not realy a mini bike

[mckutzy]

When you store the welder after welding do you carefully make a good diameter loop with the gun cable or do you make a little bundle?

It sounds like the wire is getting kinked and jamming in the gun somewhere.

 

[builder bob]

I lay it out strait when i store it because it keeps jamming.

I switched the drive roller out but that didn't do much. I sprayed silicon in the gas diffuser (I think that's what it's called) which helped a bunch. I'm pretty shore that the wire is getting jammed right after the trigger but i can't take that part apart to see.

 

[mckutzy]

What does the tip look like, post a pic?

 

[builder bob]

I'll get a pic in a bit. anything particular about the nozzle?

I think i'm almost ready to start on the frame! my problem is that i move to slow and i keep making giant worms of metal on the joint!

 

[mckutzy]

Not the nozzle, there is a tip where the actual wire comes out of.
If there is a build up of spatter, it will impede the movement of wire out. So it needs to be clear and clean.
Also it need to be sized to the size of the wire, 035 wire needs a 035 tip. and so on.

What is the stickout of the wire from the tip, and equally how far is the nozzle to the base metal, both when welding.

 

[builder bob]

I just found out that even though on harbor freight it said that the wire and the tips i bought were the same size they are not!

 

[mckutzy]

Well there is a start of your problems. Which is what on you machine right now?

 

[builder bob]

Which is what on you machine right now?

huh? do you mean what tip is on my welder? it was supposed to be .030 and the wire was supposed to be the same. i think i might have a nozzle that'll fit luckily but i'm having liner issues again

 

[builder bob]

Haven't been able to weld the frame yet but I've been getting some stuff done at least. I figured out that i don't need 11 gauge spokes (i think) because a professional cyclist can put over 400 Nm on the wheel and my engine maxes out at 2 Nm. A regular rode bike has much thinner spokes then 11 gauge so i should be fine with the same. Going to get parts for lacing my hub into a wheel on Monday!

 

[builder bob]

Haven't done much but i did finally start welding the frame (I'll get a pic soon). I also got my back wheel laced with a Shimano Nexus Inter 7. Got some new break pads too.

Welding with my paint ball canister was working pretty well until recently. I have my regulator set all the way open at 12 CFH but I'm getting rust all over my welds. I cut those welds apart but I don't know why it's happening now when everything was fine before. Could it be rust on the wire or is there a clog in the gun? I had been welding and everything was coming out pretty clean and then all of a sudden it was all a rusty mess. The gas from the paintball canister didn't smell as much as the first fill up i'd gotten but that might just mean it doesn't have as much additive in it. I guess it could be that Dick's is trying to save money and is mixing air in. It's probably a clog somewhere in the gun but i took it apart a little and it looks fine.

 

[mckutzy]

Ya it needs to be pure Co2, nothing else. Get it filled from a gas supplier, not a paint ball shop. It may be cheaper there, but its no good for what you need. Especially if you plan to ride on what you built.

 

[Poboy kartman]

I just found out that even though on harbor freight it said that the wire and the tips i bought were the same size they are not!

There is part of the problem right there. I have a HF welder and have gone through all the same problems ( other than different wire size and tips). I wound up tightening down the feed roller adjustment nut as tight as it would go. Then I removed some material so it could clamp tighter. That finally fixed my feed issues.

So the first spool of wire came with the welder and when I replaced it, the new wire worked much better. But it came from HF as well and a few members here suggested I throw it away and buy a spool of Lincoln wire.

Lastly- just using it helped a lot and I found my steel wasn't clean enough and my temps too low. That was partly due to having too high a feed rate on the wire- a knee-jerk reaction to the wire slipping on the rollers.

I think you may have some of the same issues. I'd suggest you set it and move your welds slowly enough to blow holes in your practice welds and back off and adjust from there. One more thing. ..trying to run a bead on top of a solid piece of steel is very different than welding 2 pieces of metal together- so practice with 2 pieces.

 

[builder bob]

Ya it needs to be pure Co2, nothing else. Get it filled from a gas supplier, not a paint ball shop. It may be cheaper there, but its no good for what you need. Especially if you plan to ride on what you built.

OK i guess that's what i've got to do but what i want to know is why my welds went from being shielded to all rusty on the same tank. any ideas?

 

[builder bob]

There is part of the problem right there. I have a HF welder and have gone through all the same problems ( other than different wire size and tips). I wound up tightening down the feed roller adjustment nut as tight as it would go. Then I removed some material so it could clamp tighter. That finally fixed my feed issues.

So the first spool of wire came with the welder and when I replaced it, the new wire worked much better. But it came from HF as well and a few members here suggested I throw it away and buy a spool of Lincoln wire.

Lastly- just using it helped a lot and I found my steel wasn't clean enough and my temps too low. That was partly due to having too high a feed rate on the wire- a knee-jerk reaction to the wire slipping on the rollers.

I think you may have some of the same issues. I'd suggest you set it and move your welds slowly enough to blow holes in your practice welds and back off and adjust from there. One more thing. ..trying to run a bead on top of a solid piece of steel is very different than welding 2 pieces of metal together- so practice with 2 pieces.

I guess my over sized tip I guess must have just been dropped in the package by accident because the other ones i have are fine. I'm almost out of wire so i'll get a spool of Lincoln next. I finally got my welder feeding right by changing the drive rollers out.

It took me awhile but i think I've finally gotten the speed and temp right for bike frames. I got a polisher sanding thing for my angle grinder which has been helping a ton with cleaning up the metal. would not cleaning the inside of the tube clean effect the weld?

I've been practicing on putting back together frame scraps so i'm able to join peices together. i think my welds are preaty strong cause i've tried bashing what i've made against the ground and only bent the end of the pipe. I've also cut through my welds and there are no bubbles. The surface isn't pretty but i think they're strong.

 

[mckutzy]

Well rust is a type of oxidation, air has oxygen present in it.

We need pics for sure as to the "rust" situation.

 

[builder bob]

I think i used it all, all that's left is clean wire. It was a bunch of black gray dots on the wire and they were slightly rough.

 

[mckutzy]

You need to store your wire better. Rust don't help welding.
Eaither way, Still need pics to say for sure.

 

[builder bob]

I don't have any wire left that has it but ya i guess i was just storing it bad. I also learned that Dick's is not filling my bottle with CO2 because i can't put out fires with it anymore so i'm just going to buy some new wire and an actual bottle. I've also decided to cut apart everything and try again but i'll post a pic of what i had done

 

[builder bob]

Forgot all about this, i've got to get some picks of what i've done!

 

[builder bob]

Almost done