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 Post subject: Welding help
PostPosted: August 26, 2017, 5:59 pm 
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Joined: July 31, 2017, 5:01 pm
Posts: 2
I just bought my welder (Lincoln 88 amp MIG flux core) a week and a half ago and have been practicing in my free time. I keep running into this issue of a crater at the end of my welds on the square tube stock. Any suggestions on the problem and how to fix it? Also any comments on my welds in general would be greatly appreciated.

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 Post subject: Re: Welding help
PostPosted: August 27, 2017, 9:05 am 
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Joined: September 22, 2005, 8:12 am
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Location: 4AGE in S.E. Michigan
While you a continue to practice, try pushing the wire Vs dragging. You will also get better penetration pushing the wire. At the end of the wire bead just move the wire backwards. Just a flick of the wrist will help fill the crater. The welds actually look pretty good for the first time welding. Dave W


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 Post subject: Re: Welding help
PostPosted: August 27, 2017, 5:19 pm 
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Joined: July 17, 2015, 1:56 am
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Location: Morrisville, PA
I normally get this when I'm too far from the work. try maintaining a shorter stick out. 1/4 to 3/8. Or play with your wire feed bumping it up.

But I would suggest running of to the home depot or equivalent and picking up a sheet if 16ga plate and just running out beads on it.

Also play with welding on mill scale and good clean bright metal and see the difference.

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 Post subject: Re: Welding help
PostPosted: August 28, 2017, 6:10 am 
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Joined: February 9, 2016, 8:46 am
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Location: New Jersey
davew wrote:
While you a continue to practice, try pushing the wire Vs dragging. You will also get better penetration pushing the wire. At the end of the wire bead just move the wire backwards. Just a flick of the wrist will help fill the crater. The welds actually look pretty good for the first time welding. Dave W


There is an old saying, "You slag, you drag". Meaning any flux cored wire should be dragged. Solid wire should be pushed. Dave is right about the penetration with the solid wire. Probably won't make as much of a difference with the thinner materials we typically use it on, but on thicker material dragging solid core can tend to lay down a really nice looking bead, with almost no penetration. The end of the weld you can either loop back in, or at the very least, don't let go of the trigger immediately when you stop moving. Hold the trigger at the end of the weld for a half second or so.

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