Help- My wife didn't listen !

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Ok so i hinted for Fathers day that a HH140 was what i needed and that the HF stuff was cr*p - but my wife got a coupon and a deal !!!!!  Now I can't complain that I have a wife that buys me tools - and normally she is spot on - well at least takes the heavily delivered hints.So I have tried so hard with this 90A flux wire fed welder. - I have tried every combination of speed and min/max - but on my test sample hood sheet metal I cannot butt weld without blowing through !. I have tried copper behind -  I have tried wet towels - I have tried different angles - I have tried different distances. I am just trying to tack weld - 1 in 6. no joy - I have a spool of miller flux 0.030 but don't want to waste another $10 - as I am no where close and cannot believe the wire will make that much difference.I bought a pile of rust and my project is a non-starter if I cannot butt weld panels.Suggestions ?Will a HH140 be that different - or is it just i cannot weld ? - I have spent 2 hours every night this week practicing - and most of the day reading  and watching video - so please some     !!
Reply:Don't sell yourself short.  It is VERY hard to weld automotive sheet metal with flux core.  It's just too hot.  Will your HF model also do gas/mig?  I have done some sheet metal, but it was on the lowest setting, VERY quick spot welds, with a gap of about 1/16".  Push, don't pull, it will give less penetration.  Be prepared for some ugly welds, and use a flapper wheel to pretty them up.  Very hard with the flux core.  Have you considered an actual spot welder?It's not what you can buy, it's what you can build.
Reply:How heavy of metal are you trying to weld?  If it's like a 22gauge, 0.030 flux core will burn right through it.  May need to try some 0.023 flux core, but don't know if it comes in that size.  If you can get an adapter to run gas, you could go smaller wire with gas.  Try turning your wire speed down & run the lowest setting on the switch you can.  Then be ready to move when you pull the trigger.  1/2 to 1 second should be enough to tack sheetmetal.  It will be a problem with butt welds though.  It will want to burn through quick, from the heat.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Sorry, no such thing as 0.023 flux-core, wish there was.
Reply:Yeah, I didn't know if there was one or not.  I don't even use 0.023 wire anyway, only the 0.030 or larger, but then I have two 175 Amp MIG's.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:I agree with the above posts. Butt welding sheet metal is HARD. You need .023 wire and it needs gas.It took me years to 'teach' my wife NOT to buy me tools without a part #. It's almost impossible to teach women that good tools are expensive.  Welding is a perfect example. Crap, I can't even teach my retirement buddy not to buy 'horror fright'. Another buddy used to keep a secret $$$ stash. He'd get the Mrs. to cough up some of the budget money, then he'd add the upgrade costs from 'under the table'. I couldn't live like that, but he milked it for years. She did go postal when she found out. 9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Sorry to hear. My suggestion would have been to just take it back unopened and return it.I gave up years ago trying to get other people to get me decent quality tools. Every year before my birthday or Christmas I say the same things, "Don't get me anything with out checking with me 1st! If you do buy something, be sure I can return it and get money back NOT store credit! No tools or clothes with out double checking that I will use them, I have too many left over from years past I don't use or want."  Not that it helps much...  I got a very nice digital camera for Christmas, since my brother in law and I have been talking about his for a while. He got out voted, he wanted to get me an SLR (still would not have been the brand I wanted but closer), instead they got me a point and shoot. 2 weeks later I bought one I could afford with the rest of my Christmas money. It wasn't worth returning the other one, The place they bought it from wanted $200 more for the one I chose and would only give me $170 for the original one. "Sorry, I buy top quality stuff, just give me the money and let me buy what I want. I'll make up the difference. PLEASE!"
Reply:Originally Posted by DSW just give me the money and let me buy what I want. I'll make up the difference. PLEASE!"
Reply:I appreciate any gifts I recieve, which is not very often.  I have a drawer full of colored socks that were gifts.  I don't like colored socks, but I wear them anyways.   Once my feet go in the boots and my pant legs are pulled over the boots, it doesn't matter what color the socks are, they work just as good as white ones.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Doesn't HF have a 30-day no-questions return policy?  You can get the HH140s on Ebay pretty cheap.  Mine was $320, new.
Reply:Is their anyway you can show us what you are trying to weld?Why you have to butt weld on the hood above all other reasons?Does it have to be a butt weld? Hood dents are the hardest to fix never mind welding on them because of the heat+weight in the body filler you end up chasing the dent all over the place.If you can, is their any way you can do a lap weld to put some strength into the metal along with some backing to it?About 22 years ago we had a bad tornado go through town and leave a ton of hail damage to fix, some could be fixed with a torch spiralling the heat pushing the dent up then hitting it with a file..anyhow I had a suzuki repair with about .5 hrs of repair on the hood, went around and tried to push the job over onto anyone that would take it, no takers...so I pulled out the unispotter, laid the pulling stud in the dent, gave it one good pull to see if the dent would come out easy and fix without body filler...and I put a hole in the hood!!!! No way was I going to weld it up, it would have written off the hood, in all it took about 4hrs.Don't remember if I got paid the additional time but I didn't like working for nothing in the bodyshop.Anyhow I feel for ya.
