Craftsman 196.205690 User Manual [en, es]

Owner’s Manual

CRRFTSMRH*

WIRE FEED MIG WELDER

Model No.

196.205690

CAUTION: Before using this

product, read this manual and follow all its Safety Rules and Operating Instructions.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 U.S.A.

www.sears.com/craftsman

Español p.31

Craftsman Limited Warranty Introduction

Safety Summary..................................

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Safety Information.........................

Shock Hazards...............................

Flash Hazards Fire Hazards Fume Hazards

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..................................

...............................

Compressed Gasses

and Equipment Hazards

Additional Safety Information

Welder Specifications

Description

...................................

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Welder Operating Characteristics......8

Duty Cycle

Internal Thermal Protection

Know Your Welder

Welder Installation..............................

Power Source Connection

...................................

.........

.............................

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Power Requirements..................

Connect to Power Source..........

Extension Cords.........................

Assembling the Welder

Unpacking the Welder Packing List

................................

Assemble the Face Shield

Installing the Hanille

................

...............

........

..................

Installing the Feet.......................

Selecting Shielding Gas

Install the Shielding Gas

............

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....2

...2

....3

...A ...A

....5

....6

....7

Check the Gas Flow

..................

Align and Set the Drive Roller

Inslall the Welding Wire Set the Wire Drive Tension Change Polarity

Operation .............................................

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Controls and Indicators

Power Switch Voltage Selector

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Wire Speed Control

Learning to Weld

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Holding the Gun ..........................

....8

....9 Multiple Pass Welding

....10

....10 Maintenance

....10

....10 Consumable Maintenance

....10 Maintaining the Contact Tip

....10

....10 Testing for a Shorted Nozzle

Welding Techniques

Moving the Gun Types of Weld Beads Welding Positions

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Special Welding Methods

Spot Welding

General

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Maintaining the Nozzle

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....10 Replace a Gun Liner....................

....11

....11 Troubleshooting

....11

....12

Preventive Maintenance..............

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Wiring Diagram

Parts List...........................................

Suggested Settings

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WARRANTY

Limited Three-Year Warranty on Craftsman Welder

For three years from the date of purchase, if any part of this welder, except for the gun or cables, fails due to a defect in material or workmanship, return it to your nearest Sears Parts & Repair Center, and it will be repaired free of charge. Sears will repair the gun or cables free of charge for only one year from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover expendable parts such as contact tips or nozzles, which are consumed during normal welder operation. This warranty applies only while this product is used in the United States. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., D/817WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

INTRODUCTION

This Welder User's guide provides specific information about your wire feed welder. It is to be used

together with the Welding Instruction Guide to provide all of the information needed to safely and

effectively use your wire feed welder. The information in this book applies to your specific model of

wire feed welder and gives instructions on set-up, installation and actual use of the welder.

SAFETY SUMMARY

Every craftsman respects the tools with

which they work. They know that the tools

represent years of constantly improved

designs and developments. The true

craftsman also knows that tools are

dangerous if misused or abused.

Reading this operator’s manual before using the welder will enable you to do a better, safer job. Learn the welder’s applications and ligiitations as well as the specific

potential hazards peculiar to welding.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INFORMATION

Note:

The following safety alert symbols identify

important safety messages In this manual.

When you see one of the symbols shown

here, be alert to the possibility of personal injury and carefully read the message that

follows.

This symbol indicates that the possibility of electric shock hazard exists during the operation of the step(s) that follow.

TWs symbol indicates that the possibility of fire hazard exists during the operation of the step(s) that follow.

The following safety information is provided as guidelines to help you operate your new welder under the safest possible conditions. Any equipment that uses electrical power can be potentially dangerous to use when safety or safe handling instructions are not known or not followed. The following safety information is provided to give the user the information necessary for safe use and operation.

A procedure step preceded by a

WARNING is an indication that the next step

contains a procedure that might be injurious to a person if proper safety precautions are not heeded.

A procedure preceded by a CAUTION is an indication that the next step contains a procedure that might damage the equipment being used.

A NOTE may be used before or after a procedure step to highlight or explain something in that step.

This symbol indicates that the helmet must be worn during the step(s) that follow to protect against eye damage and burns due to flash hazard.

This symbol indicates that the possibility of toxic gas hazard exists during operation of the step(s) that follow.

This symbol indicates that the possibility of being burned by hot slag exists during operation of the step(s) that follow.

This symbol indicates that the eye protection should be worn to protect against flying debris in

the following step(s). This symbol indicates that the

possibility of injury or death exists

due to improper handling and

maintenance of compressed gas

cylinders or regulators.

READ ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY before attempting to install,

operate, or service this welder. Failure to comply with these instructions could result in personal injury and/or property damage.

RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

• Published standards on safety are

available. They are listed in ADDITIONAL SAFETY INFORMATION at the end of this SAFETY SUMMARY.

The National Electrical Code, Occupation Safety and Health Act regulations, local industrial codes and local inspection requirements also provide a basis for equipment installation, use, and service.

SHOCK HAZARD

W WARNING

ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! To reduce

the risk of death or serious injury from shock, read, understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that anyone else who uses this welding equipment, or who is a bystander in the welding area understands and follows these safety instructions as well.

• IMPORTANT! TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DEATH. INJURY, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, DO NOT ATTEMPT OPERATION of this welding equipment until you have read and understand the

following safety summary.

• Do not, in any manner, come into physical contact with any part of the

welding current circuit. The welding current circuit includes:

a. the work piece or any conductive

material in contact with it, b. the ground clamp. c. the electrode or welding wire, d. any metal parts on the electrode

holder, or wire feed gun.

• Do not weld in a damp area or come in

contact with a moist or wet surface.

• Do not attempt to weld if any part of

clothing or body is wet.

• Do not allow the welding equipment to

come in contact with water or moisture.

• Do not drag welding cables, wire feed gun, or welder power cord through or allow them to come into contact with water or moisture.

