newbe need's help

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I own a miller millermatic 130cv-dc Welding power source/ wire feederusing .023 wire can't tell if it is flux or hard core my Biggest problem is that i want to learn how to weld so i can build my own off road vehicle from scratch .So here is the deal where i live they don't teach welding and i need to know how to learn i am starting on my own to teach myself but this will take to long and the only school to teach welding is apec tech in new york city . Not only does it take eighteen month's to finish it is also cost 14,000 dollars. also none off the college on long island teach this technical ability. any help would be appreciated the newbe
Reply:What you have is hard wire,so you will need some c-25 shielding gas,a good book on mig welding,a lot of 16 gauge to 1/8 inch scrap and a lot of practice.You should try to find someone who knows how to mig weld and get them to show you the basic skills,mig is by far the easiest process to learn,BUT there is a lot more to making good SAFE welds than sticking metal together with a mig welder.
Reply:i also own a tig machine but thought i should lern how to mig first and get a good steady base on welding.  WITH YOUR STATEMENT             (BUT there is a lot more to making good SAFE welds than sticking metal together with a mig welder.)    WHAT DO YOU MEAN ?
Reply:A lot of people that weld for a living frown on the 110 volt migs.there is nothing wrong with them if used on thin stuff,up to 1/8 inch single pass. Its when people start trying to weld 1/4 inch and thicker with them andthe welds look good but you really dont get good penatration because of the lack of power.i didnt mean anything disrespectable,just we need to be sure when we weld some thing that could hurt someone if it fails,that we know what we are doing.The 110 volt migs are great little machines ,but it is easy to get over confident with them.If you have a 220 volt unit then you can weld up to 1/4 inch single pass and have a good strong weld.If you own a tig machine than you can also stick weld with it.this would be good to use on thicker metal.I am sorry if i came across as being disrespectful,i was just trying to make a point about safety.good luck
Reply:Hey don t worry about it i am new a just want to get a feel for things  no offense taken   So the deal is i need to learn so i figured i would learn on my Miller MIG machine before opening and screwing around with my tig machineI don't know witch model it is but i due know it is 208/230 voltage my family bought it for me for my birthday This is all has to due with me always wanting to fabricate off road vehicles for a living as my own company So learning is in my best interest aand as i believe and  what rocky says is saftey first so thats why i an here
Reply:my tig machine is a lincoln forgot to mention that
Reply:You can also stick weld with your TIG machine.So you will have all 3 processes.I would start with the mig welder,it has the easiest learning curve.Get a lot of 16 gauge to 1/8 inch scrap and use the settings inside the machine to start out with.You can also run flux core wire[no shielding gas needed].for mig welding make sure you have the polarity right.mig gun on positive terminal.Flux core is mig gun on negative terminal.you should also get a couple of books from the miller web site.these will help you a lot.I would mig weld at least 3 to4 times a week for a month before i tried the other machine.i would go to the stick process next and tig last.miller has a package deal on the books ,it is your best bet as you get more books for your money. good luck
Reply:thank you for the information
Reply:Just like boilerman said, practice. Just start by running beads on the 16ga up to 11ga.  Get to know and understand your machine and its nature. Under the door that covers the wire will give you a quick reference on your volts and ipm, (inches per minute) for your wire speed. Once you get your c25 bottle and hook it up set your regulator to 20 or 25 cfm. You could get by with carbon dioxide which is cheaper to run. Main thing to remember when welding is listen to the sound while welding, sounds like bacon frying. Lastly make sure to lean your nozzle the direction your welding to keep shielding gas in leding edge of puddle. Stick welding you drag instead of push. Anyway just practice , practice and practice some more. Good luck.