This was the best forum on the net. Not sure where it started to get like all the rest, but let's bring in back.

I've been back for a day now and have just read a disturbing post report. I like to keep these things like a workshop, that is, we don't have to agree on everything and be all hunky dory about everything. But we do need to be civil to each other. That means no person attacks, comments or personal me...

Not too bad. You have a few porosity holes. They are caused by lack of gas shielding. You need to make sure that your nozzle is clean, there is Zero wind where you are working and the stick out (nozzle tip to work is not more than 3/8s. Keep practising.

He was a summer kind of guy. Summer him here, summer him over there...

Truth. There's a big difference between brands. Some use actual ingredients and others use dirt with dye in it and call it flux.

6012s are better for finer work. They have a more efficient arc but are still nice and smooth to use. Slag is controllable compared to 6013. I know they are rare in the USA.

Was the combo gas guy trying to save space or visit space?

Hi Alan. The attraction of this forum has always been a slower pace and no internet warriors like on other social sites and even forums. If you have experienced a bad forum you know how cringey they can be. I did start a Welding tips and tricks forum Facebook page a few years ago with the permission...

Agree, throw it away. If you are going to do something, you can get another compressor with a good tank and a shot motor and swap the gear off your one.

I find that the machines we have in Australia don't really have a set value for wirespeed or voltage. I use materials thickness and it always hotter than you would expect. I weld things at work on 6.4mm and 23.7 volts and it's very hot. You're far better off just learning about the machine you are u...

LtBadd wrote:Hey Mike, welcome back, now weld something!

I'm welding again every day at work, and loving every minute of it. It's been a couple of years doing other things, from being a storeman to assembly to just general shop bitch.

Alan, did you try to pm him on here?

Thanks guys. I don't know why it's sideways...

Alan, if you mean the actual welding tips and tricks website, I don't have any particular special access. But if you PM Admin it's jody or joey and they should be able to help.

Hi everyone. I'm doing one of my many returns to this forum. My name is Mick, I'm one of the Mods from Australia. I've been here for a long time but I take pretty long breaks. I'm attempting to get away from antisocial media so I thought I'd come back. I love all kinds of welding and love making bit...

I have personally run many rolls through the machine, and if they are adjusted correctly, they are fine. The plastic parts are there to account for the fact that many apes don't know how to tune their mig properly and merely crank down on the drive roll tension if it's not working properly.

It's actually a historical way of preserving machinery. Phenolic resin gears are an engineered failure link in machinery to stop the machinery from destroying itself should something go wrong. Make no mistake, Kemppi are fantastic machines. Way better quality than many machines. Even blue and red.

He's an absolute gem of a man. Almost even a Good Bloke, as we say in Australia.

That's no where near enough heat. You may not even get enough with that machine cranked right up. Any chance of switching to a bigger machine?

I've got a feeling that they are the fuseable link in the drive train. Designed to wear out so as not to distroy the rest of the unit.

I don't know why kemppi use those things. But they are fine if treated right. The kempo 400 is a 100 % duty cycle that I personally have put roll after roll through day after day and no problem. Lots of European machines seem to have the plastic and metal rollers.

We have kemppi machines at work, they have plastic rollers with metal surfaces bonded onto the wire feed area. That absolutely do wear out, especially if there's too much tension pushed down on them. The holes go egg shaped, which leads to irregular feeding.

Mick

Seems to be a very good thing

I've been looking more at the metal stitching things. Have a look at www.locknstitch.com to see exactly what the process can do.

Being a beginner, this isn't the best thing to tackle, especially on a good engine. I'd look into something like this, http://www.metalockaustralia.com/metal_stitching.php

Or ask your machine shop about your options. Welding may be able to help, but not for a newb. No offence.

As far as can tell, you own the right to a cylinder. You can have it in your shed, no charge, and then you swap it over when empty for a full, tested and good to go one. I don't know what would happen if it goes out of date or is damaged while you have it.