• Do not touch welder, attempt to turn welder on or off if any part of the body or clothing is moist or if you are in physical contact with water or moisture.

• Do not attempt to plug the welder into the power source if any part of body or cloth ing is moist, or if you are in physical contact with water or moisture.

• Do not connect welder work piece clamp

to or weld on electrical conduit.

• Do not alter power cord or power cord

plug in any way.

• Do not attempt to plug the welder

into the power source if the ground prong on power cord plug is bent over, broken off, or missing.

• Do not allow the welder to be connected to the power source or attempt to weld if the welder, welding cables, welding site, or welder power cord are exposed to any form of atmospheric precipitation, or salt water spray.

• Do not carry coiled welding cables around shoulders, or any other part of the body,

when they are plugged into the welder.

• Do not modify any wiring, ground

connections, switches, or fuses in this welding equipment.

• Wear welding gloves to help insulate

hands from welding circuit.

• Keep all liquid containers far enough away from the welder and work area so that if spilled, the liquid can not possibly come in contact with any part of the welder or electrical welding circuit.

• Replace any cracked or damaged parts that are insulated or act as insulators such as welding cables, power cord, or electrode holder IMMEDIATELY.

FLASH HAZARDS

WARNING

ARC RAYS CAN INJURE EYES AND

BURN SKIN! To reduce the risk of injury

from arc rays, read, understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that anyone else that uses this welding equipment, or is a bystander in the welding area understands and follows these safety instructions as well. Headshields and

filter should conform to ANSI Z87.1 stan dards.

• Do not look at an electric arc without proper protection. A welding arc is extremely bright and intense and, with inadequate or no eye protection, the retina can be burned, leav ing a permanent dark spot in the field of

vision. A shield or helmet with a number 10 shade filter lens (minimum) must be used.

• Do not strike a welding arc until all

bystanders and you (the welder) have welding shields and/or helmets in place.

• Do not wear a cracked or broken

helmet and replace any cracked or broken filter lenses IMMEDIATELY.

• Do not allow the uninsulated portion

of the wire feed gun to touch the ground clamp or grounded work to prevent an arc flash from being created on contact.

• Provide bystanders with shields or

helmets fitted with a #10 shade filter lens.

• Wear protective clothing. The intense light of the welding arc can burn the skin in much the same way as the sun, even

thrbugh light-weight clothing. Wear dark clothing of heavy material. The shirt worn should be long sleeved and the collar

kept buttoned to protect chest and neck.

• Protect against REFLECTED ARC RAYS.

Arc rays can be reflected off shiny surfaces such as a glossy painted surface, aluminum, stainless steel, and glass. It is possible for your eyes to be injured by reflected arc rays even when wearing a protective helmet or shield. If welding with a reflective surface behind you, arc rays can bounce off the surface, then off the filter lens on the inside of your helmet or shield, then into your eyes. If a reflective background exists in your welding area, either remove it or cover it with something non-flammable and non-reflective. Reflective arc rays can also cause skin burn in addition to eye injury.

FIRE HAZARDS

WARNING

FIRE OR EXPLOSION CAN CAUSE

DEATH, INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAM

AGE! To reduce the risk of death, injury, or

property damage from fire or explosion, read, understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain that

anyone else that uses this welding equip

ment, or is a bystander in the welding area, understands and follows these safety

instructions as well. REMEMBER!

Arc welding by nature produces sparks, hot

spatter, molten metal drops, hot slag, and hot metal parts that can start fires, burn skin, and

damage eyes.

Do not wear gloves or other clothing that

contains oil, grease, or other

flammable substances.

Do not wear flammable hair preparations. Do not weld in an area until it is checked

and cleared of combustible and/or flammable materials. BE AWARE that sparks and slag can fly 35 feet and can

pass through small cracks .and openings.

If work and combustibles cannot be separated by a minimum of 35 feet,

protect against ignition with suitable, snug-fittiftg, fire resistant, covers or shields.

Do not weld on walls until checking for and removing combustibles touching the other side of the walls.

Do not weld, cut, or perform other such work on used barrels, drums, tanks, or other containers that had contained a flammable or toxic substance. The techniques for removing flammable sub stance and vapors, to make a used container safe for welding or cutting, are quite complex and require special education and training. Do not strike an arc on a compressed gas or air cylinder or other pressure

vessel. Doing so will create a brittle area that can result in a violent rupture

immediately or at a later time as a result

of rough handling.

Do not weld or cut in an area where the

air may contain flammable dust {such as grain dust), gas, or liquid vapors (such as gasoline).

Do not handle hot metal, such as the work

piece or electrode stubs, with bare hands. Wear leather gloves, heavy long sleeve shirt, cuffless trousers, high-topped shoes, helmet, and cap. As necessary, use additional protective clothing such as leather jacket or sleeves, fire resistant leggings, or apron. Hot sparks or metal can lodge in rolled up sleeves, trouser cuffs, or pockets. Sleeves and collars should be kept buttoned and pockets eliminated from the shirt front.

Have fire extinguisher equipment handy for immediate use! A portable chemical fire extinguisher, type ABC, is recommended. Wear ear plugs when welding overhead

to prevent spatter or slag from falling

into ear.

• Make sure welding area has a good, solid, safe floor, preferably concrete or masonry, not tiled, carpeted, or made of any other flammable material.

• Protect flammable walls, ceilings, and floors with heat resistant covers or shields.

• Check welding area to make sure

it is free of sparks, glowing metal or

slag, and flames before leaving the welding area.

