dstig1
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2010
- Messages
- 4,769
- Location
- W Wisc
- Tractor
- Kubota L5240 HSTC, JD X738 Mower, (Kubota L3130 HST - sold)
In my welding class we did a ton of out of position work, but it was all stick. I got to the point where I would call most of my vert up "acceptable" with stick. We did literally about 5 min of MIG in the last class, just for giggles. We didn't try anything out of position there as it seemed so easy. Flash forward to now. I have a really good welder - Miller XMT304 and 22A wire feeder. I can run flat position beads that look pretty decent overall. I can get good penetration and relatively smooth beads (depending on how steady I am...). I cannot, for the life of me make a vertical up bead work. Vertical down- no problem. But vert up has been a total mess. I get melted blobs that drip repeatedly every little bit as I go. See the mess? The one decent bead was vert down, just to see if I was crazy or not.
I tried everything from 18V/200 ipm to 24v/450ipm with 0.035 wire and C25 gas on 3/8" steel. I tried pushing uphill, dragging and everything in between. I used a straight-on torch angle and everything from a slight angle up to a severe angle up. I went fast, I went slow. I whipped, I zigged and even zagged. They ALL look the same. Drip drip drip
Here's a simple fillet weld done flat that was perfectly decent. All this was done tonight.
It's not the machine. Works perfect in position and vert down. It's not gas coverage - I'm running 15-20 cfh, and the garage is closed - no wind, no fan. It is clearly me, but I have tried everything I know with my limited experience and can't do a thing with it. It must be me, but I can't figure it out to save my life.
Any hints here?
Thanks,
Dave
I tried everything from 18V/200 ipm to 24v/450ipm with 0.035 wire and C25 gas on 3/8" steel. I tried pushing uphill, dragging and everything in between. I used a straight-on torch angle and everything from a slight angle up to a severe angle up. I went fast, I went slow. I whipped, I zigged and even zagged. They ALL look the same. Drip drip drip
Here's a simple fillet weld done flat that was perfectly decent. All this was done tonight.
It's not the machine. Works perfect in position and vert down. It's not gas coverage - I'm running 15-20 cfh, and the garage is closed - no wind, no fan. It is clearly me, but I have tried everything I know with my limited experience and can't do a thing with it. It must be me, but I can't figure it out to save my life.
Any hints here?
Thanks,
Dave