Shop / Tools Opportunity to learn/experience welding... Episode 1

[Hickey]

030 or you’re a dummy. 😁

 

[SoopaHick]

As stated before, .030 is your best all rounder. Prime on about 1/8"-3/16" with about a +/- 1/16" range (Technically speaking... We all push it out of that range all the time.)
.023 is best for when you get into gauge thickness
.035 is best for 3/16" and up.

 

[frieed]

I picked up a 170 a while back, been pretty happy with it. Eerybody here told me I'm a dummy for running .035, so I'll switch to .03 when this spool runs out.

Kevin, you're a dummy running .035.... get some .030 and you'll be a dummy running .030

 

[Herzog]

I’ve always ran .035, except on smaller gauge stuff 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Kevin B.]

I’ve always ran .035, except on smaller gauge stuff 🤷🏻‍♂️

Ha! Dummy.

 

[The_Lobbster]

Input? This is 3/16”. Wondering if there is enough penetration. Didn’t preheat at all. At about 21 volts and 250 on the wire speed.

Now I’m starting to worry I made a mistake in not saving for longer and getting the 170 220v machine.

 

[1969honda]

Got a picture of the back sides to show if it was heated all of the way thru? If you are really concerned and it is just a practice piece, you can cut thru the weld and examine the penetration at the root.

 

[Kevin B.]

I am not a welder, but I can pretend to be one until @SoopaHick gets here and I think that's cold. Some things I learned welding 1/4 with my old 100... first get it shiny. Strip it back to bare metal. Check your ground, make sure it's SOLID. Plug the machine into the closest outlet to your breaker, and if you have to use an extension cord, use a super thick one. Turn your amps up and go slower, to get more heat into your puddle. Turn your wire speed down to compensate. Bevel the edge so that you can bury a first pass in there, if you need to go twice.

Some of this is terrible advice. Teaching myself to go hot and slow has made me a poorer welder . Working with my 170 or @frieed's 230 machine is an exercise in frustration, because now I go TOO slow and end up blowing through stuff I really shouldn't be blowing through. I'm relearning. If you intend to go after thicker sheet metals with that welder, you'll eventually have to relearn too when you wind up with a bigger machine.

 

[SoopaHick]

Input? This is 3/16”. Wondering if there is enough penetration. Didn’t preheat at all. At about 21 volts and 250 on the wire speed.

Now I’m starting to worry I made a mistake in not saving for longer and getting the 170 220v machine.


View attachment 171547

View attachment 171548

View attachment 171549

That machine should be able to do 3/16". I would say it's the top end of its capabilities but it can definitely do it.
Does that Titanium come with suggested settings in the wire feeder box?
There is a few things you can adjust to affect that penetration that isn't necessarily just your settings on the machine.
Angle: A "Push" angle generally gives you more even penetration while a "Drag" angle gives you deeper penetration right down the center of the weld.

Stickout: Your Spatter doesn't look too out of character but could be lessened by getting in a little closer. This will force the machine to raise your amperage which directly corelates to penetration.

Articulation/motion: I see some people tend to run back over their solidified puddle too much in some motions to get a desired look but that can keep the amps from being able to burn into the basement as MIG doesn't have the puddle temp to do it itself.

Overall that looks like a good weld. Fusion wise the edges are wetting in properly, there aren't any hard lines to indicate lack of fusion. As stated above if it sounds right, feels right, and you're getting a decent heat affected zone on the backside I'd be plenty confident in those welds.

 

[STAG]

bend it over forwards (giggity) until it breaks, and then look to see how deep you penetrated (giggity giggity)

 

[The_Lobbster]

That machine should be able to do 3/16". I would say it's the top end of its capabilities but it can definitely do it.
Does that Titanium come with suggested settings in the wire feeder box?
There is a few things you can adjust to affect that penetration that isn't necessarily just your settings on the machine.
Angle: A "Push" angle generally gives you more even penetration while a "Drag" angle gives you deeper penetration right down the center of the weld.

Stickout: Your Spatter doesn't look too out of character but could be lessened by getting in a little closer. This will force the machine to raise your amperage which directly corelates to penetration.

Articulation/motion: I see some people tend to run back over their solidified puddle too much in some motions to get a desired look but that can keep the amps from being able to burn into the basement as MIG doesn't have the puddle temp to do it itself.

Overall that looks like a good weld. Fusion wise the edges are wetting in properly, there aren't any hard lines to indicate lack of fusion. As stated above if it sounds right, feels right, and you're getting a decent heat affected zone on the backside I'd be plenty confident in those welds.

Thanks for the tips! I still have a little adjustment to turn up the voltage too, so I’ll fiddle around a bit more.

Irritatingly, the box states it can handle up to 5/16, but, nothing on the chart anywhere comes close, even for the flux core option. Here’s a pic of the chart it does show.

 

[SoopaHick]

Thanks for the tips! I still have a little adjustment to turn up the voltage too, so I’ll fiddle around a bit more.

Irritatingly, the box states it can handle up to 5/16, but, nothing on the chart anywhere comes close, even for the flux core option. Here’s a pic of the chart it does show.


View attachment 171553

I wouldn't worry about turning the voltage up, maybe spend more time adjusting the Wire Feed Speed. That's where your larger change in amps and therefore penetration/depth will be. Voltage really only changes the width and wetness of the weld. Obviously you adjust the voltage to match the WFS but that's where did focus more on.