again American www.bornagainamerican.org The Words to The Song Just a workin man without a job It got shipped off to China via Washington, DC And I know Im nothin special, there are plenty more like me Just the same I thought I knew the rules of the game I stood up for this country that I love I came back from the desert to a wife and kids to feed Im not sayin Uncle Sam should give me what I need My offer stands Ill pull my weight you give me half a chance I went up to a congressman and said to him you know Our government is letting people down He said hed need a lot of help to buck the status-quo I said there was a bunch of us around Im a Born Again American, conceived in Liberty My Bible and the Bill of Rights, my creeds equality Im a Born Again American, my country tis of me And everyone who shares the dream from sea to shining sea My brothers welding chassis at the plant Hes earning what our granddad did in 1948 While CEOs count bonuses behind the castle gates How can they see When all they care abouts the do re mi Its getting where theres nowhere left to turn Not since the crash of twenty-nine have things been so unfair So many of our citizens are living in despair The time has come To reaffirm that hopes not just for some The promise of Americas surrendering to greed The rule is just look out for number one But brace yourself cause some of us have sown a different seed A harvest of the spirit has begun Im a Born Again American conceived in liberty My Bible and …
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Lighting the torch & setting the flame: (FIRST, put on gloves, goggles, long pants, etc!)

1) Turn on the “gas” tank valve about 1/2 turn (believe me that’s plenty)(set the gas at 10-12 PSI).
2) Open the O2 (oxygen) tank valve nearly all the way. (set the O2 cutting pressure to about 40 PSI, via the twist knob at the O2 gauges).
3) With your striker (lighter) in one hand, crack open the acetylene valve on the torch handle & light it. (red hose).
4) Open the acetylene more till the flame separates from the tip, then back it off till it “re-attaches”. (that’s the max you can get from the tip you’re using).
5) Now open the O2 on the torch handle till the blue flames are short & bright. (green hose)
6) Then push on the long high pressure valve on the handle &  re-adjust the O2 valve on the handle till the blue flames are clear & bright.
7) You’re THERE!

Check to see that all the holes in the tip end are allowing full flow. If not, shut it off & clean the tips.

To shut the torch off: close the “gas” valve on the torch handle, then the O2 valve. Then I usually crack the high pressure valve (on the handle) to blow out any gas left.

Using the cutting torch:
1) Look around to see where your sparks will be going & protect stuff or move it, if needed.
2) See that the piece you cut off has a safe place to drop. (If you catch it you will want to put it down right away).
3) Now, put the tip of the blue flames on an edge of the material & let it get red hot (or start sparking).
4) Then push the cutting valve & slowly start moving in the direction you want to cut.
5) The thickness of the piece will determine how fast you move. But keep moving fast enough so that the sparks are flying at least straight down, or actually angled slightly ahead of the tip.
6) If you go too slow, the molten metal won’t clear out & will tend to still hold the pieces together at the end of the cut.
7) Going too fast will cause the sparks to lag behind the cutting tip, & not cut through good enough.
Note that I tend to very slightly angle the flame & tip in the direction of the cut. For me this helps to pre-heat the metal & keep the sparks angled slightly forward.

Once you’ve practiced a few times, the cuts will look pretty decent.
* You will then be able to think more about using various ways to help you steady your hands & use guides.
* Using 2 hands is a common practice of the pros.
* Using a heavy bar as a guide is a quick way to help you make a straight cut.
* Also using clamps on various other straight edges, like angle iron or channel, can help too.

Other torch and cutting tips:

1) For long cuts on plate steel you may need to use a clamp across the beginning of your cut to  hold things in place more firmly.
2) I use a torch many times to cut heavy material instead of a band saw, then do some grinding to dress it up.
3) Use a chalk line to mark really long cuts.
4) A regular cutting tip can also be used for heating smaller jobs, just keep away from the cutting valve.
5) When you get better at the “trigger control” of the cutting valve, you can use it to gouge out cracks for better penetration.
6) You will need to get a O2 bottle that is at least 1/2 again as tall as the acetylene bottle because you will be using MUCH more O2 versus gas.
7) On thicker materials you can use your torch to bevel the edges for better penetration (versus grinding).
Lots of popping sounds & splatter likely means that your tip is too close to or touching the molten metal (or your tip orifices are plugged, or BOTH).
9) Make sure when you have your tanks off, that the gauges read ZERO! (example: if the O2 reads 20 when it’s off, then when you set the 40 PSI cutting pressure, you really only have 20 PSI that you’re cutting with! This happened to me).
10) When you need to cut off just the weld of a job, it takes a CAREFUL touch of the cutting valve & you need to watch for where the pieces join each other & try to not cut into the pieces you’re trying to save.

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