New To Using MIG

[bindian]

I finally got all my welding ducks in a row and welded my first job today with my brand new Hobart 210 MVP. I have only arc welded in the past, and mostly in high school ag class. So that is ancient history. Anyway, I had scraps cut and was gonna practice and play around, but I broke the tack welds on the hinge off my CAT's battery door (don't ask how) and welded that first. Anyway, I had fun playing with the speeds, while increasing voltage to get penetration. It ain't pretty, but the door and existing welds were kinda messed up anyway. I can't wait to start my first "real" project...........4 water gates for my island pond.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Shield Arc]

With Mig welding you want to run as hot as you can handle it. Also, if you are right handed. Hold the Mig gun in your right hand. Start on the right side, and travel to your left. That is called pushing.

 

[SJay]

Thanks Shield Arc for the tip :thumbsup:

 

[bindian]

With Mig welding you want to run as hot as you can handle it. Also, if you are right handed. Hold the Mig gun in your right hand. Start on the right side, and travel to your left. That is called pushing.

Carl,
I am using shielded wire. Don't you drag the puddle with shielded wire?
hugs, Brandi

 

[Shield Arc]

By shielded wire, do you mean self shielded flux core? If yes, you do drag it. If you are right handed. Hold the Mig gun in your right hand, start on your left side, and weld towards your right. Drag it.
This is Lincoln's NR-212 self shielded flux core wire. I'm right handed.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Check out Welding Tips and Tricks - TIG, MIG, Stick and a pantload of other info. Lots of great videos showing what a good weld looks and sounds like when it's being made. And what to do with wire feed speed, travel speed, and voltage to correct problems.

On my Lincoln, the parameters under the wire feeder door are pretty good starting points.

But in general, if the wire is balling up before it drops into the puddle, the wire feed speed is too low. WFS also controls depth of penetration, as the machine will try to pump out more current to burn off higher wire feed speeds. If you feel the wire bottoming out in the pool, it needs more voltage. Too much voltage, though, and you're back to the balling up problem. Watch the videos, then go out and run beads on scrap plates and play with the settings to see what they do. Compare how your weld puddle looks and sounds to the videos, and keep twisting the knobs until they match. But only adjust one knob at a time to observe the cause and effect...

 

[BukitCase]

Brandi, just in case you haven't already found this, make sure you have your POLARITY set right for the flux core wire - DCEN for most cored wire, DCEP for solid - if it's set wrong, changing it will make you think you got 'WAY BETTER real fast

Dunno about Hobart, but since BOTH my Miller mig's came from the factory set for solid wire yours might be that way also.

If you have the PDF version of your manual, a quick search for "polarity" will get you to the info fast... Steve

 

[bindian]

Brandi, just in case you haven't already found this, make sure you have your POLARITY set right for the flux core wire - DCEN for most cored wire, DCEP for solid - if it's set wrong, changing it will make you think you got 'WAY BETTER real fast

Dunno about Hobart, but since BOTH my Miller mig's came from the factory set for solid wire yours might be that way also.

If you have the PDF version of your manual, a quick search for "polarity" will get you to the info fast... Steve

Thanks. I checked polarity on installation. All is good. I have a hard copy of the manual. I figured the polarity was right as the machine included a spool of self shielded flux core.
hugs, Brandi

 

[BukitCase]

Brandi, you're welcome - I had to chuckle a bit at this -

"I figured the polarity was right as the machine included a spool of self shielded flux core."

To which MY response (and likely yours too, maybe even more so since YOUR instrumentation stuff hasta FLY, whereas my 35 yrs in instrumentation only "flew" when it was put in place by a 100' crane :=) would have been, "Trust, but VERIFY"

Have fun with your new "resource" - I know I've made so many useful attachments, etc, that these days I can't even IMAGINE having tractors around and NOT having a welder (or several)...Steve

 

[bindian]

Brandi, you're welcome - I had to chuckle a bit at this -

"I figured the polarity was right as the machine included a spool of self shielded flux core."

Then I opened the side and verified it was correct.
hugs, Brandi