Reply:Originally Posted by pistolnoonIs their anyway you can show us what you are trying to weld?Why you have to butt weld on the hood above all other reasons?Does it have to be a butt weld? Hood dents are the hardest to fix never mind welding on them because of the heat+weight in the body filler you end up chasing the dent all over the place.If you can, is their any way you can do a lap weld to put some strength into the metal along with some backing to it?About 22 years ago we had a bad tornado go through town and leave a ton of hail damage to fix, some could be fixed with a torch spiralling the heat pushing the dent up then hitting it with a file..anyhow I had a suzuki repair with about .5 hrs of repair on the hood, went around and tried to push the job over onto anyone that would take it, no takers...so I pulled out the unispotter, laid the pulling stud in the dent, gave it one good pull to see if the dent would come out easy and fix without body filler...and I put a hole in the hood!!!! No way was I going to weld it up, it would have written off the hood, in all it took about 4hrs.Don't remember if I got paid the additional time but I didn't like working for nothing in the bodyshop.Anyhow I feel for ya.
Reply:Are you running DCEP or DCEN. When using small dia. SS fluxcore, many will run DCEN. I recommend ESAB E71T-G and I believe it is available in 0.023, but I am not sure.
Reply:Originally Posted by weldingliferAre you running DCEP or DCEN. When using small dia. SS fluxcore, many will run DCEN. I recommend ESAB E71T-G and I believe it is available in 0.023, but I am not sure.
Reply:It would be a better as it has the Option to run Solid wire and gas and this is what you need for thin material.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWSorry to hear. My suggestion would have been to just take it back unopened and return it.I gave up years ago trying to get other people to get me decent quality tools. Every year before my birthday or Christmas I say the same things, "Don't get me anything with out checking with me 1st! If you do buy something, be sure I can return it and get money back NOT store credit! No tools or clothes with out double checking that I will use them, I have too many left over from years past I don't use or want."  Not that it helps much...  I got a very nice digital camera for Christmas, since my brother in law and I have been talking about his for a while. He got out voted, he wanted to get me an SLR (still would not have been the brand I wanted but closer), instead they got me a point and shoot. 2 weeks later I bought one I could afford with the rest of my Christmas money. It wasn't worth returning the other one, The place they bought it from wanted $200 more for the one I chose and would only give me $170 for the original one. "Sorry, I buy top quality stuff, just give me the money and let me buy what I want. I'll make up the difference. PLEASE!"
Reply:ok - so i think i am going to get the HH 140 - is this a good choice for auto body sheet metal welding ?I found it for $399 with free shipping - only bummer seems like a 9ft3 c25 tank is going to add $180 (tank + filling) to this price - does that seem about right ?
Reply:Originally Posted by stephen44ok - so i think i am going to get the HH 140 - is this a good choice for auto body sheet metal welding ?I found it for $399 with free shipping - only bummer seems like a 9ft3 c25 tank is going to add $180 (tank + filling) to this price - does that seem about right ?
Reply:Originally Posted by DSW9ft3 c25 tank,  doesn't sound right. 9 liter tank maybe, but I'm too lazy to convert to cubic ft. My LWS's flyer shows  $117 for a 60 cf tank and $151 for an 80cf tank filled on sale, but they'd give you that price normally if you asked nice. I would not go smaller than a 40cf tank. if you set the flow at say 15cfh you will have about 2 1/2 hours of weld time with a 40 before you need to get it refilled. I want to say I started with a 20 and quickly moved to the 40cf and then upgraded again to a 2nd bottle @ 60 cf, and later the small bottle went to an 80cf. Running out of gas is a PITA on weekends with small bottles.
Reply:Originally Posted by stephen449ft3 c25 tank is going to add $180 (tank + filling) to this price - does that seem about right ?
Reply:DSW must type faster than I doDynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:Originally Posted by AndyADSW must type faster than I do
Reply:Sorry to hear about your wife's purchase. My wife got it right for the first time in 20 years (Damn hope she doesn't read this) It took years of training but she bought me a Miller 212 this year with a bottle of C25 and full of .030 wire ready  to go. With all those years of  my training I found no matter what she got me it was the best thing in the world. If it didn't work I faked it and would return it after she forgot about it. And hay this year it payed off........BrandonLincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grinders
Reply:Originally Posted by brandon113Sorry to hear about your wife's purchase. My wife got it right for the first time in 20 years (Damn hope she doesn't read this) It took years of training but she bought me a Miller 212 this year with a bottle of C25 and full of .030 wire ready  to go. With all those years of  my training I found no matter what she got me it was the best thing in the world. If it didn't work I faked it and would return it after she forgot about it. And hay this year it payed off........Brandon
Reply:that might just work out then.....my wife gets her feeling hurt so easy and you what they say about momma being happy....Well then let me tell ya the Miller 212 and the 211 are great! been beating the heck out of mine and having a ball doing it. Never really had a MEG before just TIG and GMAW and wow is it easy. And yeah you want gas...Flux is messy and harder to control, got a spool to play with and took it out, unless it is real windy not going to use it.....BrandonLincoln Tombstone 225 A/C Steel StickerOld Victor O2/Acetylene setupMiller Syncrowave 250 Tig/PC-300 PulserMiller Millermatic 212 Mig HTP Invertatig 201 Giant Teck D50 Plasma cutterLots of HF grindersHard to say if that is right for mixed gas, it is dependant on where you live?I understand you want the HH 140. I think you may be selling yourself short.What I would do is stop by some LWS and check out lease options and used machiners, auctions, bankruptcy sales, a few less beers, then take the plunge.If you end up keeping the HF don't sweat it, you will always find a use for it.P.S. You've got a good hearted wife.
Reply:My wife would rather me being safe than sorry when I buy stuff(she hates cheap stuff and makes me buy her the good stuff and when she's in the mood let's me buy the good stuff for myself when she gives me breathing room to do so lol),