FUME HAZARDS

WARNING

FUMES, GASSES, AND VAPORS CAN CAUSE DISCOMFORT, ILLNESS, AND DEATH! To reduce the risk of discomfort,

illness, or death, read, understand, and

follow the following safety instructions. In

addition, make certain that anyone else that uses this welding equipment or is a bystander in the welding area, understands and foliows these safety instructions as weli.

chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene, can be decomposed by the heat of an electric arc or its ultraviolet radiation. These actions can cause PHOSGENE, a

HIGHLY TOXIC gas to form, along with other lung and eye-irritating gasses. Do not weld or cut where these solvent vapors can be drawn into the work area or where the ultraviolet radiation can

penetrate to areas containing even very small amounts of these vapors.

• Do not weld in a confined area unless it is being ventilated or the operator (and

anyone else in the area) is wearing an air-supplied respirator.

• Stop welding if you develop momentary

eye, nose, or throat irritation as this

indicates inadequate ventilation. Stop

work and take necessary steps to

improve ventilation in the welding area. Do not resume welding if physical

discomfort persists.

COMPRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT HAZARDS

WARNING

• Do not weid in an area untii it is checked for adequate ventiiation as described in ANSI standard #Z49.1. If ventilation is

not adequate to exchange all fumes and gasses generated during the welding process with fresh air, do not weld uniess you (the welder) and all bystanders are wearing air-supplied respirators.

• Do not heat metais coated with, or that

contain, materials that produce toxic fumes (such as galvanized steel), unless the coating is removed. Make certain the

area is well ventilated, and the operator

and all bystanders are wearing air-sup

plied respirators.

• Do not weld, cut, or heat lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, or similar metals without seeking professional advice and inspection of the ventiiation of

the welding area. These metais produce

EXTREMELY TOXIC fumes which can cause discomfort, illness, and death.

• Do not weld or cut in areas that are near chiorinated solvents. Vapors from

IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH!

To reduce the risk of injury or death from

compressed gasses and equipment hazards, read, understand, and follow the following safety instructions. In addition, make certain

that anyone else who uses this welding

equipment or a bystander in the welding area understands and follows these safety instructions as well.

• Do not use flammable gasses with MIG welders. Only inert or nonflammable

gasses are suitable for MIG welding. Examples are Carbon Dioxide, Argon, Helium, etc. or mixtures of more than one of these gasses.

• Do not attempt to mix gasses or refill a

cylinder yourself. Do not expose cylinders to excessive heat, sparks, slag and flame, etc. Cylinders exposed to

temperatures above 130“F will require water spray cooling.

Do not expose cylinders to electricity of

any kind. Do not use a cylinder or its contents for anything other than its intended use. Do not use as a support or roller. Do not locate cylinders in passageways or work area where they may be struck. Do not use a wrench or hammer to open

a cylinder valve that cannot be opened

bjthand. Notify your supplier. ChD not modify or exchange gas

cylinder fittings.

Do not deface or alter name, number or other markings on a cylinder. Do not rely on cylinder color to identify the contents. Do not connect a regulator to a cylinder containing gas other than that for which the regulator was designed. Do not attempt to make regulator repairs. Send faulty regulators to manufacturer’s designated repair center for repair. Do not attempt to lubricate a regulator.

Always change cylinders carefully to

prevent leaks and damage to their walls,

valves, or safety devices. Always secure cylinders with a steel chain so that they cannot be knocked over. Always protect a cylinder, especially the valve, from bumps, falls, falling objects and weather. Remember that gasses in the cylinders are under pressure and damage to a regulator can cause the regulator or portion of the regulator to be explosively ejected from the cylinder.

Always make certain the cylinder cap is

securely in place on the cylinder,

whenever the cylinder is moved. Always close the cylinder valve and

immediately remove a faulty regulator

from service, for repair, if any of the following conditions exist. Gas leaks externally.

Delivery pressure continues to rise with

down stream valve closed. The gauge pointer does not move off the stop pin when pressurized or fails to return to the stop pin after pressure is

released.

ADDITIONAL SAFETY

INFORMATION

For additional information concerning welding safety, refer to the following standards and comply with them as applicable.

• ANSI Standard Z49.1 - SAFETY IN

WELDING AND CUTTING - obtainable from the American Welding Society, 550

NW Le Jeune Road, Miami. FL 33126

Telephone (800) 443-9353, Fax (305) 443-7559 - www.amweld.org or www.liws:org

• ANSI Standard Z87.1 - SAFE PRAC

TICE FOR OCCUPATION AND EDUCATIONAL EYE AND FACE PROTECTION - obtainable from the

American National Standards Institute,

11 West 42nd St., New York, NY 10036

Telephone (212) 642-4900,

Fax (212) 398-0023 - www.ansi.org

• NFPA Standard 51B-CUTTING AND WELDING PROCESS - obtainable from the National Fire Protection Association,

1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101,

Quincy, MA 02269-9101 Telephone (617) 770-3000 Fax (617) 770-0700 - www.nfpa.org

• OSHA Standard 29 CFR, Part 1910, Subpart Q., WELDING, CUTTING AND BRAZING - obtainable from your state OSHA office or U.S. Dept, of Labor OSHA, Office of Public Affairs, Room N3647, 200 Constitution Ave.,

Washington, DC 20210-

• CSA Standard W117.2 - Code for SAFETY IN WELDING AND CUTTING. -

obtainable from Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd.,

Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 1R3 -

www.csa.ca

• American Welding Society Standard A6.0. WELDING AND CUTTING CONTAINERS WHICH HAVE HELD COMBUSTIBLES. - obtainable from the

American Welding Society, 550 NW Le Jeune Road, Miami, FL 33126 Telephone (800) 443-9353,

Fax (305) 443-7559 — www.amweld.org

or www.aws.org

www.osha.gov

WELDER SPECIFICATIONS

DESCRIPTION

Your new M)G (Metal Inert Gas) wire feed welder is designed for maintenance and sheet metal fabrication. The welder consists of a single-phase power transformer, stabilizer, rectifier, and a unique built-in control/feeder.

Now you can weld sheet metal from 24

gauge up to 3/16 inch thick with a single

pass. You can weld thicker steel with beveling and multiple pass techniques. Table

1 lists your MIG welder specifications.

