Take pics. 
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Welding advice
- Thread starter iwaxmyjimmy
- Start date
I wasn't going to correct the psi thing until he was more comfortable welding. I don't like correction get too much at once. But now that it's out there, newb. Jk
I will, a friend wants me to burn on some shock mounts to his rear axle this weekend so I need to get to know my welder a little more before I'll commit to it. I think this might be the best mod I've ever done though.
I started out on an old buzz box using 7018 rods so it took me awhile to get the quality of welds I used to get with a stick. I worked in a small fab shop after-hours and the guy running the shop said " you sure weld pretty good for doing it completely wrong".
Last edited by a moderator:
Well I kept the wire speed the same, pushed it instead of pulled it. Bumped the voltage up a notch and here is how it turned out.
Well I kept the wire speed the same, pushed it instead of pulled it. Bumped the voltage up a notch and here is how it turned out.
Looks good
Looks good
Not gonna I practice on simple not really essential stuff so I'm not wasting wire or gas or metal. I'm building an engine and trans skid for my jeep.
Only thing I would change is over lap the corner welds a little more or weld solid around the corner and joint in the middle. Whatever is easier for you depending on the piece that you are working on.
Yeah I though about that. I ran the long beads and was like **** I should have went all the way around it.
Looks much better, good bead profile, looks nicely burned in without undercut. The stop starts in the corners don't bother me. Grab a wire brush and brush some of the smoke off it...it'll look even better.
You should be happy with those beads.
Thanks guys. Yeah I feel like pushing it helped me keep it more uniform, and I needed that little but more heat.
For future reference the weld profile is the best way to determine if you have enough heat. What you have now is ideal. If you brush up the weld you took a pic of you can take a close look and see how it's fused at the edges nicely. This is what you should be aiming for.
FWIW, I always aim for the hotter side of things (voltage) and if it's a bit hot for the material i'll turn up the wire a bit more and go faster.
FWIW, I always aim for the hotter side of things (voltage) and if it's a bit hot for the material i'll turn up the wire a bit more and go faster.
So I had to do some vertical welds, man they look like ass
Did you start at the top and work down? Gun angled slightly up to hold the puddle up?
Yeah I can do them decent like that but man going up is horrible.
This is going down
Going up came out like this
That's gravity for yah. Keeping all the heat in the puddle making it drip. Since your welder doesn't have fine adjustability for voltage that will happen. Happens all the time with my Hobart. My Miller just dial it in and let her rip.
Going up with MIG is quite different than doing so with stick. It's all about the heat setting...then with the gun angled up about 20 degrees it's just a straight push up, no weave, no manipulation. Keep adjusting wire speed and voltage down til you end up with a decent looking bead.
FWIW a downhand vertical weld with MIG is right there with JB weld for strength...I'd only ever consider it for thin sheet metal.
FWIW a downhand vertical weld with MIG is right there with JB weld for strength...I'd only ever consider it for thin sheet metal.
That's why I tried to do the upside down Vs going up. I ain't doing that again might as well smear bubble gum on it
