Open Circuit voltage (OCV) on welding machines is quite low...maximum of 80 volts, typically much lower, so in order to be lit up by your welding machine something needs to be wrong...wet gloves, standing in a puddle of water, fire suppressions sprinklers going off, in order to get shocked. I have never been shocked by a GMAW (MIG) machine. I have been bit by a SMAW (stick) machine but my gloves were wet. I have also been lit up by a GTAW (TIG)machine by getting my filler wire too close to the arc and it jumped to my filler wire instead of the base plate. It won't kill you but can certainly lead to some vocabulary that the kids shouldn't hear.
Now all the usual disclaimers apply, because like my high school students, as soon as I say something can't happen, someone out there will prove me wrong.

 

It's nice to hear some education on the welding process. It sounds like I need to get an argon gas bottle. I have been using the flux core wire with rough results.
I am looking forward to some smooth welds.
I was able to get into a evening welding class a few years ago at the Jordan Tech center in Sandy.
good to see someone else from Utah here.

Thank you 68 coupe

 

Photocliff,
You want a 75% argon 25% CO2 mix for flux cored arc welding, commonly called C25. Straight argon is used for GTAW (TIG) and aluminum and stainless GMAW (MIG). I am just over the point of the mountain from you in Lehi. I assume you took your welding classes from Leslie DeMille?
Gordon

 

Gordon,
Thanks for the information on the mixture. I will be putting that information to good use.
Leslie showed a few things about mig welding but I think I learned a couple more things from you since that class
Cliff

 

Gorden, Flux core requires no gas, it is self shielding. 75/25 is for mig welding mild steel (or 100% CO2, not rcomended for doing sheet metal), 100% argon for mig welding Alum and Tri mix for stainless (90%helium, 8%argon 2% CO2). And as you said 100% Argon for all steels in Tig proces. There are MANY more gas mixtures that can be used but these are the basics.

 

Great info... I wish I would have known some of that when I got my first welder, lol.

 

Mortman,
Flux cored actually comes in 2 flavors. Self shielded is the one you are refering to also known by the name innershield which commonly has a suffix of -11 as in E70T-11 (a Lincoln Electric name for their self shielded wire) Dualshield is exactly as the name implies....two shielding mediums. The powdered flux core of the wire and an external shielding gas such as CO2 or C25 in the case of an E70T-X wire such as a -2 or -6 wire. Self shielded wires also run DCEN which requires less voltage and lower wire speeds because the heat is mostly in the base metal (2/3 in base metal 1/3 in wire) Dualshield wires run DCEP which has just the opposite heat distribution, but typically give a much smoother arc and cleaner beads, ie less spatter, better finish.
Helium is an expensive gas to use for the GMAW process as it is lighter than atmosphere, therefore requires higher flow rates = more gas used. BTW, Helium prices have tripled in the last 2 years. Argon is heavier than atmophere and requires less CFH flow rates. We typically use around 20 CFH with C25 gas in my shop. I use an Argon/O2 mix for Axial Spray transfer 95/5 or 98/2 but would never use this transfer method for body work.
Tri mixes are another issue.....
Sorry for being wordy, you would think this was part of the "makes me want to vote" thread

 

26 Coupe,
You are 100% correct. I was mostly referring to the "Basic's" of the 2 processes. dual shields and spy transfer would more than likely not be used on these cars and does require advanced welding skills.