My attempt at making a oil pan skid plate Completed sort of

[navigator]

Harbor Freight has good cheap helmets actually. I know Mike said it would work for my needs and the auto-dark is good on them.

agree, one of the best $40 I have ever spent.

I went with the cheapest one, the one with the grinding feature as mentioned above would be nice if you do much grinding. Safety glasses really aren't enough.

While you are there, get one of those cheap leather aprons too if you don't have something better.

[TBYODA]

A while back I did get one on sale for $40.

[v7guy]

Yup, I agree with Mike, the more recent welding helmets seem pretty alright.

I was referencing the Kobalt helmet SGY-A11 that has 4 arc sensors as opposed to the 2 the harbor freight (and the old kobalt helmet) has, the difference in my experience is significant reduction in getting flashed when in off positions, the extra 2 sensors really seem to make a legitimate difference.
With that said they do offer virtually identical darkening times, we're looking at 1/ 0001 difference between the two. The viewing area is a bit better for the Kobalt and the Kobalt helmet can be adjusted down to a .1 sec delay time where as the harbor freight unit can be adjusted down to .25 delay. I also really like the flatter face of the Kobalt helmet.

Were I to step up I'd be looking at a speedglass.


Given the small mark up of the Kobalt over the Harbor Freight helmet ($30) I feel it's probably a better option for the new welder given that it'll enable them to get their face down closer to the puddle if needed and the added arc sensors give a dramatically smaller chance of getting flashed... personally, getting flashed gets old REALLY quick. The slightly better viewing area and the the slightly better delay is just icing on the cake.

With that said I would still use a recent harbor freight unit if that's what was available to me, they are a valid option and they appear to be quite good. But I think the Kobalt unit is probably the better option given the current offerings given the price point we're looking at.

[HARDTRAILZ]

With some of the coupons...$30 is double price of HF unit. Plus they can be had w flames or lightning bolts.

[ErikSS]

With some of the coupons...$30 is double price of HF unit. Plus they can be had w flames or lightning bolts.

I have the blue flames one. I'm aware that it's a cheap helmet, but it's serving my needs very well.

[jonbo2002]

With some of the coupons...$30 is double price of HF unit. Plus they can be had w flames or lightning bolts.

Flames make your welds better and lightning make you weld faster... right?

[HARDTRAILZ]

Bingo Jack

[TBYODA]

Practiced some welding today, I can say the HF auto shield helps a lot. But my buddies welder splatters a lot. On YouTube vid guy was saying that for flux core you should have the negative on the core. If the core has the positive it splatters more. Is this true and could test output with a voltage meter or would you fry it? I am thinking fry it.







I took a second past here.


thinking a little to fast.

[dvanbramer88]

you made me open all those pictures on my phone just to post them here? Thanks man...


Don't know what to do about the spatter, but it looks like you got good continuous beads. Looks like you're getting the hang of it.

[TBYODA]

you made me open all those pictures on my phone just to post them here? Thanks man...

Yep! Got to get options of others good or bad.

[djthumper]

IIRC You can get a lot of splatter if the ground clamp doesn't make a good contact. I try to take a wire brush or grinder to the contact point.

[TBYODA]

Not a very good looking ground clamp to me.

[djthumper]

Wow! That thing looks like it is worn out. Definitely help it out by cleaning the clamping point.

[Chango]

Try some of this ...

[Trail X]

Open your welder door, the two leads should be clearly marked which is which to reverse the polarity.

I'm still learning myself, but those welds look a bit cold still. At least, to my somewhat untrained eye. Looks like it might need more heat and a bit less wire speed. I'm hoping my response is close to what Barton will say.

[TBYODA]

Unit does not have any +/- terminal post like I have seen in other videos, I did open the unit everything is crimped, so I am thinking not really meant to for user to adjust. I was on the highest setting, ErikSS said the same thing on wire speed. POS welder LOL

[ErikSS]

I don't imagine your polarity is wrong. I would focus on wire speed since you're heat is turned all the way up. Slow down the wire. You may consider practicing on thinner steel. That looks like very thick steel for an 80 amp welder. Have you found any specs on what that model claims to be able to weld? I think you may be trying to weld at or beyond the welders specification all while learning how to weld.

[Chango]

I think Eric is right. You are welding thick channel with that small welder. I think about the only way to get any good penetration on that thick of stuff with that welder is to heat it with a torch first.
Also, a tip...get comfortable. Don't stand flat footed, bent over at odd angles. Make sure you can go all the way through the pass in a smooth motion. Set up like you are going to make a pass, and without pulling the trigger make sure you can get all the way to where you want to end up without stopping or binding your hands. For short passes I sometimes rest my trigger hand in the palm of my other, using it as a support. On longer passes I'll use my elbow on my non trigger hand to use as a guide.
My 2 cents ..Hope some of this made sense

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[Trail X]

Makes sense actually, Robert. If its a HF welder, I think they sell flux-core-only welders, so they wouldn't have a way to change it.

Chango has some good suggestions too as far as technique. I've started doing similar things with my hands and arms. Gotta be comfortable, or have some amazingly smooth hands.

[TBYODA]

I definitely agree with getting comfortable bit. I was squatting down with the steel on this. Lol, already decided to make a welding table out of scrape 2x4
I was using one of my hands to support the tip.