This is a huge fail, I know I am awful haha.

I hope I can eventually get enough practice to make two pieces of metal stay together and keep the cold air out of my XJ this winter. If anybody is heading out to rousch creek and wants to help I have a generator that runs everything.












My first square I tried to bend it to see if the welds would snap and most of them didn't. it was blue on the other side as well. Hope everyone gets a good laugh and remembers their first time.

 

Clean the metal better. Make sure you're using flux core wire in that welder. Turn the wire speed down. Possibly hold the tip closer if you aren't.

My biggest thing when I first started was learning how to set the wire speed. Just keep playing with the wire speed til you get the hang of it.

 

One other tip from me would be to upgrade that 'ground' clamp. The one that comes with the HF special is a piece.

I'd go to a local welding store and buy one for like 20 bucks and you'll know you have a good ground.

 

Check the polarity of your leads.

 

I have an hf special welder. Biggest thing you gotta do is ditch that crap wire it comes with. Get some Lincoln wire from home depot. I use that welder to do tabs and stuff on my buggy. With good wire that thing does a good job.

 

I'll try getting some good wire! http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lincoln-E...1448/100341108

I tac weld the ground clamp to my work, its ghetto and damages the ground clamp but its a pos that will eventually be replaced.


I'll also check the polarity of the current flow. I hope those Chinese didn't wire it backwards lol.

 

I second this. Quality wire or electrodes (if using stick welder) make a big difference. [emoji106]

 

Thirded. (is that a word,LOL)...the wire that comes with the HF welders is junk. Everything else stated by others here will also help you out, clean metal goes a long way, definitely check the polarity of your machine, good grounds, and practice, practice, practice...you might wanna try some thicker material first, too. Thin gauge metal is harder to weld. When doing sheet metal, try spot welding in several different locations, then go back to where you started, and spot some more, until the spots come together like one big weld. Heat will warp the metal. Also try welding in different positions, like vertical and overhead. Hope this helped ya out...

 

I concur on the Lincoln wire. Made a HUGE difference. Can't go wrong at $10 a spool. I also bought the more expensive H/F welding helmet. It's so much better than the entry level one and it's $39 right now with a coupon.

 

I have the HF 170 amp welder and it works really well. It says up to 3/16th metal but it will weld 1/4" without a problem.

Definitely get the Lincoln wire. It does work better for sure. You will get better and better with more practice.

 

That definitely looks like you have the polarity wrong.