- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
030 or you’re a dummy. 😁
Shop / Tools Opportunity to learn/experience welding... Episode 1
- Thread starter frieed
- Start date
- Location
- Eagle Mountain, Utah
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.
.023 is best for when you get into gauge thickness
.035 is best for 3/16" and up.
- Location
- Draper, UT
Kevin, you're a dummy running .035.... get some .030 and you'll be a dummy running .030
- Location
- Stinkwater
Ha! Dummy.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
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.
Now I’m starting to worry I made a mistake in not saving for longer and getting the 170 220v machine.
- Location
- Stinkwater
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.
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.
- Location
- Eagle Mountain, Utah
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.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
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.
- Location
- Eagle Mountain, Utah
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.
- Location
- Stinkwater
This is neat.
www.facebook.com
6.9M views · 74K reactions | No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop #machinist #machineshop
No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop...
www.facebook.com
I guess this is an issue if you have a leak? I bet my bottle has been open for 3 years and we all know how little I use it.This is neat.
6.9M views · 74K reactions | No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop #machinist #machineshop
No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop...
That IS neat. I'll raise with this:This is neat.
6.9M views · 74K reactions | No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop #machinist #machineshop
No more wondering if I closed my bottles or running around my shop to verify they’re shut @strong_hand_tools #weld #welding #welder #weldshop #fabricate #fabshop #fabrication #metalwork #metalshop...
Welding gas cylinder valve cap with indicator by funkenjaeger
This is a simple drop-on cap for welding gas cylinders (argon, C25, etc) with 5-point knobs. It provides a simple visual indication of whether the valve was last turned clockwise or counterclockwise.demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYlOAg2nk7MApply bright paint, reflective tape, nail...
www.thingiverse.com
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
I've never had an issue with my welder having a leak, but I did lose an entire acetylene bottle once because I didn't realize the torch I was using had leaky valves. Became a force of habit to always shut my tank off immediately after use now on everything.
Before I walk out of the shop I check every valve and say out loud "argon closed", etc. For some reason saying it out loud helps me remember that I checked it a few hours later while I'm sitting in the house wondering if I shut off the valves.
I think I might print some of those cap indicators... that's a cool idea.
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
My brother and I were building a YJ for him around 2004 and he had just upgraded to the 250 CF cylinder for his welder. We left the gas on that weekend after filling his tank. I’m not sure where the leak was, but it was empty in just a few days. I’m definitely OCD about my shielding tank valve now. Switch off, valve closed. Every single time.
Same.
