Mig welder settings

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Dirtydog
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Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

Howdy folks,

once again i am asking for your guys advice.

Ive just got a welder, 120 amp mig. gas and gasless.

it came with some flux core to pratice with aswell.

only problem is i dont know what settings to use for what.

Image

Ill mainly be doing between 1.6-3mm steel (angle and box section)

any tips would be awesome, ive been talking to a local welder about how to practice, i.e making beads along scrap metal etc but he uses a beefier welder for all his stuff so its a lil bit different.

Cheers folks
pruggerdore
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by pruggerdore »

mig welding varies hugely from machine to machine and there fore there is no general settings guide,. especialy on a machine such as yours with very few settings anyway. Its a trial and era game of seeing wat works for you. It's mostly down to wire speed. would start with some 2-3ml plate crank power up to about 3/4 get it buzzing on the steel and adjust wire feed at the same time till you get a nice smooth crackle that sounds and looks right. How do you know wat sounds and looks right you say umm experience lol. honestly just play and have fun. and If your welding something with a significant safety strength aspect like tow hook mounts etc get someone with more experience to do that bit until you have some experience. Have fun
cbfb
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by cbfb »

I'm a complete amateur and a poor one and that, but I started learning about a year ago and I would say definitely get someone who knows what they're doing to show you. It's really not something you can learn as easily on your own. A coulpe of guys off here helped me out. 8)

Once you've got the basics down, I just tried doing all sorts of different thicknesses and angles, types of welds etc. Just learning what the machine is capable of and what settings to use

Now I just try a bit of scrap until I've got the setting right before I do anything

Getting a good rest so you're hand steady is the one most important thing I learned to do, to begin with i neglected it and found it hard

Mine still looks like bird shit but it holds, nothing a grinder can't fix :)
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kbushnz
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by kbushnz »

Have a read and play the vids in this site. Turn up the sound !
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

As said its all about the resulting weld....
I have found the flux cores to be a more splattered weld compared to running gas.
Also some recommend reversing the polarity with fluxed cores.
Cheers Calvin
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Dirtydog
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

cheers for the info guys,

i thought it may be the case when it comes to welders, all being different that is.

i will try see who will teach me.
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Crash bandicoot
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Crash bandicoot »

as above, for three phase and high amp gas migs generally heat range 2 is good for panel steel, and 3/4 for 3ml . with the wire speed set about the same, Generally wire speed is relative to heat range and most manufacturers of welders will show this with numbers 1 through 6 on both dials.

To much splatter (bird shit)and jerking is either the heat too low or dirty steel rust/etc.
If you manage to melt the wire into the mig tip your heat range is to high for the wire speed.

like all welds you want the wire to flow like liquid but move it fast enough that it doesn't blow through.

You should get something like this
Image

with really light steel you start to incorperate dwell time, this is the time that the electrode is alive for, if you find you can't seam a panel sheet without blowing through it to series of spot welds one after the other so they join. it will give you the same effect as the above picture and also look tidy.

this is also good for long joins as it will not generate too much heat as to buckle and expand/contract the metal as much as seam welding.

here is a guide for you
Image
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rangimotors
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by rangimotors »

crash B is that top pic done with a mig? I can get a "stack of dimes" like that from my tig but can only get a weld like the top one in your second pic from my mig. I'm pretty new to welding also and really just stuff around until i get it right. Some guys are real artists but its all practice
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chrome
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by chrome »

not trying to be too picky but the pic above shows what looks like a stop start weld that shows the crater with a pretty fair hole in each of them
from the weld pool cooling,
better to do a full weld than get a weld that looks like a tig run

bear in mind that this is only my opinion and im judging on what it looks like and not what really was done there.
on your welder the ozito one, crank it up too about 2/3s full power and hold the trigger on a scrap piece and dial the wire feed back till you get a nice even sounding zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz none of the snap and crackle stuff
it will be a good base to start welding with and if you start burning holes through plate turn it down a click and lose some wire speed.
if you are getting a high weld with steep sides go faster or bump up the heat

where about are ya??
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Dirtydog
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

im all the way down in southland.

havn't figured out how to change that in my profile yet....


Cheers for all the info folks,

so far coming in handy.

i have been getting interupted welds, but it may be from dirty steel or not good earth, which the one i have is just a cheap looking aligator glip, so may have to upgrade that.
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Crash bandicoot
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Crash bandicoot »

Dirtydog wrote:im all the way down in southland.

havn't figured out how to change that in my profile yet....


Cheers for all the info folks,

so far coming in handy.

i have been getting interupted welds, but it may be from dirty steel or not good earth, which the one i have is just a cheap looking aligator glip, so may have to upgrade that.

that top pic chrome is stainless ,

also the condition of the wire plays an important part. wih flux core it is quite possible you may have to treat it as arc and clean it up before continuing a weld
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chrome
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by chrome »

so thats pulsed mig??
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Dirtydog
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

that top pic chrome is stainless ,

also the condition of the wire plays an important part. wih flux core it is quite possible you may have to treat it as arc and clean it up before continuing a weld


That could be it..

Ill have a little more of a play and see what happens.

Also, if im not getting a bead, laying flat on the metal is that it being too hot? or too fast?
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J_Dub
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by J_Dub »

too fast too cold.
if you feel the wire pushing against your hand piece thats a sign its too cold and or wire speed to fast
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wsr4x4
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by wsr4x4 »

My advice is get some gas an run it as a propper MIG that gasless shit is just shit in my opinion ive never had good results with it
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Dirtydog
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

wsr4x4 wrote:My advice is get some gas an run it as a propper MIG that gasless shit is just shit in my opinion ive never had good results with it


i thought that may be the case aswell.

lukly is gas and gasless lol
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by pruggerdore »

wondering guys, does anybody have much success with flux cored? I havnt. only reason I would use it now is outside in windy conditions.
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kbushnz
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by kbushnz »

pruggerdore wrote:wondering guys, does anybody have much success with flux cored? I havnt. only reason I would use it now is outside in windy conditions.

I find it welds better when the polarity is swapped....
Make the wire neg and the earth pos
Also depends on the wire...
I got some given to me which was great....
Then I purchased some.... and its crap....
Cheers Calvin
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Dirtydog
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by Dirtydog »

ive reversed the polarity on mine, just like it said to in the manual, but it still doesnt make a great weld.

while im making a bead it still stops and starts, even on clean metal this time....
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ladeda
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by ladeda »

I found with gassless it alwase splatters heaps and if I hold the gun to far away from the steel itll stop start. try bringing the gun in a bit closer to the job and turning up the wire feed.
im still new at it to and agree the quality of wire makes a huge difference.
also check to see your using the right feed roller and there is enough tension on the roller. I set mine to the point that if you cant stop it coming out when pulling the triger and holding the wire into the gun its helps. dont know if its right but seems to be making better and better weld the more I use it and tweek things around
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Re: Mig welder settings

Post by suzolla »

Also need to remember that not all fux cored is gassless.
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