Table 1. Welder Specifications

Primary (input) volts 120 Vac Primary (input) Amps 13 Phase Single

Frequency 60Hz Secondary (output) volts 21 Secondary (UL output) amps 85 Open Circuit Volts (Max.) 30 Vdc

Duty Cycle Rating 40%

MIG welders equipped with gas are capable of welding with 0.024 (^.6mm) and 0.030 (0.8mm) solid steel wire on dc reverse polarity and with 0.030 (0.8mm) self-shielding flux-core wire on dc straight polarity. Larger, 0.035 inch (0.9mm) diameter solid steel wire, on dc reverse polarity may also be used on this welder. The use of larger diameter wire makes welding difficult and the results cannot be guaranteed. Use of larger than .035 diameter wire is not recommended.

______________

WELDER OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS

DUTY CYCLE

The duty cycle rating of a welder defines how long the operator can weld and how long the welder must be rested and cooled.

Duty cycle is expressed as a percentage of

10 minutes and represents the maximum welding time allowed. The balance of the

10-minute cycle is required for cooling. Your new welder has a duty cycle rating of

40% at the rated output. This means that you

can weld for four (4) minutes out of 10 with the remaining six (6) minutes required for cooling. (See Table 2).

Table 2. Duty Cycle Ratings

Duty

Cycle

Rating

20% 2 minutes 40% 60% 80%

100% 10 minutes

Maximum

Welding

Time

- 4Tninutê'â' 6 minutes 8 minutes 2 minutes

Required

Resting

8 minutes 4 minutes 0 minutes

Time

INTERNAL THERMAL PROTECTION

CAUTION

Do not constantly exceed the duty cycle or damage to the welder can result. If you exceed the duty cycle of the welder, an internal thermal protector will open, shutting

off all welder functions except the cooling fan. If this happens, DO NOT SHUT OFF THE WELDER. Leave the welder turned on with the fan running. After cooling, the thermal protector will automatically reset and the welder will function normally again.

However you should wait at least ten

minutes after the thermal protector opens

before resuming welding. You must do this

even if the thermal protector resets itself

before the ten minutes is up or you may

experience less than specified duty cycle

performance.

If you find that the welder will not weld for two minutes without stopping, reduce the wire speed slightly and tune in the welder at the lowest wire speed setting that still

produces a smooth arc. Welding with the

wire speed set too high causes excessive

current draw and shortens the duty cycle.

KNOW YOUR WELDER

Handle

Gun Cable

|ijk Wire Speed

Power Switch - This switch turns the welder

ON and OFF. (Make sure the power switch is in the OFF position before performing any maintenance on the welder.)

Voltage

Selector

Power

Switch

Ground Power

Welding

Gun

Figure 1. Model 20569 Welder

Handle - Rugged, top mounted handle

Ground

Cable

Clamp Cord

allows for easy transport of your welder.

Wire Speed Control - Use this dial to adjust

the speed at which the welder feeds wire to the gun. 1 is the slowest wire feed speed, 10

is the highest. You will need to adjust or “tune-in” your wire speed for different welding

conditions (thickness of metals, gas -vsgasless welding, metal type, wire size. etc.). When the wire speed is properly “tuned-in” the welding wire will melt into the material you are welding as quickly as it is fed through the welding gun.

Voltage Selector - This four position dial

adjusts the voltage or “heat” of your welder. A is the lowest and D is the highest. Different materials and material thickness will require different voltage settings. You will need to adjust your voltage accordingly for different welding conditions. By properly adjusting your voltage settings and wire feed speed, you will enable clean, precision welds. (Refer

to the Suggested Settings Chart on p.30 of this manual OR on the inside of the door of the welder.)

Power Cord - This is a standard, grounded

120 volt power cord. (Make sure you are

using a properly grounded 120 Vac, 60Hz, single phase, 20 amp power source.)

Ground Clamp - Attaching the ground

clamp to your work piece “completes” the

welding currant circuit. You must attach the

ground clamp tO‘the metal you are welding. If the ground clamp is not connected to the metal work piece you intend to weld, the

welder will not have a completed circuit and

you will be unable to weld. A poor connection at the ground clamp will waste power and heat. Scrape away dirt, rust, scale, oil or paint before attaching the ground clamp.

Ground Cable - The ground cable connects

the ground clamp to the internal workings of the welder.

Welding Gun and Cable - The welding gun

controls the delivery of the welding wire to

the material to be welded. The welding wire

is fed through the welding cable and welding gun when the welding gun trigger is pulled. You will need to install a contact tip and welding nozzle to the end of the welding gun, as described later in this manual, prior to welding.

Welding Terms

Now that you are familiar with the main parts of the welder, make note of the following terms. You will see them used throughout this manual.

weld puddle; The localized volume

of molten metal in a weld prior to its solidification.

weld angle: The angle of the welding wire,

as it extends from the welding gun, in relation to the item being welded,

slag: The protective coating that forms on

the surface of molten metal,

arc: A sustained luminous discharge of

electricity across a gap in a circuit,

welding bead: The extended build up of a

weld, made by pushing or pulling the weld puddle.

WELDER INSTALLATION

POWER SOURCE CONNECTION

POWER REQUIREMENTS

This welder is designed to operate on a

properly grounded 120 volt, 60Hz, single phase alternating current (ac) power source

fused with a 20 amp time delayed fuse or

circuit breaker. It is recommended that a qualified electrician verify the ACTUAL

VOLTAGE at the receptacle into which the

welder will be plugged and confirm that the

receptacle is properly fused and grounded.

The use of the proper circuit size can

eliminate nuisance circuit breaker tripping

when welding.

DO NOT OPERATE THIS WELDER if the

ACTUAL power source voltage is less than

105 volts ac or greater than 132 volts ac. Contact a qualified electrician if this problem exists. Improper performance and/or damage

to the welder will result if operated on

inadequate or excessive power.

