Hey guys, was doing abit more welding today... And I noticed If I set my welder to the recommended settings for a material (this time 1.6mm mild steel) and then run a continous bead... or if I run a very quick succession of tacs one after another I get full penetration...
Then I had to weld a section that was close to a mounting flange face and I didnt want to warp it so I did a couple of tacks a few inches apart, let it cool, then more tacks etc etc like you would doing panel repairs. Problem was it seems with that one quick tack and letting it cool in between it doesnt maintain the heat and the tacks are not getting full penetration...
So my question is if Im welding in that style should I be turning the welder amps and wire feed up so it gets the required heat straight away? or should I just hold it for longer (created larger tacks but creating more heat)
Or whats the go?
Can see I got full penetration down the sides and across the bottom, but on the top face where I was worried about it warping you can only see it just starting to penetrate right through.
Need More Welding Help
Started by
_Viper_
, Oct 09 2010 07:49 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1 _Viper_
Posted 09 October 2010 - 07:49 PM
#2
Posted 09 October 2010 - 09:58 PM
Your tacks need to be a little closer together.
Aim your wire at the tail,or edge,of the preceeding tack.Try to aim at the point where both parent metals and the preceeding tack meet at about 45 degrees,if that makes
sence,not square on.
Maybe turn your wire down just a smidge.
Also,if you snip the ball off the end of your wire between each tack it doesnt have to try so hard to melt before it starts to penetrate.
Its sounds like a pain in the arse,but you will get a nice steady momentum up once you start.
Alternatively,dont let the ball cool too much before the next tack,although this will encourage more heat in the job and may cause more distortion.
Try a few things and see what happens.Alter your method depending on what you see.
Hope this helps.
Aim your wire at the tail,or edge,of the preceeding tack.Try to aim at the point where both parent metals and the preceeding tack meet at about 45 degrees,if that makes
sence,not square on.
Maybe turn your wire down just a smidge.
Also,if you snip the ball off the end of your wire between each tack it doesnt have to try so hard to melt before it starts to penetrate.
Its sounds like a pain in the arse,but you will get a nice steady momentum up once you start.
Alternatively,dont let the ball cool too much before the next tack,although this will encourage more heat in the job and may cause more distortion.
Try a few things and see what happens.Alter your method depending on what you see.
Hope this helps.
#3
Posted 10 October 2010 - 12:11 AM
I agree with WOT. Turn the wire speed down a little. The less material it's stuffing in there the quicker it will heat up.
Another option is to weld it with an oxy.
Another option is to weld it with an oxy.
#4 _Bomber Watson_
Posted 10 October 2010 - 12:36 AM
At the end of the day MIG is cold start, same as stick.
TIG and oxy are hot start, as has been suggested.
If im being fussy i use the oxy, if im being lazy i use the mig, eventually i'll buy myself a tig and be done with it.....
Apart from my drunken gibberish, good advice above.
Cheers.
TIG and oxy are hot start, as has been suggested.
If im being fussy i use the oxy, if im being lazy i use the mig, eventually i'll buy myself a tig and be done with it.....
Apart from my drunken gibberish, good advice above.
Cheers.
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