General Welding Questions & Answers / Hints & Tips

I reread everyone's comments and did a bit more reading. Another try at just a single 3/16" plate. Shade adjusted this time!

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First few runs on the right, top to the bottom one, moved right to left. Slid my hand and kept the juice on till done. The spark pulsed a bit. I cut into one weld to see penetration, it's deep, not just on top. The bottom weld was too close to the edge and started to melt the corner.

The set on the left, slower wire feed so the spark didn't pulse, moved top to bottom.

After adjusting the shade I can see the puddle. It takes a few moments to start but I kept moving zigzag to keep it and kept moving. I'll keep working on plates and no joints for now.
 
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Listen for the sizzling bacon sound. Your getting better. (I'm a hobby welder not a pro).
 
Take that 3/16" plate and start at the bottom left and weld left to right.
Then up the plate.
Right to left across the top of the plate.
Then down to your start point.
Fill in the center area next.
Keep going until it is about 3/4" thick.
Then turn it over and set it up at a 45 deg angle and repeat.
:)
Make it 1 1/2" thick and you'll be good to go.
 
Fill that entire plate up with weld, make it a practice pad. You can run the beads right beside each other, listening for the sizzling bacon. Also get a soap stone to lay out some straight lines to weld up. Those beads look much better than the ones you posted earlier, keep up the practice can see it’s paying off.
 
I’m thinking of buying a small 115 volt mig welder for minor repairs. I will have to have a 20amp circuit to use it but I have zero desire for a higher voltage welder. Never more than 1/4” steel. I’m leaning toward a Hobart. Is that a good welder compared to some of the others?

Every time I need something welded I can never get someone to do it or they want me to leave the truck, trailer, or stand. I cannot just leave the stuff and wait. Some small welds have to be completed in the field and there just seems to be never anyone available.
 
I’m thinking of buying a small 115 volt mig welder for minor repairs. I will have to have a 20amp circuit to use it but I have zero desire for a higher voltage welder. Never more than 1/4” steel. I’m leaning toward a Hobart. Is that a good welder compared to some of the others?

Every time I need something welded I can never get someone to do it or they want me to leave the truck, trailer, or stand. I cannot just leave the stuff and wait. Some small welds have to be completed in the field and there just seems to be never anyone available.
A 115 volt welder isn’t going to cut it for 1/4 inch stuff. If it has to be completed in the field how do you plan on doing it with something that needs an outlet. For 1/4 inch I would buy a 220 stick machine, or a mig if that’s what you want and go to town. Mig machines cost more, a buzz box can be had for around $250 or so last time I looked.
 
A 115 volt welder isn’t going to cut it for 1/4 inch stuff. If it has to be completed in the field how do you plan on doing it with something that needs an outlet. For 1/4 inch I would buy a 220 stick machine, or a mig if that’s what you want and go to town. Mig machines cost more, a buzz box can be had for around $250 or so last time I looked.

^^^^ Good advice. IMO 120V machines are basically only for sheet metal and 1/8". Some are rated for 1/4" but it's pushing it and the duty cycle is very low at max output.

In answer to your question Hobart makes a good machine; you won't go wrong there.

A couple of years back I picked up a Lincoln 210MP and have been very happy with it. It's a dual voltage machine and the auto-setting feature is great. It will MIG and stick weld, and will also DC TIG weld with an optional spool gun. The only drawback is that it costs around 1,100.00 but you get what you pay for.
 
Outlet in the field is no problem. Do it at the building where the job is. I’m a licensed electrician so it will always be possible.

I just looked and you are correct. 3/16th and below. Not sure about the stick welder because the last time I did stick welds they looked like crap. Welding is not something you do a couple times a year and it looks good. Last stick weld I did for a ladder rack looked like a child had attempted it. This why I was thinking about going mig and practicing.
 
^^^^ Good advice. IMO 120V machines are basically only for sheet metal and 1/8". Some are rated for 1/4" but it's pushing it and the duty cycle is very low at max output.

In answer to your question Hobart makes a good machine; you won't go wrong there.

A couple of years back I picked up a Lincoln 210MP and have been very happy with it. It's a dual voltage machine and the auto-setting feature is great. It will MIG and stick weld, and will also DC TIG weld with an optional spool gun. The only drawback is that it costs around 1,100.00 but you get what you pay for.
That’s a little more than I had planned to spend but may be a better option. I’m not opposed to spending more money if the payback in time makes up for it. For me I’m getting pretty frustrated waiting on all the lazy ass vendor choices in this area. Basically I don’t want an employee standing around while we need something if we can make it and be on our way.
 
What I have found is that if you don’t use a welder frequently, it will take you a few minutes to figure out the settings. So you either loose a few minutes getting everything dialed in, and if you’re figuring it out using your actual material to be welded, you have some welds that initially look poor.

The 210 MP let’s you enter the material thickness, wire size, gas mix, polarity, etc; it will determine if you’re plugged into 240 or 120, and then it presets the machine. You can easily change the presets, but I have found that they are dead on - especially with the MIG (it will preset stick as well). I’ve found it to be an excellent machine for someone that does not weld frequently enough to memorize the settings.
 
Outlet in the field is no problem. Do it at the building where the job is. I’m a licensed electrician so it will always be possible.

I just looked and you are correct. 3/16th and below. Not sure about the stick welder because the last time I did stick welds they looked like crap. Welding is not something you do a couple times a year and it looks good. Last stick weld I did for a ladder rack looked like a child had attempted it. This why I was thinking about going mig and practicing.
Nothing says you can’t also practice with stick, and get the same results. I personally prefer stick welding. A nice outside breeze won’t mess up a stick weld like it will a mig weld. Another thing to consider is that a mig weld may look nice, but can still lack necessary penetration. Either process you need to practice enough to be competent, or get a machine that takes the work out of it.
 
I use a Miller Dynasty 300 tig machine at work a lot. It has 4 presets on it that work like the Lincon. I keep one preset for Steel, Alum, Stainless, and tool steel. Gets you close so you can fine tune quicker.
 
Ok, came across an issue that I "think" I found the answer for.

I am welding a thick C channel, maybe 1/4 at the thinnest, 3/8" at the corners. Trying to stick to it 2 x 2 x .125 Steel Angle. Do you pick heat for the thicker metal and slow the wire down? It seemsed to work as I started the puddle in the thick C channel and then moved a little towards the edge of the angle to include that in the melt. If I started between the two the thinner angle would melt too much and the thick C would not quite melt.
 
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Thanks. Just because it worked for me I had to check. Yeah, yeah, still new to this.
If you need any help or a project you can't handle id be happy to help. Or if you can do it and need mo power you can come here and weld whatever or cut whatever with plasma or cutting torch
 
If you need any help or a project you can't handle id be happy to help. Or if you can do it and need mo power you can come here and weld whatever or cut whatever with plasma or cutting torch

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. So far my "brilliant" ideas have all been small.

But, I'm sure I'll think of more chit.
 
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