CONNECT TO POWER SOURCE

Select a properly grounded extension cord

that will mate directly with the power source

receptacle and the welder power cord without the use of adapters. Make certain that the extension is properly wired and in good electrical condition.

Extension cords must be a #12 gauge cord at the smallest. Do not use an extension cord over 25 ft. in length.

ASSEMBLING THE WELDER

The following procedures describe the

process required to assemble, install,

maintain, and prepare to weld with your new wire feed welder.

UNPACKING THE WELDER

1. Remove any cartons or bags containing parts/accessories. (Most parts are shipped INSIDE the welder door.)

2. Open the cartons or bags packed with your

welder and inspect their contents for damage.

3. Layout the parts and compare them to

the the packing list in Table 3 to familiar

ize yourself with the parts and what they

are called. This will help you when

reading the manual.

WARNING

High voltage danger from power source!

Consult a qualified electrician for proper

installation of receptacle at the power source.

This welder must be grounded while in use to

protect the operator from electrical shock. If you are not sure if your outlet is properly grounded, have it checked by a qualified eiectrician. Do not cut off the grounding prong or alter the plug in any way and do not use any adapters between the welder’s power cord and the power source receptacle. Make sure the POWER switch is OFF then connect your welder’s power cord to a properly grounded 120 Vac, 60Flz, single phase, 20 amp power source.

EXTENSION CORDS

For optimum welder performance, an extension cord should not be used unless absolutely necessary. If necessary, care must be taken in selecting an extension cord appropriate for use with your specific welder.

PACKING LIST

Table 3 contains a list of the items you will find packed in the carton.

Table 3. Packing List

ITEM

Welder

Face Shield 1

Face Shield Handle Shaded Lens Welder Handle

Handle Screws

Front and Back Foot

Foot Screws Wire Brush/Hammer Parts Bag Contact Tip 0.024 Contact Tip 0.030 Contact Tip 0.040 Nozzle 2

Wire .030 Fluxcore

Manual, Instruction 1

QTY.

1 1

1 ea.

1 5 5 5

1/2 lb.

ASSEMBLE THE FACE SHIELD

1. Remove the lens retaining pegs and

shield handle nut from the arm of the

shield handle. (DO NOT DISCARD!)

2. Place the shaded lens into the space

provided on the inside of the face shield.

3. Screw the lens retaining nuts into the holes to either side of the lens until they are tight against lens.

4. Insert threaded peg on shield handle into hole on face shield. Press firmly until threaded peg and smaller peg below it are locked into place.

5. From inside of shield, screw the shield handle nut tightly onto peg threads.

See F^ure 2 for face shield assembly.

Figure 2. Face Shield Assembly

INSTALLING THE HANDLE

1. Insert the tabs of the welder handle into the

slots provided on the top of the welder.

2. Insert a large flat head screw (included in

the accessories bag) into each hole on the top of the welder handle.

3. With a flat tip screwdriver, securely

tighten both screws, (see Figure 3)

tighten both screws.

Align the holes of the back foot with the

rear screw holes on the bottom of the

welder. The curved face of the back foot should face the rear of the welder.

Insert the two Phillips head screws (included in the accessories bag) into the holes.

With a Phillips head screwdriver, securely tighten both screws, (see Figure 4)

T T

Figure 4. Feet Installation

SELECTING SHIELDING GAS

The shielding gas plays an extremely

important role in the MIG welding process. It

is critical that the molten weld puddle be shielded from the atmosphere. The shielding gas creates a protective pocket around the weld puddle which keeps impurities in the air from infecting the weld. Inadequate shielding will result in porous, brittle welds.

Although there are many gasses and gas mixtures available for MIG welding, the following recommendations are based on the electrical output characteristics and metal thickness capabilities of this specific MIG welder.

I I

Figure 3. Handle Installation

INSTALLING THE FEET

Locate the two black plastic feet for the

welder. (The front foot is slightly larger than the back foot.)

1. Lay the welder on its side.

2. Align the holes of the front foot with the front screw holes on the bottom of the welder. The curved face of the front foot

should face the front of the welder.

Insert the two Phillips head screws (includ

ed in the accessories bag) into the holes.

With a Phillips head screwdriver, securely

Gas Selection For Steel Welding With Steel Wire

For either mild or low carbon (High Strength Structural) steel, use a gas mixture of 75% Argon and 25% Carbon Dioxide. DO NOT USE Argon gas concentrations higher than 75% on steel. The result will be extremely poor penetration, porosity, and brittleness of weld.

This gas mixture helps to prevent burn through and distortion on very thin steel yet provides good penetration on thicker steel. Its ability to minimize spatter results in clean, smooth weld appearances. In addition, it provides good puddle control when welding

vertically or overhead.

Gas Selection For Stainless Steel Welding

The best shielding gas for stainless steel welding is a mixture of 90% Helium, 7.5% Argon, and 2.5% Carbon Dioxide. However,

100% Argon can also be used, but an increase in the area being heated by the arc will be experienced causing slightly greater distortion of the base metal.

Gas Selection For Steel Welding With Silicon Bronze Wire

Use only pure Argon when welding steel with

Silicon-Bronze wire.

INSTALL THE SHIELDING GAS

CHECK THE GAS FLOW

WARNING

IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTENANCE

OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS AND

REGULATORS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. To reduce the risk of

injury or death, always stand to the side of the cylinder opposite the regulator when opening the cylinder valve, keeping the cylinder valve

between you and the regulator. Never aim the open cylinder valve port at yourself or

bystanders. Failure to comply with this warning

could result in serious personal injury.

WARNING

IMPROPER HANDLING AND MAINTE NANCE OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLIN DERS AND REGULATORS CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! Always

secure gas cylinders to the welding cart, a wall, or other fixed support to prevent the cylinder from falling oyer and rupturing.

