I use the same or similar welder. Lincoln.

You can weld up to 5/16 material with high voltage setting and slow wire speed.
I built my car trailer, installed my roll cage and built a 1300# trailer mounted BBQ with this machine. I've also done a fair amount of light duty sheet metal repairs, too.

As for gas. You can use straight C02 instead of bi-mix for steel welding.
No problem. Cheaper to buy and lasts about four times longer.

The weld quality is fantastic. Most steel fabricators ( contractors use C02 )
Sure you can use an argon blend. It's just not necessary.


KT

Now I am confused. As far as reading on the internet from the past, a lot. I read that always pull to have better weld, and also easier to weld. I didn't take any class but my dad and a neighbor did. They also told me to pull, and pull in Z shape like a ziczac. This is the first time I heard pushing will be better. I have been welding many things but mostly home stuff, have not have the gut to touch my car yet. I always tried to position myself to pull, there were only several incidents that I push because the location force me to and also being lazy, I think the result were not well (for me only).

trekkor,
Does it make any different on "easier to weld" and "stronger the quality of weld"?

Hi Ben,
"as to if I was recommending welding on the suspension It is all on the owner/operator of the car and machine. I personally would have no problem but that is not to say everybody should take this up as a project if they don't feel comfortable."

About the above statement, I totally understood. And thank you.

Thank you everyone.

I read the instruction several time in the past. I remember I could understand the machine side well enough to do it, but when it came to the nozzle, diffuser, cable, I just wasn't clear and throw everything in the box. How do I know my parts are gas ready/option, or I need to replace any of them.
Is there anyone in SCal willing to help me on this conversion? If you are too busy, I can bring the machine over so you can take a look at my stuff and tell me if I can go ahead and install them or need something else?
Thanks in advance.

High voltage and low wire speed creates a cold weld as amps=heat and with low wire speed you would not have a nice shortcircuit arc and would produce a lot of spatter which you would notice with the volatge too high for the given parameters of the wire speed. to many people confuse volatge with heat and that simple is not the case but voltage is equal to a gear in a car(potential heat or potential speed if using the car analogy) got give it wire speed to get hotter or give it more gas to go faster(car analogy again) within that certain range

Argon is used to staibalize the arc and the co2 is used for deeper peno and quicker melt in

Oh and as for pushing vs pulling 90% of industry uses a push its faster,looks better and does not take as much time for production costs. 1 industry that primarly uses pull would be steam fitter/pipefitters . When we do our tensile pull and face and root bends tests we find the pushes tend to fair better then the pulls. now remember whom is telling you push or pull as the instructors background dictates what the will suggest to students hope that helps

From my experience with this machine the high voltage setting ( the one recommended inside the wire spool cabinet for various metal thicknesses ) creates more local heat and the slow wire speed forces you to stay in the work area longer achieving good penetrating welds that really melt into the surrounding metal.

Again, I highly recommend this unit for the hobby welder.


KT

What I understood KT said was heat up the area well (red hot) without too much wire melt before move on to the next area. I was welding some small things today and has an ugly weld, I had a whole big puddle at one spot. I tried to increase the heat and slow down the wire a little and it became better. So maybe the term high/low between each person is different.

As for my "instructors", my dad is old and sick lately. He sometimes can't even remember where he left his reading glasses 2 mins ago. My neighbor took his class 30 years ago and made welding as his carreer for only couple months. I will try to push to see how it go.

So you are saying the argon is for the look and easy to weld, the CO2 is for the quality (penetration deeper and faster)?

Thank you.

So you are saying the argon is for the look and easy to weld, the CO2 is for the quality (penetration deeper and faster)?

Thank you

argon creates a nice arc but somewhat sluggish so co2 is added to excite the arc plus forces the puddle deeper creating good penetration.

as to high voltage and wire speed relationship I suppose you(KT) may be able to argue that with your machine I am not trying it persoanally the fact is that high voltage and not the correct wire speed(sounds like bacon frying rapidly) it will be too cold regardless of what you think es[ecailly when you cut the weld in half to look at a cross sectional or acid etch to check colesence or a destructive test if need be. those test simply don't lie.

really truely I have done this a few more times then the home hobbist I can tell with certainty that wire speed= amps=heat and volatge is the potential spatter is the indicater so look at that but hey we are kind of getting in a pissing match and in reality the originial poster probably has enough info simply put

flux core = sub par welds
dual shield(flux+shielding gas)= very high quality welds but for thicker materials
Er70s-2 solid wire with argon c02 is much more the inbetween of the above.

best of luck no go sign up for some classes guys the best money you could spend on your hobby.

Ben,
umm... something else I just learn after this message. I always thought flux wire go with no gas. Bare wire goes with gas. I didn't know flux wire can go with gas and can make the weld even better.

No, I am not trying to argue. I don't know much to argue on this topic. In fact, I am trying to understand and to learn. If I unintentionally made anyone frustrated, I appologize. I will try the test you stated above, when I have a chance.

Thank you.

Remember, we're not welding at a refinery.

Just hobby stuff. :)
I've driven up and down the ramps onto my home-made car trailer over 100 times.
No breaky.


KT

If the wire speed is too fast, it just forms and sits on top without contributing to the strength of the work.


KT

There are some really dangerous and misleading 'suggestions' here. I basically side with Ben on everything he said.

As a welding engineer (and an E.E.) I find it odd that a couple of threads away people are explaining how dangerous it is to connect a 220 volt outlet yourself, while here people have no qualms about making recommendations for welding your suspension. Think about it.

If you have to ask you probably shouldn't do it. The results of a failure at at speed could be very nasty for you, and others. Take your car to a proper fab shop and have it done.

Then go home and weld up something that won't kill you if a weld breaks.

yes if it is out of its operating range this will happen and vise versa for the voltage to high and wire speed to low really you guys could look at purchaseing some inexpensive videos and learn a lot

Here is a cheap video I think it was about $30 bucks or so

www.weldingvideos.com wall mountain company, Inc Bonnners ferry, ID the GMAW wirefeed video is a great for beginners and does not over complicate things..


Even covers globular and spray transfer (not that you would ever do this with a 110 machine)

Best of luck

Oh and dual shield is a special wire not just flux core you buy for your 110/machine


Trekkor I also don't weld in a foundry never have never will in my former life I welded fusulages for airplanes and all the running gear for them including engine mounts and exhaust but I do understand your point completly

So the flux wire for dual shield is the special wire? Can I get this special wire at any place such as Home Depot or Harbor Freight or it need to be special order? What term to I use to ask for it?
Thanks Ben.

I do not believe they sell it in 1lb spools as flux core dual shield is heavy industrial typically for larger then 1/4-5/16 steel. We use it at school above 3/8 and everything else is solid wire. you will be very happy with some nice solid wire and argon -co2 as everything fabricated and using GMAW (mig,wire in laymens terms) for smaller thickness' use this setup

Thanks Ben.

Hi Ben,
can I ask some more questions? I just found that that my bottle of gas is 100% argon, so I am thinking if it's posible that I am going to use this 100% argon bottle before getting the mix. Is there much difference between 100% argon and the mix? Or if it worth it to get another bottle of the mix now, and save the 100% argon for something else? I heard/read people are saying 100% argon is good for aluminum only, is it true?

100% argon can be used for 90% of all metals in tig however is not desired in GMAW as this causes a slugish arc and a superfical weld pool. You could probably use it for sheet metal patching panel replacement etc but would not suggest it for anything structural. again I would much rather have the correct gasses to do the job right.

thanks Ben.