How to set up a MIG welder

[@danielfullington376]

You answered every question I had! I've been searching for all of these details. Thanks!

[@wayofthewrench]

Awesome, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and my teaching style. If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share out my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Thanks for the watch and welcome to the channel!

[@davron12]

Wow. This is a really really good intro to using a mig. Thank you.

[@wayofthewrench]

Thanks dude! Glad you liked the video and got something out of it. Cheers!

[@ohdirtracer]

Excellent information for us new to welding. Do you have recomened settings for run in and burn back times?

[@wayofthewrench]

Glad you're enjoying the content! I don't because every welding machine and every welder is different. However, I would highly recommend getting some scrap metal and trying out the settings to see what works better. Ideally mess with burnback settings until you have the wire sticking out the recommended stick out after you stop welding. Mine is 3/8". Run in should be set so you don't feel the wire hitting the metal and pushing the gun away before it starts welding. Hope that helps! Thanks for the watch and welcome to the channel!

[@ohdirtracer]

@wayofthewrench Yes it did, thanks!

[@henryroncancio7973]

Muy buena explicación colombia

[@wayofthewrench]

Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. If you deem me worthy, I'd really appreciate it if you could share out my channel on your social media so I can help more people. Thanks for the watch and welcome to the channel!

[@sivucit]

Hi, Just came back again to your videos. I am planning to buy lincoln 140 mig welder for my automotive work. I use MIG weldging for 2 purpose. 1. one to weld a nut to existing rusted nut to take it out.. 2. weld broken exhaust manifold stud, that is broken inside the flange, basically to build up the stud with a nut to flush.. Being said that, i dont know what wire speed and voltage to use for above 2 applicaiton. can you pls advise. How do i measure size of the steel in the above case to find out wire speed and votlage. ??. another question is , when I mig weld, how much of wire shold protude out from tip and the gap between wire and actual metal (can i give 3/8 inch gap between wire and metal) not the TIP.

[@wayofthewrench]

Exciting! The one problem with that welder is it might not have enough power to weld thicker than 1/4". It will look like it welds ok but you'll find things like 1/2" bolts with a nut welded on will rip off due to no penetration. I have 2 older 140 Lincolns and I bought 255 power migs to do thicker plate welding. You would set your welder to the thickness of the bolt or even a bit hotter. 3/8" wire stick out should be good, if you get too much spatter go closer. It should show you under your welder lid. Thanks for the watch!

[@sivucit]

@@wayofthewrench GOT IT. can u telll me if the manifold stud is more than 1/4 inch in diameter cant i use this to build up on exhaust manifold broken stud.?..

[@wayofthewrench]

Yes but a 1/4" stud with a nut welded on is way thicker so imagine buying a smaller welder that "says" it can weld it but then it can't. You'll be wishing you went with the bigger welder. Cheers!

[@sivucit]

@@wayofthewrench Thanks so much for quick reply. you asked me to maintain 3/8 wire to stick out.. Make sense, between wire and metal do i need to keep 1/4 inch gap while welding or the wire should touch base metal when i pull trigger.

[@wayofthewrench]

No the wire will keep feeding and there will not be an air gap between the metal the wire. You have to maintain the 3/8" of tip of shield to metal

[@sivucit]

Hi. Happy new year and sorry for bothering you. I ordered 225 instead of 140. Questions. 1. Do you see any problem going multiple passes to build up the weld on broken exhaust manifold bolt which is burried in the stud hole. Also i have to extend the wire more than 3/8 as you recommended because it is like 1/2 inch from top of the hole.. is that fine to exend the wire more than 3/8?.. 2. do you see any problem in going multiple passess to buld up .. 3. if i use flux do i need to clean for every pass?.. 4. do u see any problem welding zinc nut..

[@wayofthewrench]

For welding a nut on a broken stud with flux core you will need to clean off the flux every time you stop and restart. You will have to watch you don't weld the stud to the block though! Do not use coated nuts, use bare metal for best chance of welding fully. The further away from 3/8" you are with the rod, the less heat goes into the weld and the wire starts to melt before it gets to the puddle. You will also get more spatter. Cheers!

[@sivucit]

@@wayofthewrench Hi, I read manual for Lincoln 180 and they are saying with single pass it weld upto 1/4" and multipass it can weld up to 1/2". I was under the impression that thickness of steel and penetration are tightly related. so if iam welding a bolt that has 1/2 inch, can i do multipass ?.. if yes, then why cant i just buy 140 and do three pass?.. Similarly for torches(oxy ace..), can i do multipass and cut thicker metal like 3/4??.. Appreciate your help.

[@wayofthewrench]

Don't get sold on the multipass thing, by that logic you can do 5 passes and weld 1" thick steel....you can weld that but it ain't sticking. In my experience the light powered mig welders are only good for sheet metal and small part like 1/8" thick and so on. You start asking them to weld thicker stuff and you'll be let down.

[@sivucit]

@@wayofthewrench thanks so much and last what about multiple pass for oxy ace torch is the same hold true or multi pass help me to cut thicker stuff

[@wayofthewrench]

Yes and no. Usually you cut metal in one clean pass. Multiple passes will make a mess as the slag will be thrown up in your face.

[@drexelspivey6472]

thanks

[@wayofthewrench]

No worries, glad I could help ya out! You should check out my newest MIG welded sheet metal fox! Cheers!

[@WeBuildStuff]

Wow

[@wayofthewrench]

Wa wa wee wah! I liiiike...