Read, understand, and follow all the COM PRESSED GASSES AND EQUIPMENT HAZARDS in the SAFETY SUMMARY at the

front of this manual. Secure your gas cylin

der to the welding cart, or other fixed sup port.

1. Remove the protective cap from the cylin

der and inspect the regulator connecting

threads for dust, dirt, oil, and grease.

Remove any dust or dirt with a clean cloth. DO NOT ATTACH YOUR REGULA

TOR IF OIL, GREASE, OR DAMAGE ARE PRESENT.

2. Open the cylinder valve FOR JUST AN INSTANT to blow out any foreign matter

inside the valve port. Never aim the open valve cylinder port at yourself or bystanders.

3. Screw the regulator into the cylinder

valve and tighten with a wrench.

4. Firmly push the gas hose over barbed fit

tings on back of welder and regulator.

5. Secure both ends of hose onto barbed fit

tings with hose clamps.

Note: If the cylinder you have is equipped

with male regulator connecting threads

instead of female, you will need to obtain a special compressed gas cylinder adaptor

from your gas supplier to install between

your gas cylinder and regulator.

-The gas control function does not require the welder to be turned on or plugged in.

-To avoid damage to your regulator, make sure you have the regulator valve closed before opening the cylinder valve.

Slowly crack open the cylinder valve,

then turn open ALL THE WAY.

Pull the trigger on the gun to allow the gas to flow. KEEP THE TRIGGER

PULLED. Listen and feel for gas flowing

from the end of the welding gun. If your

regulator has no adjustment, it has been preset at the factory for a flow of 20 cubic feet per hour. If your gas regulator has an adjustment to control the gas flow rate, turn the adjustment key clockwise to

increase gas flow; counterclockwise to reduce flow. For most welding, the gas

flow should be set at 15-20 cubic feet per

hour. If no gas is heard or felt, verify alt

steps involved in connecting the gas.

Release the trigger.

3. Note: If welding outside or in a draft, it may

become necessary to set up a wind break to keep the shielding gas from being blown from the weld area.

-MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF THE GAS CYLINDER VALVE WHEN DONE

WELDING.

ALIGN AND SET THE DRIVE ROLLER

Before installing any welding wire into the unit, the proper sized groove must be placed into position on the wire drive mechanism.

Change the drive roller according to the fol lowing steps:

1. Remove the drive tension by unscrewing tNe tension adjusting screw (ALL THE WAY in a counterclockwise direction). The drive tension screw will come loose,

allowing you to pull the drive tension arm up away from the drive roller. Make sure

to keep the screw and the spring in place with the drive tension arm.

2. If there is wire already installed in the welder, roll it back onto the wire spool by

hand-turning the spool counter-clockwise. Be careful not to allow the wire to come out of the rear end of the gun without holding onto it or it will unspool itself. Put

the end of the wire into the hole on the

outside edge of the wire spool and bend it over to hold the wire in place. Remove

the spool of wire from the welder.

3. Loosen the drive roller set screw with the provided hex wrench and pull the drive roller off the drive shaft.

Note: The drive roller has two wire size

grooves built into it. When installing the drive

roller the number stamped on the drive roller

for the wire size you are using should be fac

ing away from you. If you can read the wire

size you are using on the drive roller, it is

installed backwards. Use only the proper

size drive roller when using your welder.

4. Find the side of the drive roller that is stamped with the same wire diameter as that of the wire being installed (see

Figure 5, and if in metric, see DESCRIP

TION). Push the drive roller onto the

motor shaft, aligning the set screw with the flat side of the drive shaft. Make sure the side stamped with the desired wire diameter is away from you.

Drive Roller

Set Screw

Motor Shaft

Rgure 5. Drive Roller

5. Slide the roller onto the shaft so that the groove in the roller lines up with the inlet tube and the welding gun liner.

6. Tighten the set screw, while holding the drive roller in place.

INSTALL THE WELDING WIRE

^ WARNING

Electric shock can kill! Always turn the

POWER switch OFF and unplug the power cord from the ac power source before installing wire.

Be very careful when removing the welding nozzle. The contact tip on this welder is electrically hot as long as POWER is turned ON. Make certain POWER is turned OFF.

1. Remove the nozzle and contact tip from

the end of the gun assembly.

2. Make sure the proper groove on the drive roller is in place for the wire being installed.

If the proper groove is not in place, change

the drive roller as described above.

3. Unwrap the spool of wire and then find the leading end of the wire (it goes through a hole in the outer edge of the spool and is bent over the spool edge to

prevent the wire from unspooling), BUT DO NOT UNHOOK IT YET.

4. Place the spool on the spindle in such a

manner that when the wire comes off the

spool, it will look like the top illustration in

Figure 6. The welding wire should always

come off the top of the spool into the drive mechanism.

Figure 6. Wire Installation

If you are installing a four-inch spool of wire, install the drive brake hardware on the top of the spool of wire according to figure 7A. If you are installing an eightinch spool, install the spindle adapter and drive brake hardware as shown in Figure 7B. The purpose of the drive brake is to cause the spool of wire to stop turning at nearly the same moment that wire feeding stops.

Note: If TOO MUCH tension is applied to the

wire spool, the wire will slip on the drive

roller or will not be able to feed at all. If TOO LITTLE tension is applied, the spool of wire

will want to unspool itself. Readjust the drive

brake tension as necessary to correct for either problem.

7. After checking to make sure that your welder is disconnected from the ac power source, free the leading end of the wire from the spool, but do not let go of it until told to do so, or the wire will unspool itself.

8. Use a wire cutter, cut the bent end off the leading end of the wire so that only a straight leading end remains.

9. Loosen the tension adjusting screw holding the drive tension arm in place and lift the tension arm up off the drive roller.

