welding sheetmetal with mig??

So I am about to the point where I wanna just say fuck it!! I am trying to finish the bodydrop on my bed and having a very hard time getting some good welds. I have a lincoln 175 and I am using .30 flux core wire, heat setting A, and the speed setting is 1.5 its just kinda splattering and slag is going everywhere, not putting down any kinda bead hardly. where I am welding is bare clean metal and the ground is good. Should I be using gas? please help, its pissing me off and burning holes in the metal.......thanks

It sounds like what a welder does when you dont use gas. You didnt mention anything about the gas bottle your using.Are you just using the welder without a bottle hooked to it?

When you open up the welder door on the side doesnt it give you a diagram on metal thickness and the settings it suggests? I know Miller has that.

its flux core wire...which is gasless. yes the inner panel has a diagram and I am using the right settings. do I have to use gas when welding sheetmetal?

i have the same welder and if your using flux core just turn up the heat and run the wire faster that will let you lay down a bead that will stick and not splatter , cause whats happening is you not puting anything in the gap and the current is throwing what would be weld everywhere your gonna have to play with it a little bit i did but do what i said and you'll be fine

i wasnt running gas one time and the welds were terrible, turned the gas on and it was honestly 100% better

and

^he is also right

Edited: 11/24/2007 6:22:33 PM by iLLblazer

Originally posted by BadAssChevillac



i wasnt running gas one time and the welds were terrible, turned the gas on and it was honestly 100% better

and

^he is also right

I hope you weren't seriously trying to weld solid wire with no gas.

I would never touch anything with flux that needs to look good. Especially bodywork. We use that same welder for EVERYTHING and it works awesome. Get a bottle.

Edited: 11/24/2007 6:50:45 PM by mtech

solution .... go buy a bottle and dont try to go cheap and weld flux.... easy fix

.030 is just barely small enough for sheet metal, have you considered .023? also i know you said your ground is good but many a times it has happened to myself and others at work where the ground wire was fraying where it connects to the clamp, so it was spitting and sputtering. also try turnin up the heat, i assume A is the first setting?>(i'm not familiar with lincolns) try a little hotter.

gas is a must also if U stich weld I.E. make a spot weld let off the trigger then spot it again it will produce dime like welds. What i mean is weld make a circle let off the trigger then weld make another circle let off ect... U will only need to let of the trigger for a second or two between tacks long enough to let it bond then tack again!
hope that helps

also .023 is the wire to use with your gas