My 1st. 3 Beads

[jake98]

I think I'm gonna love this Hobart Ironman 230 welder..

 

[crash325]

Looks Great - too good for a first time welder. :laughing:

 

[brin]

I think I'm gonna love this welder..

Jake , have you never welded before ? I ask because I have not..and I have thought about getting a welding outfit but have been skeeeered of electrocuting myself..LOL - I was going to just get a little HF buzz box to start out with...but those beads look great.

 

[two_bit_score]

Jake , have you never welded before ? I ask because I have not..and I have thought about getting a welding outfit but have been skeeeered of electrocuting myself..LOL - I was going to just get a little HF buzz box to start out with...but those beads look great.

Just get a small mig and go at it. Pretty soon you'll be pricing a Ranger 225.

 

[jake98]

I've done a little ac and then some dc arc welding, but this new mig unit seems like it's gonna be too much fun..

 

[jake98]

Just get a small mig and go at it. Pretty soon you'll be pricing a Ranger 225.

I totally agree with this Bob. But I don't know what order to go with, lots of people start with a stick welder, those can do thick stuff.

 

[LD1]

So, what welder did you get???

It is also hard to judge a mig bead just laid on top of a peice of steel.

If you have some scraps, try sticking a few together. You will get a MUCH better feel for the machine and what heat/wire settings to run, as well as get good practice working on getting GOOD penetration into BOTH peices of metal.

But it does look good for a first ever attemp at welding:thumbsup:

 

[jake98]

I brought this plenum box home to practice on. Went down the outside (I guess a little too hot) and had a whole lot of penetration inside.. How long till I die from the fumes? Who cares, this thing works good! :thumbsup:



I didn't clean this at all figuring it's galvanized, but I guess maybe it wouldn't have hurt to brush it off first.

 

[Shield Arc]

jake98 you might want to turn that machine up on your flat welds, you're running too cold. Need to get into the habit of running Mig as hot as you can handle it. Try pushing the weld, if you're right handed, move in the direction from right to left. With the nozzle pointing forward just a touch.

 

[jake98]

jake98 you might want to turn that machine up on your flat welds, you're running too cold. Need to get into the habit of running Mig as hot as you can handle it. Try pushing the weld, if you're right handed, move in the direction from right to left. With the nozzle pointing forward just a touch.

Wire speed and voltage both? I was trying to get the feel for what voltage increase did, but didn't quite get it. Wire speed it's pretty noticeable..
Pushing really makes you feel like you're flying blind, with that big nozzle blocking the view, huh? Thanks for the tips.

 

[Shield Arc]

Yes turn both up! If you're right handed, place the gun back even with your right shoulder, bend your head down in front of the gun. Do you have the contact tip sticking out from the nozzle a little bit? Note the chart I posted.

Here's a Mig weld I made for a test I posted here, see how hot my weld is compared to your's?

 

[Shield Arc]

Here this may help you, if it does bookmark this site.


Miller - MIG Welding Calculator

 

[LD1]

The Push vs Pull on a MIG debate has gone on for years.

I do both. There, IMO, is no difference in weld quality, penetration, look, etc, as long as you have the welder set right. So do what you are comfortable with.

I personally let the job dictate what I do. I am right handed as well. Sometimes, when working on an immovable object, the job dictates a right to left weld, therefore I pull. Sometimes, its the opposite. It just depends.

But you are correct, you get a better view of the "puddle" when pulling. Onve you get the feel of the motion, what it looks like, and what it sounds like, try pushing. Because while you cant see the puddle as well, you have a MUCH better view of where you are going without the torch and your hand in the way....

For example, when butt welding two flat peices together, and you have a tight fit and try pulling, it is very easy to veer off course and lay a really nicce bead, but only on one of the plates. Pushing is MUCH better for visibiliy in a place like this. Corner welds, or TEE welds, when you have two peices at 90 degrees and you are welding in a "corner", it is easier to stay on course no matter wether you push or pull.

 

[jake98]

Yes turn both up! If you're right handed, place the gun back even with your right shoulder, bend your head down in front of the gun. Do you have the contact tip sticking out from the nozzle a little bit? Note the chart I posted.

Here's a Mig weld I made for a test I posted here, see how hot my weld is compared to your's?

Yeah, no doubt you can see the heat, much smoother! The tip does stick out a little, there's no adjusting that, is there?

The Push vs Pull on a MIG debate has gone on for years.

I do both. There, IMO, is no difference in weld quality, penetration, look, etc, as long as you have the welder set right. So do what you are comfortable with.

I personally let the job dictate what I do. I am right handed as well. Sometimes, when working on an immovable object, the job dictates a right to left weld, therefore I pull. Sometimes, its the opposite. It just depends.

But you are correct, you get a better view of the "puddle" when pulling. Onve you get the feel of the motion, what it looks like, and what it sounds like, try pushing. Because while you cant see the puddle as well, you have a MUCH better view of where you are going without the torch and your hand in the way....

For example, when butt welding two flat peices together, and you have a tight fit and try pulling, it is very easy to veer off course and lay a really nicce bead, but only on one of the plates. Pushing is MUCH better for visibiliy in a place like this. Corner welds, or TEE welds, when you have two peices at 90 degrees and you are welding in a "corner", it is easier to stay on course no matter wether you push or pull.

I did some 'off roading' with one of my beads, thought I was doing great untill I looked at it..

Thanks both of yous, Appreciate the tips! :thumbsup:

 

[jake98]

This is the extent of my MIG experience to date:

 

[LD1]

Looking good so far. Try some "pushing" and see if you think it will help you to keep it "on-road":laughing:

 

[Shield Arc]

The tip does stick out a little, there's no adjusting that, is there?

I'm not familiar with the Ironman welders, I understand they're great machines! Can't say I've ever seen one. I've been using Tweco guns for well over 30-years, you just slide the nozzle up and down on the defuser as needed. Anymore all I use is the model 2. No more of that 400 to 500-amp welding for me, 200-amps is plenty.:laughing:

 

[jake98]

I'm not familiar with the Ironman welders, I understand they're great machines! Can't say I've ever seen one. I've been using Tweco guns for well over 30-years, you just slide the nozzle up and down on the defuser as needed. Anymore all I use is the model 2. No more of that 400 to 500-amp welding for me, 200-amps is plenty.:laughing:

That looks like a good sized gun. (on second look, it seems like about the same size as mine) This nozzle slides off, but I didn't hear about it being an adjustment.. 'stick out' refers to the wire that you start with? or is it the nozzle to tip distance that they meant?

 

[Shield Arc]

Stick out is distance from tip of wire to contact tip.
The relationship of the contact tip to nozzle, be it the contact tip up inside the nozzle, or the contact tip sticking out of the nozzle is a personal preference. As with many things in welding there is no right or wrong way, you have to find what works best for you!

 

[jake98]

Stick out only exists until you pull the trigger, it seems. They should have probably called it 'keep it close', or 'keep it uniform', right? They make a big deal of cutting the wire off within a sixteenth of an inch (of 5/16"), but what difference does that make? :confused2:
I guess they just mean don't start with an inch..