10. Insert the leading end of the wire into the inlet guide tube. Then push it across the drive roller and into the gun assembly about six inches.

ch:>

Figure 7A. Drive

Brake Hardware

Installation

Figure 7B. Spindle

Adapter and Drive

Brake Installation

6. Once the drive brake hardware is installed, set the spool tension. With one hand, turn

the wire spool and continue turning it while adjusting the tension on the spool. With your free hand, tighten (turn clockwise) the

knob that holds the spool in place. Stop

tightening when drag is felt on the wire spool that you are turning, then stop hand turning the wire spool.

CAUTION

Make certain that the welding wire is actually is going into the gun liner. Be very sure it has

not somehow been accidentally been routed alongside the liner or even in some other direction. If this should happen, the wire could feed inside the cable casing or take a

right angle and follow the wires and gas

hose inside the welder. It could also feed

back on itself jamming up the mechanism.

11. Line the wire up in the inside groove of

the drive roller, then allow the drive ten sion arm to drop onto the drive roller.

12. Tighten (turn clockwise) the drive tension adjusting screw until the tension roller is applying enough force on the wire to prevent it from slipping out of the drive assembly.

13. Let go of the wire.

14. Connect the welder power cord to the ac power source. Turn the welder ON by setting the VOLTAGE switch to the volt age (heat) setting recommended for the gauge metal that is to be welded. Refer

to the label mounted on the cover, inside the drive compartment, for recommended voltage (heat) settings for your welding

job. The VOLTAGE selector controls the

weld heat. There are four voltage heat

selections (lettered A through D) available on this welder. Position A provides the lowest voltage (heat) and position D the highest voltage (heat).

15. Set the WIRE SPEED control to the

middle of the wire speed range.

16. Straighten the gun cable and pull the trigger on the welding gun to feed the wire through the gun assembly.

17. When at least an inch of wire sticks out

past the end of the gun, release the

trigger.

18. Select a contact tip stamped with the

same diameter as the wire being used. If stamped in metric see DESCRIPTION.

CHANGE POLARITY

This welder allows you the capability to change the welding current polarity. You may select either dc Straight (dc - Flux Cored) or dc Reverse Polarity (dc + MIG). For welding steel with solid wire, stainless steel, flux cored hardfacing of steel, and silicon bronze welding of steel, select dc Reverse Polarity (dc + MIG). When using self-shielding, flux-core steel wire, use dc Straight Polarity (dc - Flux Cored).

Change the polarity of your welder according

to the followiiSg procedure steps. Figure 6

shows what the polarity block should look like

for each polarity setting.

Note: Due to inherent variances in flux-cored

welding wire, it may be necessary to use a contact tip one size larger than your flux core wire if wire jams occur.

19. Slide the contact tip over the wire

(protruding from the end of the gun).

Thread the contact tip into the end of the gun and hand-tighten securely.

20. Install the nozzle on the gun assembly. For best results, coat the inside of the nozzle with anti-stick spray or gel.

21. Cut off the excess wire that extends past

the end of the nozzle.

SET THE WIRE DRIVE TENSION

WARNING

To reduce the risk of arc flash, make certain that the wire coming out of the end of the gun does not come in contact with work

piece, ground clamp or any grounded materi

al during the drive tension setting process or arcing will occur.

WARNING

Electric shock can kill! Always turn the

power OFF and unplug the power cord from the ac power source before changing polarity.

CAUTION Do not use a ratchet, crescent or other lever type wrench to tighten knobs on the polarity block. The nuts must be hand tightened only. Too much torque applied to one of the knobs could cause the knob to break off.

1. Remove the retaining knobs from the + and - mounting posts on the Gas/No Gas

Board, located just below the drive motor

on the inside of your welder. A. For Gasless welding, mount the

Ground Clamp ring terminal to the “+” mounting post and the Torch ring ter minal to the mounting post.

B. For Gas (MiG) welding, mount the

Ground Clamp ring terminal to the mounting post and theTorch ring

terminal to the mounting post.

See configuration shown in Figure 8.

1. Pull the trigger on the gun.

2. Turn the drive tension adjustment knob clockwise, increasing the drive tension until the wire seems to feed smoothly

without slipping.

Figure 8. Changing Polarity

OPERATION

Operation of this welder consists of selecting and adjusting operating controls for optimum voltage (welding heat) and wire speed settings.

CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

allowing the metals to flow together through

the use of an electrical arc. The electrical arc

is created between a continuous consumable wire electrode (the welding wire) and the work piece. An inert shielding gas is used to

protect the weld puddle from contamination and enhance the welding capabilities of the electrical arc.

W WARNING

Electric shock can kilt! Whenever the

POWER switch is in the ON position, the ' welding circuit is activated. Under this condition, an arc will occur if the welding wire or any part of the welding circuit comes in contact with welding ground.

POWER SWITCH - The power switch

supplies electrical current to the welder. Whenever the power switch is in the ON position, the welding circuit is activated.

ALWAYS turn the power switch to the OFF

position and unplug the welder before performing any maintenance.

VOLTAGE SELECTOR ^ The voltage selec

tor controls the welding heat. The voltage selector is lettered A-D. Letter A is the lowest

heat and letter D the highest. Refer to the label under the welder hood (or on page 30

of this manual) for recommended heat settings for your welding job. Position D on the Voltage Selector produces the rated out

put of 85 amps.

Whether you have welded before or not, it is

important that you become familiar with your

new welder, its controls, and the results achieved at different settings. We strongly recommend that you practice with your new welder on scrap metal trying different heat settings, base metal thicknesses, and welding positions for each type and size of wire you will be using. By doing this you will gain a fee!

for how changes in these welding variables

affect the weld. Of course, if you have not welded before,

you will need to develop welding skills and

techniques as well. The self-taught welder learns through a

process of trial and error. The best way to

teach yourself how to weld is with short peri ods of practice at regular intervals. All prac tice welds should be done on scrap metal that can be discarded. Do not attempt to

make any repairs on valuable equipment until you have satisfied yourself that your practice welds are of good appearance and

free of slag or gas inclusions. What you fail to learn through practice will be learned through mistakes and re-welds later on.

