How have you fixed twisted off rusty bolts?

[Captain Obvious 2,244]

Yeah, I didn't know it either. I thought that the only reason people used the CO2/argon mix for the MIG was because it's cheaper than straight argon.

In my defense, I'm claiming "bad advice from counsel". I bounced the idea of sharing the same tank between the TIG and MIG off a few people who should have known better, and I was told (incorrectly) that the only difference was cost. Here's to hoping that I can pull you out of that fallacy faster than I was pulled out.

Here's the doc that pulled me out. Lots of stuff in there, and way more in depth than anyone except a professional welder in an industrial setting would need to know, but in the early sections, there's info that applies to us "hacks":

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/assets/global/products/consumable_miggmawwires-superarc-superarcl-56/c4200.pdf

Here's hoping I can pull out of the wrong shielding gas fallacy sooner than I was pulled by someone else.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Captain Obvious

[Captain Obvious 2,244]

Just when I thought I didn't know anything about welding it turns out I was right.

Me neither. I'm no welder! I know just enough to be dangerous.

Wait a minute... I think I can say that about lots of things!! :laugh:

[Captain Obvious 2,244]

I just noticed that I had the constituent percentages swapped above...

The correct mix is 75% argon / 25% CO2.

Sorry for the simple stupid mistake. I would edit it up above, but it's too late. I can't change it. Maybe the mods will fix it for me?

[Mikes Z car 34]

No problemo Captain.

I didn't want to leave this thread making it look like I might be besmirching the fine name of Lincoln Welders so I tried the same welding again after testing on a scrap piece of sheet metal. This time I had the current at maximum, the metal wire wheeled to clean it and more light on the subject. I sped up the wire feed rate a bit too. The arc sustained much better and there was no problem with blowing holes in the metal. The picture below was taken after I partially ground off some of the welds. I left a couple of the holes I didn't fill for drainage since the sheet metal here is at the bottom of the car. The holes were hard to fill due to the awkward welding position on the bottom of the car plus I was having trouble seeing even in the daylight with a work light.

[EuroDat 523]

That looks a lot better now. The age old saying; practice makes perfect.

Ill probably nether get enough practice to quote that for myself;)

Chas