Newbie with first welds from the IMIG 200

[youngnstudly]

Yes, using a timer and tape measure. Thanks for the encouraging comments................... looking for suggestions also.

Later today I'm going to give it another try.

cheers
JohnG

Years back, I trained a new apprentice to tack weld and square up HVAC duct, mainly so he'd learn about welding and fit up, while I was able to do more important tasks elsewhere. He somehow got the idea to use one welder to calibrate the other welder. That's when I started asking "Do you have any questions before I go?"

That's very cool you were able to get some free material to practice on! So much drop is wasted in shops that use large quantities of material daily. A few of the shops around here donate excess scraps to the local JC and high school shop programs.

Edit: I forgot to ask what your method was for welding the 2 pieces together. Are you running a straight bead, or weaving across the gap to join your 2 parts together? You can try many different motions including circles, half circles, whipping motions back and forth, etc. Or you can just run a straight stringer bead by dragging the stinger along at a steady pace.

[johnnymg]

Hi Andy
Thanks for the comments.

That was a straight stinger. I tried a couple 'short weave patterns' and the welds looked way too lumpy, I suspect due to a 'too high' wire feed rate. I've got some clean material now so I'll hopefully post some additional pics later today for comment/critique.

JohnG

[performance]

A couple more things that might help. From the ends of the tubing you are getting over penetration. You really should be getting just a little penetration. There is NO merit in having too much penetration. If you get any penetration, and it's consistent, that's all you need. I recommend turning your arc force UP to about 3 o clock position for best operation. This will affect the bead and sound of the unit. It will be a little more raspy, but it will lay out a flatter bead and wet in better. With what you are doing you could get away with 16.5 volts and about 185-195 on the wire speed.

[johnnymg]

Mark

Thanks for the hints: I didn't realize the Arc Force control worked with the MIG gun! I thought it was a stick only adjustment. Anyway, I had it set at 11:00 for those welds. I was also trying to get full penetration as I had read MIG welds are infamous for looking good while sometimes having negligible penetration. I'll try the Arc Force setting at 3:00 and back off on the penetration for the next go-round. Heading to the garage now............. will see how long I last at 95 degrees.

cheers
JohnG

A couple more things that might help. From the ends of the tubing you are getting over penetration. You really should be getting just a little penetration. There is NO merit in having too much penetration. If you get any penetration, and it's consistent, that's all you need. I recommend turning your arc force UP to about 3 o clock position for best operation. This will affect the bead and sound of the unit. It will be a little more raspy, but it will lay out a flatter bead and wet in better. With what you are doing you could get away with 16.5 volts and about 185-195 on the wire speed.

[Kempy]

Heading to the garage now............. will see how long I last at 95 degrees.

cheers
JohnG

Did that 28 years ago and never again I put in a large air conditioner set to 65F and never look back at hot weather again. We do get -35F in the winter.

[johnnymg]

OK, back from the 'oven'............... more on that later

Getting slightly better results on 1/8" clean steel. These strips were done with 0.030" wire. Went to switch to 0.035" and Monsoon cell (big lightning) knocked out the power. Waiting for the cell to clear out before plugging the welder back in. The blobby looking bottom weld was an experiment with multiple passes..........

18V and ~200 in/min. Set the arc force to 3:00 but I can't really tell any difference.

[johnnymg]

Here's a couple more pics ...... Getting a little better but I'm getting a bit of popping sound which may be from impurities/dirt. I brushed off the metal but it may have some oil on it since we dug these pieces out of the cut-off machine bin. ??? I'm using Inefil ER70S-6 0.035". These pieces are 1/8" mild steel. What's the simplest way to remove oil/grease from metal before welding? I'd prefer to NOT use acetone which I see mentioned as a common cleaning agent.

One of the better welds of two pieces. 18.5V ~200 in/min


Stringers welded in the vertical orientation (in the down direction)....... stringer on the right was freehand and the others were with my welding hand braced.


cheers
JohnG