WIRE SPEED CONTROL - The wire speed

control adjusts the speed at which the wire is

fed out of the welding gun. The wire speed

needs to be closely matched (tuned-in) to the rate at which it is being melted off. Some things that affect wire speed selection are the type and diameter of the wire being

used, the heat setting selected, and the welding position to be used.

Note: The wire will feed faster without an

arc. When an arc is being drawn, the wire speed will slow down.

LEARNING TO WELD

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is the process of uniting metallic parts by heating and

HOLDING THE GUN

The best way to hold the welding gun is the way that feels most comfortable to you. While practicing to use your new welder, experiment holding the gun in different posi tions until you find the one that seems to work best for you. Refer to WELDING POSI TIONS-p.18)

Position the Gun to the Work Piece

There are two angles of the gun nozzle in relation to the work piece that must be con sidered when welding.

1. Angle A (Figure 9) can be varied, but in

most cases the optimum angle will be 60

degrees. The point at which the gun handle is parallel to the work piece. If angle A is increased, penetration will increase. If angle A is decreased, pene tration will decrease also.

Distance from the Work Piece

The end of the welding gun is designed with the contact tip recessed from the end of the

nozzle and the nozzle electrically insulated from the rest of the gun. This permits the operator to actually rest the nozzle on the work piece and drag it along while welding. This can be very helpful to beginning welders to steady the gun, allowing the welder to concentrate on welding technique. If the

nozzle is held off the work piece, the distance between the nozzle and the work

piece shoulcFbe kept constant and should

not exceed 1^4 ihch or the arc may begin sputtering, signaling a loss in welding

performance

Figure 9. Gun Position, Angle A

Angle B (Figure 10) can be varied for two reasons: to improve the ability to see the arc in relation to the weld puddle and to direct the force of the arc.

K\\\\\\mi

Angle B

Figure 10. Gun Position, Angle B

The force of the welding arc follows a straight line out of the end of the nozzle.

If angle B is changed, so will the direction of

arc force and the point at which penetration will be concentrated.

On a butt weld joint, the only reason to vary angle B from perpendicular (straight up) to the work piece would be to improve visibility of the weld puddle. In this case, angle B can

be varied anywhere from zero to 45 degrees

with 30 degrees working about the best. On a fillet weld joint, the nozzle is generally

positioned in such a manner so as to split

the angle between the horizontal and vertical

members of the weld joint. In most cases, a

fillet weld will be 45 degrees.

WELDING TECHNIQUES

WARNING

EXPOSURE TO A WELDING ARC IS

EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO THE EYES AND SKIN! Prolonged exposure to the

welding arc can cause blindness and burns.

Never strike an arc or begin welding until you are adequately protected. Wear flameproof welding gloves, a heavy long sleeved shirt, cuffless trousers, high topped shoes and a welding helmet.

WARNING

ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL! To prevent

ELECTRIC SHOCK, do not perform any welding while standing, kneeling, or lying directly on the grounded work.

MOVING THE GUN

Gun travel refers to the movement of the gun along the weld joint and is broken into two elements; Direction and Speed. A solid weld bead requires that the welding gun be moved steadily and at the right speed along the weld joint. Moving the gun too fast, too slow, or erratically will prevent proper fusion or create a lumpy, uneven bead.

1. TRAVEL DIRECTION is the direction the

gun is moved along the weld joint in

relation to the weld puddle. The gun is either PUSHED {see Figure 11) into the weld pud dle or PULLED away from the weld puddle.

PUSH Puddle py^L

Figure 11. Travel Direction

For most welding jobs you will pull the

gun along the weld joint to take advan tage of the greater weld puddle visibility.

2. TRAVEL SPEED is the rate at which the

gun is being pushed or pulled along the weld joint. For a fixed heat setting, the faster the travel speed, the lower the

penetration and the lower and narrower

the finished weld bead. Likewise, the

slower the travel speed, the deeper the penetration and the higher and wider the

finished weld bead.

centered over the weld joint. This is the easi est type of bead to make.

2. The WEAVE BEAD (Figure 13) is used when you want to deposit metal over a wider space than would be possible with a stringer bead. It is made by weaving from side to side while moving with the gun. It is best to hesitate momentarily at each side before weaving back the other way.

TYPES OF WELD BEADS

The following paragrapjhs discuss the most

commonly used welding beads. Once you have the gun in position with the

wire lined up on the weld joint, lower your

helmet, pull the trigger and the arc will start.

In a second or two you will notice a weld puddle form and the base of the bead be ginning to build. It is now time to begin to

move with the gun. If you are just learning to weld, simply move the gun in a straight line and at a steady speed along the weld joint. Try to achieve a weld with the desired

penetration and a bead that is fairly flat and consistent in width.

As you become more familiar with your new welder and better at laying some simple weld

beads, you can begin to try some different weld bead types.

WELDING POSITIONS

There are four basic welding positions: flat,

horizontal, vertical, and overhead.

1. The FLAT POSITION (Figure 14) is the easiest of the welding positions and is most commonly used. It is best if you can weld in

the flat position if at all possible as good

results are easier to achieve.

There are two basic types of weld beads, the stringer bead and the weave bead.

1. The STRINGER BEAD (Figure 12) is

formed by traveling with the gun in a straight

line while keeping the wire and nozzle

2. The HORIZONTAL POSITION (Figure 15) is next in difficulty level. It is performed very much the same as the flat weld except that

+ 42 hidden pages

Craftsman 196.205690 User Manual [en, es]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WARRANTY

INTRODUCTION

SAFETY SUMMARY

W WARNING

WARNING

WARNING

WELDER SPECIFICATIONS

CAUTION

WELDER INSTALLATION

WARNING

WARNING

^ WARNING

WARNING

OPERATION

W WARNING