Millermatic 350P (first welds)

   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #1  

4shorts

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Tonight I got the opportunity to try out our new Millermatic 350P mig welder. In regular mig mode was great but holy smoke when I switched over to pulse mode the world changed and for the better.

In regular mig mode it's sounds like your typical bacon frying and does a great weld but when you switch over to pulse mode it sounds like a bee buzzing and man does it ever weld hot and fast in that mode. I'm thinking I'll be in pulse mode for a long time from now on :laughing:

Here's the first two welds I did with this machine. I was using 3/8 flat bar and .045 wire and 90-10 (Blueshield 6)

The sample marked "M" is mig mode and the "P" naturally is pulse. In time I'll get the welds even better. It does take a little time getting used to setting up the dials on the beast. The small marks on the weld is the small amount of scale from the gas and can be brushed off. You'll notice there's more splatter on the regular mig sample and less on the pulse one.

 

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   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #2  
so give us a bit more info...

push/pull?

what lead angle?

simple draw a straight line? waggle back and forth? swirl pattern?
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #3  
Congrads on the machine:thumbsup:

350P is a beauty..... someday ill have one :D
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds)
  • Thread Starter
#4  
so give us a bit more info...

push/pull?

what lead angle?

simple draw a straight line? waggle back and forth? swirl pattern?

What you see here is the first five minutes I've spent on the machine. I'm using the standard Bernard gun that came with the machine. Tilted the gun sightly and went right down the center of the two pieces. I also have the Spoolamatic 30 amp aluminum gun attached to the machine as well.

The picture was taken with the camera about 3 inches away from the weld and it is a Sony DSC-H5 camera and has taken a little over 4000 images.
nuff info? ;)

:laughing::D

Congrads on the machine:thumbsup:

350P is a beauty..... someday ill have one :D

Thanks Scooby. Your going to enjoy it when you get it. We also have a new Millermatic 252 which is a very nice machine as well.

 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #5  
Thanks Scooby. Your going to enjoy it when you get it. We also have a new Millermatic 252 which is a very nice machine as well.


I have quite a bit of time on a MM251. I agree its a great machine as well. At the time i should have bought a 250 instead of my MM135xp and thunderbolt. (would have cost about the same)

Realistically though the MM350P is quite a bit out of my budget LOL. Unless i happen to win the lottery:D so itll likely be the 251 or 252 ( what i should have bought the first time:D)
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds)
  • Thread Starter
#6  
I have quite a bit of time on a MM251. I agree its a great machine as well. At the time i should have bought a 250 instead of my MM135xp and thunderbolt. (would have cost about the same)

Realistically though the MM350P is quite a bit out of my budget LOL. Unless i happen to win the lottery:D so itll likely be the 251 or 252 ( what i should have bought the first time:D)

I used my 251 for four years and it did a great job. The only thing I didn't like with the 251 was there were times it had cold starts and would pop sometimes. Miller seems to have resolved that issue with the 252.

The 350P was just over $4000. and I wouldn't have it unless I can make money with it. Our little shop is supposed to be for automotive repair but it seems I'm getting dragged into this welding and fabricating stuff more and more.

I remember one time last year I had the 251 and was welding in the shop. It was a very hot day and to keep the welding machine cool I placed a big mobile fan towards the rear of it and I welded for 8 hours straight and worked great. Every now and then I get some big welding jobs and that's why I also bought the 350P. I've always bought a little larger than I need with anything and that way I'm not disappointed and it's still cheaper doing it that way.
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #7  
.......it seems I'm getting dragged into this welding and fabricating stuff more and more.

......and I can tell you're kicking and screaming all the way. :laughing:

However, It doesn't surprise me with the caliber of talent you've been blessed with and use full advantage of.

When you kick that welder into 'warp speed' mode does the electrical grid in the entire neighborhood flicker? :confused2:

Don :)
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #8  
OK 4shorts, you made me have to do some research on this "pulse" mode. Looking at the pictures you posted, I like the mig mode bead better. Nice looking bead. The pulse mode looked a bit cold. While doing some reading on the Miller website, it appears that the pulse mode is for welding aluminum. They call it a spray transfer or low penetration, and is a cooler welding process for aluminum. Or at least that is how I read it. I would stick to the mig mode for steel. Other than that, I am jealous, that is a very nice rig! :thumbsup:
 
   / Millermatic 350P (first welds)
  • Thread Starter
#9  
......and I can tell you're kicking and screaming all the way. :laughing:

However, It doesn't surprise me with the caliber of talent you've been blessed with and use full advantage of.

When you kick that welder into 'warp speed' mode does the electrical grid in the entire neighborhood flicker? :confused2:

Don :)

Don it's not talent your seeing , it's desperation :laughing: A feller got to make a living and there's a Hugh need around my parts for machining, fabricating and welding so I'm kind of filling the void so to speak :D It does give me a break from my normal work which is good. Ya this thing might be hard on the power bill but it's worth it. I got a new milling machine on the way and it's got a 3 hp motor on it. The wife said If I buy anymore tools she's leaving. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm going to miss her :laughing:

Great to see your still around buddy and thanks for your kind words :thumbsup:


OK 4shorts, you made me have to do some research on this "pulse" mode. Looking at the pictures you posted, I like the mig mode bead better. Nice looking bead. The pulse mode looked a bit cold. While doing some reading on the Miller website, it appears that the pulse mode is for welding aluminum. They call it a spray transfer or low penetration, and is a cooler welding process for aluminum. Or at least that is how I read it. I would stick to the mig mode for steel. Other than that, I am jealous, that is a very nice rig! :thumbsup:

Heck there's guys that won't use nothing other than arc welding. to each his own I say.

Miller is pushing the fact that it's great for aluminum and it is but if you get a chance to try it on steel go for it. You'll never go back to regular mig welding again. Using pulse on steel seems hotter and more penetration to me. Today I got called in to do some roller repair for a local company and used the pulse mode again and I'm hooked on It. Technically when I'm on pulse mode I should have 90-10 gas which I did in the above pics but I used that same gas to try it in mig mode and really I should have switched over to 75-25 but I was to lazy and used 90-10 on both modes.

The set up chart on the machine says it will weld up to 1/2" in one pass on pulse. Can't see that working IF it was a cold weld. Another advantage to pulse is less warpage which is another problem with all types of welding. Less warpage and less splatter.

The pictures attached here on this post is of the roller I just welded. don't pay much attention to the splatter on it because it was repaired before and I didn't clean up the side of it. I don't think you would consider that a cold weld and it was in pulse mode when i welded it.

If nothing else it makes good conversation ;) Thanks for your comments:thumbsup:
 

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   / Millermatic 350P (first welds) #10  

I've always bought a little larger than I need with anything and that way I'm not disappointed and it's still cheaper doing it that way.

Truer words never spoken:thumbsup: When i bought my welder, it was one time i should have listened to the salesman:D He said i wouldnt be happy with the capicity of my 135.. he was right. I was back a couple months later for the Thunderbolt....


Nice welds on the head roller. I havent ran pulse but ive read good things. Any large production (300A+) welders ive ran were Mutiprocess with external wirefeeders but no pulse. (100% duty cycle in a heavy fab shop...it was then i discovered that i wasnt a welder... but a warper:D i guess there is such a thing as too much heat :D )
 
 
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