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miller thunderbolt AC/DC-any better on thin stuff?

have a straight AC-only thunderbolt now. "not so great" on thin stuff, like 2x2 by a sixteenth wall sq steel tubing. I get 'burn through' too often to suit me. would an AC/DC model of the same machine be any better on THIN stuff?

I realize a mig setup with a gas bottle would 'for sure' be better, but there's an AC/DC thunderbolt used nearby...

thanks for comments, guys

toolie :-)

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Reply to
dave
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DCRP (electrode positive) will work a bit better than AC, but not nearly as well as a wirefeed. Consider: you would probably be running .023 or .030 wire but I doubt if you'll find .032 (1/32") stick electrodes.

1/16" wall sq steel tubing is very easy to weld well with a wirefeed. That's among the things a small 110-volt wirefeed box does best.
Reply to
Don Foreman

The DC option will work slightly better than the AC only but not by much.

1/16" is .062" or 16 ga, quite reasonable for a properly set up AC thunderbolt running 3/32" or 1/16" 6013 rod. Keep in mind that your gap should not exceed about 1/3 of the the thickness (.020") if you want to weld straight through without gong into a "fill the gap" mode.

You will find that welding square tubing of .049" and up is not too hard with either stick or MIG. MIG is nicer in that it does not have the slag and flux issues of stick. .032" and down is another story. It can be done with MIG but really thin is TIG territory.

I'd suggest some better fitup, some new 6013 rod > have a straight AC-only thunderbolt now. "not so great" on thin stuff,

Reply to
RoyJ

I have sectioned many auto body patches with a Tbolt using Lincoln 3/32 6011. Requires a bit of practice set around 45A dc. Make a puddle and flick it forward, don't try and do a long bead. keep it in small stitches. Fitted and clamped tight. Watch the puddle, arc length, & position Not a lot of distortion, turnedout better than Oxacy. The Lincoln 6011 3/32 is the only rod that works on thin stuff that I've found. Quick freeze rod is nice if you know how to run it.

Thin tube with good fit up is childs play in comparrison. The DC on the Tbolt is an very good improvement, . The bead quality is much nicer than AC. Plus you can run LoHi rod+++ ED

Reply to
ED

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