Need advice from the welding experts.

[Samckitt]

I just can't seem to get a good looking weld from my Lincoln powermig 220 & was wanting to know if some of the experts would show what a good weld looks like welding 2 pieces at 90* & just laying a bead on a flat surface. Maybe I just can't get what I think is possible.

Thanks

[protour_chevelle]

First off, are you left handed or right handed? If so what way are you starting from(left to right, vise versa). You gun tip should be 45degrees of the 90 in your angle with roughly 15 degrees inclination(towards the opposite way you are going).

If you are right handed some guys go right to left with the ass end being dropped down for the 15 degrees. Some start at the left and go right with the same idea for the 15 degrees. You will get more penetration(well easier to get penetration) going right to left.

You can now use a slight step or weave motion. Pull trigger, get arc going, move forward a bit and come back into about half to a 1/4 of your previous weld, and repeat.

Hopefully that makes sense. If not let me know and I'll try to clarify more.



is what your going for/\/\/\/\

[Samckitt]

Yeah that is what I want. I am right handed, doing pretty much what you described. Except I didn't do the "2 steps forward 1 step back" routine. Still I get it to pile up too much, If I turn the heat up then it spit & sputters like not enough wire is coming out, if I turn the wire speed down I get the same. I'll go try the "2 forward 1 back" with & see what happens. Thanks Matt.

[Samckitt]

OK here are 2 tries. With some practice would be better.

[Samckitt]

Here is the second one, closer & cropped. Lots of splatter...?

[Goatman]

Dirty metal.......

[kamaroman68]

looks like dirty metal and maybe an incorrect gas setting. my welds look like that also and i am taking a welding class. i think consistency is also a major part in welding. my beads are never the same size. to me it looks decent. chris

[Samckitt]

Not enough gas flow maybe? It was outside, maybe a little too windy.

[Goatman]

Poor gas flow would leave pits in the weld itself. Just like welding with the gas still shutoff...

[protour_chevelle]

Poor gas flow will cause porosity. Too much gas flow will cause porosity.

What gas are you running? With Carbon Dioxide gas you should be around 20 CFH

[JMarsa]

As a novice in a class also, most of my splatter is cause by improper angle and/or proximity to the work piece.

--JMarsa

[Goatman]

I would say he's probably just going to fast/has his wire feed up too high and he needs to clean the metal better. Perhaps being too far away would cause splatter like that...

[Samckitt]

Chris (Goatman),
Of the things you mentioned, it could be wire feed or need to clean the metal better. Gun was very close to the weld & I was going very slow. Gas flow was on around 30, I sanded rust off both pieces of metal. I'll try again when I get a chance & mess with wire speed.
Thanks,

[protour_chevelle]

From your contact tip to end of your wire... You should be 3/8".

[Samckitt]

I might have been a little closer than that.

[z28orshoot]

here is a couple of things to check.

make sure you have solid wire not flux core.

make the polarity eletrode positive meaning the wire is the (+) pole and the ground is in the (-) pole of the welder.

have both pieces of metal clean NO RUST

you might try a 75%Ar 25%CO2 mix ...this reduces splatter and has better overall apperance

the splatter could be caused by several things like wire speed too high, voltage too high, electrode to long, dirty work piece, insuffecent gas flow, and dirty wire.



hope this helps

[Samckitt]

I have solid wire.

Almost 100% positive polarity is correct.

I used an angle grinder to get rid of rust, maybe not good enough.

Am using a mix on the gas, I assume it is 25/75.

I'll double check.

Thanks,
Scot

[Gordz32]

Heres a helpful hint, Set ur gas to the desired level ( useually anywhere from 12-20CFH), Get a scrap piece of steel, clean it, and fire away, hold the trigger down and adjust ur setting so that its a nice bacon sizzleing sound. When thats done your ready to go. Don't skip on cleaning the metal. Get some tip dip, and make sure there is no wind in the area. Do that all that and you should get some nice welds. Maybe its me, but I don't worry to much about position of the nozzle in relation to the material, practice makes perfect. Goodluck

[Steve68]

Gas flow is too high, I was getting bad porosity this weekend, but I was also welding aluminized exhaust pipe that was old and used, I checked the reg when I got home and my gas flow was too low, less than 8, turned it up and it worked like a dream!!

Hobart 140 solid wire, mix gas

[Samckitt]

Gordz32 - Adjust what while holding down the trigger? Gas or wire speed?