beginner flux core welds are very bubbly

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Hey guys, i just picked up my first welder and went at it today. I worked with some 1/8" steel squares and sheet metal. I realize that this is maxing out the capacity for my little welder (got it for $90) and am wondering if this is the reason why i am seeing this very bubbly result. I cannot get a puddle going and it is popping and forming small bubbles on either piece of metal. One thing that might be the problem was that i was trying to weld the square tubing onto sheet metal so there was a small gap to fill. I had better welds when i was doing two pieces that were completely flush. I tried adjusting the speed and the high/low setting but it kept coming out the same. Is this something that will better with practice or is it more a result of working with too thick of steel? Here are some pics and a link for the welder, thanks for any help! http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/M...lder/8209686.p
Reply:congrats on learnin to weld!not enough heat to get it going is what you re seeing..the little dots are melted wire ..the grinder shows black voids between the metal..in the right hands that machine can do a good job on lighter metal..given time, you can learn on it/from it..that said, (you should sell it and ) for the same money get a used transformer-style stick machine which will give you capability  on metal thinner than the 1/8 youre trying and be good for heavier work (possibly all the welder you'll ever need)
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadcongrats on learnin to weld!not enough heat to get it going is what you re seeing..the little dots are melted wire ..the grinder shows black voids between the metal..in the right hands that machine can do a good job on lighter metal..given time, you can learn on it/from it..that said, (you should sell it and ) for the same money get a used transformer-style stick machine which will give you capability  on metal thinner than the 1/8 youre trying and be good for heavier work (possibly all the welder you'll ever need)
Reply:My first question is, how much stick out are you running? (Length of wire from the contact tip). For general purpose gasless flux core wire I generally run about 3/8-inch of stick out. Your stick out is the wrong length, or your machine is way under powered!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Make sure you don't bend or kink the mig gun "cable". You should have proper tension on the drive rollers and the mig wire wheel as well. That is set under the cover.It's important that the wire is feeding correctly or nothing will work properly.You should probably set your welder to max power. And then you can try different wire speed settings. Start somewhere in the middle.Also try to running regular beads on a plate at first. It's easier to diagnose the problem without introducing to many variables.Also make sure your ground clamp is securly attached to your work piece - to rule out any ground problems.Last edited by Pete.S.; 05-19-2014 at 08:11 AM.
Reply:The configuration of the metal you are welding is going to soak up way more heat, than just what is called for in 1/8 in steel.To get it to stick you could try heat set to max,short stick out and as high a wire speed as it will burn off.You probably would be happier with a larger welder.
Reply:Use the $90 thing for a door stop, go buy a real welding machine, take a course somewhere to learn the terms & basics then practice.
Reply:CEP's comment on stickout is important. The farther you are away from the material, the more power you will need to do a decent weld. With the machine you don't have any power to waste. 2nd thing I'd suggest is to slow WAY down. Stick welding and FC wire, the slag tends to fool new guys. They think they are laying down metal, while in fact all they are seeing is the slag from the molten flux. I'd suggest trying to go too slow. I often still have students who need to slow down even though they think they are going way too slow. Using a circular motion or cursive e will force you to slow down.As mentioned that machine is fairly limiting. Cheap used 220v AC only buzz boxes can be found on CL for often as little as $50 and up to say $150. I've seen these units sell even cheaper at yard sales. You will have a lot more power for learning, but stick isn't the best choice for material below 1/8" for the new welder. With both machines you would have a good range of output for home projects and learning. Stick and FC wire are very similar, so what you learn on one easily transfers to the other..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I was having the same problem when I started out with the 90a Flux core welder from HF which very similar to this. You need proper gun angle and stickout. Correct contact tip for which ever wire size your are using. Good ground contact. Wire tension cant be too tight. Also try running stringers on the flat plate just to get a feel for it. Work on speed and gun angle. Might also want to try running a better wire like Lincoln or Hobart, if you arent already. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkLincoln Pro Mig 180HF Stick/Tig Inverter WelderLincoln AC225s
Reply:Well hopefully you still have your receipt.  Look at the info label on the welder.  If it says AC output, then return it and get your money back.  REASON:  Flux core welding with a wire feeder (or even MIG mode with gas) is a DC only process by both design and nature.  In other words there is not a welding wire made by any manufacturer designed to work with an AC output wire feeder.  Should be illegal to sell those things, but fools keep buying em thinking they are getting a deal so the unscrupulous companies will likely keep selling them.There are some cheap "no name brand" wire feeders out there that do output DC.  Put a few more dollars with your $90 and get one of those if you are not wanting to spend much money for name brand.  Then you at least have something somewhat decent and usable.Also, There is nothing wrong with an AC output stick welder as there are electrodes designed to work with an AC output stick welder.Edit:  I just went to the link that you listed and the output spec according to the webpage is 90 amp AC ouput - again AC output is worthless in a wire feeder.  Might as well buy a car that runs on fuel that is not obtainable.Last edited by rankrank1; 05-19-2014 at 10:15 PM.
Reply:I am having the same problem. I have a Lincoln Electric SP100-T. I am running .030 flux cored through it. The welds are coming out just as the welds above. They are very bubbly. So you are saying turn the heat up? Do you have anymore recommendations?
Reply:Grind the mil scale/ rust off the area where the ground clamp attaches and use a quality ground clamp; changing out the ground clamp that came with the machine for a high quality ground clamp is a good idea.  Also, before you spend any money on a new machine, take a welding class at your local junior college.  You will get your moneys worth, learn much, and have a better idea on what to buy.GarLincoln Electric, Power MIG 256Hypertherm Powermax 45 Miller Dynasty 280DXSmith O/A torchGenesis of a welding table