inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
hill that is....playing with the mig welder. When trying to go up hill it looks like someone took a dump in the joint...going downhill they look normal. Penetration looks good...so what say you folks....
Up or down....
- Thread starter inkjunkie
- Start date
-
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Where is the JB Weld option?
Down hand looks better because like water molten metal flows down so less buildup. Penetration may look good but not always the case. Just like welding left to right vs right to left.
Dragging the weld can leave higher build up vs pushing the weld.
I like down hand welding on about a 30degree angle slows the flow better penetration.
That method often works well for less experienced welders.
Dragging the weld can leave higher build up vs pushing the weld.
I like down hand welding on about a 30degree angle slows the flow better penetration.
That method often works well for less experienced welders.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
You are a moderator....perhaps you can add it for me?
younggun2.0
Well-Known Member
I can lay a damn nice bead down but up its looks like goose ****. I run down and crank the voltage up a bit. That's just the way I like to do it
Back in Time
Well-Known Member
Built roll cages for Caterpillar for a while...Always went down hill when I had too and passed x-ray.Of course prefered for mig is flat and push weld.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Added... Lol, now I guess I have to vote for it.... Welding isn't my forte because I can't see a thing when I have a hood on and I even bought an auto darkening hood.
Does it have a lens adjustment on it?
famous bob
mopar misfit
ya, bifocals don`t help me much either, pain in the drain to get lined up!
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Yes, it does. It is the light that comes in from the sides that kills me. I think I should try welding when it is dark outside.
My eyes do weird things anyway and always have. When I go to the eye doctor and have to line the red square and the green square on top of each other I can't do it. For some reason my brain uses one eye more than the other and I can switch between them instantly.
Get a piece of chamois or thin leather duct tape it to the helmet top front. When you put on the helmet flip it over your noggin. Blocks the back light and keeps your head protected.
GEO
Sarcasm Inc.
I prefer going down hill too.
magnumdart
There is a bad moon on the rise.
I voted all the above.
Dartnut
Don't hate me because i'm beautiful
Downhill is how it's designed to run, or on the flat, a neutral or push technique.
Turn up the voltage a bit as previously mentioned.
Remember, voltage is penetration, and wire speed is heat on a mig.
At any rate, it's a good idea to oscillate the tip slightly or use a small whip technique while welding, because mig welding is bad for cold lap especially if you don't clean off the mill scale in the welding zone on mild steel especially.
Turn up the voltage a bit as previously mentioned.
Remember, voltage is penetration, and wire speed is heat on a mig.
At any rate, it's a good idea to oscillate the tip slightly or use a small whip technique while welding, because mig welding is bad for cold lap especially if you don't clean off the mill scale in the welding zone on mild steel especially.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
My machine has pre-set power levels. Jumping from one to another is often a very BIG jump. Tried upping the power while running down hill yesterday, got some very hot looking welds. Puddle was moving so fast I could not really keep up with it....
View attachment millermatic185.jpg
View attachment millermatic185.jpg
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Thanks, I will try that the next time I have the welder out.
Inertia
Well-Known Member
I bought some of those drug store "reading glasses", in a magnification that helps,, and look "over" them grampa style when nec,, helps a lot..
I've also found using a flourescent bulb in the trouble light doesn't trip the helmet "darkening" as easily as incandescent.. shield the "bulb" so the welding sparks don't blow it by cutting off part of a clear plastic water bottle and place it over flourescent "bulb".. ..
hope it helps..
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
I always get spun sideways when I try to figure out what voltage/wirespeed controls....
Sitting here mindlessly looking at "stuff" on the internet and found this on a website....
"Wire speed actually controls welding current (the power knob on the welder only sets the voltage). Increasing the wire speed past the point where you achieve a nice consistent weld will only increase the current and can cause blow through on thinner steel."
Which just furthers my confusion....will need to mess around with the welder to understand it...
I found the above on this site....
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/wire-speed.htm
there is a neat little video that lets you see/hear what the spectrum of wire feed....from far too slow to far too fast....thought it was interesting.
I asked this question to see what others do. Have seen on some welding instructional sites that uphill is the only way to go, more or less. No matter how hard I try I can't get past the "poop" welds....and get frustrated forcing me to give up.
I also always struggle when welding two different gauges together. I remember an instructor I had years ago telling the class when doing this concentrate the heat on the thicker of the two. When doing this it seems like I either don't get enough penetration on the thinner piece....or I vaporize it. Buddy that owns a fab shop showed me several different times how he welds...I was always able to weld correctly while I was standing in front of him....soon as I head home it becomes a hit or miss. I am confident that my welds are "good enough" but would like them to be "right".....
I guess it depends what your welding. Down hand with flux core will trap flux and slag in the weld puddle. In multi pass welding where you grind out most of the root pass any how you could down hand the root pass but the hot pass and cap weld should be up hand or it won't pass xray. Welding pressure pipe for Dow and Dow Corning for many years and was never allowed to down hand anything even brackets.
http://www.lawsonproducts.com/lawson/MIG-Welding-Wire-Cleaning-Pad-Red/CW5866.lp
The right part for the job is usually the cheapest way in the long run.
You can find them for less then this place though.
Pm sent.
The right part for the job is usually the cheapest way in the long run.
You can find them for less then this place though.
Pm sent.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Here is a 6 pack for $13.29 plus shipping.
[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Welding-Red-Kleener-Pads-Mig-Wire-Clean-/180385681266?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item29ffd30f72"]Welding Red Kleener Pads MIG Wire Clean | eBay[/ame]
That's about the right price. It pays to shop around. Although free is even better.
64 SRT8 Dart
Well-Known Member
Depends if the wire has an all-position rating.
-
Similar threads
