Let's see your welds...

[HiTechTed]

The length of wire from the contact tip to the metal is called stickout. With Mig and most fluxcore self shielded wires I'll run 3/8 to 1/2 inch stickout. NR-232, and NR-233, and Coreshield 8, along with fluxcore gas shielded wires I'll run 3/4 inch stickout. If you lengthen the stickout you increase the voltage, (to a point) if you shorten the stickout you drop the voltage, (which cools the puddle).

I'm going to ask the dumb questions here to see if I'm at least close to being on the right track...

If you increase the stickout, the resistance of the wire increases, and if the current is constant then the voltage increases (not infinitely but somewhat). Does this increase the weld penetration? I have noticed that changing the angle of the gun increases/decreases penetration to some extent but I've never tried increasing the stickout. I always thought the "right thing" to do was to keep the wire as short as possible without touching the gun tip to the weld. Don't ask me where I got that from but evidently it's not always the thing to do!

 

[Shield Arc]

I really wouldn't say it helps with penetration, but the puddle will become hotter / more liquid! If you lengthen the stickout too far, you can loose all heat / power, and stick the wire.

The stickout can vary with some wires, you just have to adjust the voltage. Now some of the T-8 wires the proper stickout is critical! T-8 wires are required to meet FEMA 353, and other seismic codes.

 

[dstig1]

A couple key points that the newbies won't necessarily get from the description SA posted:
1. Stickout length is from the CONTACT tip, no the edge of the shielding cup.
2. More important than anything is consistency. You need to hold the distance to the joint (and thus the stickout) constant through the weld or things will vary and you will see it. Whether it is significant or not depends on what you are doing and how bad it varies.

These are the sort of things that most experienced welders get, but isn't always obvious to the new folks.

And really, SA, stop saying you aren't a pro. If you want to say retired welder, fine, but lets be real here...you ain't foolin' nobody! :laughing:

 

[Furu]

As a disclaimer until recently I only O/A welded which I learned 40+ years ago from my father. I recently got a stick welder that I am trying my hand at. One of our members has made me an offer that I need to take advantage of but here are a couple of pictures and questions.

The plate is 1/8 inch mild steel.

First picture is of 6011 rod The top and bottom two lines are reverse polarity the two middle are straight polarity. All are at 60 amps. I had a liitle too much penetration on the bottom one as I had distortion on the back side. Lines were done from top to bottom in order. I believe I was moving too fast on the first two and my steadiness is pathetic. I seem to have more splatter than I thought I would get.
Comments?

The second picture is of 7018 rod. The top and bottom two lines are reverse polarity the two middle are straight polarity. All are at 90 amps as I had a problem keeping the arc going at 60-85 amps.. ?? I was very surprised at the slag that 7018 flux leaves behind compared to the 6011 which is practically nothing. What caused the pores in the welds and what was I doing wrong? Again I think I was moving too fast in general.
Comments?

 

[Shield Arc]

I take it has you're left handed?

Generally both 6011, and 7018 run on reverse polarity. I will run 7018 on straight polarity for open root welding only. Your 6011 welds don't look all that bad! Looks like you were dragging the rod more so than using a whipping, (back and forth) motion. The splatter could be a little too much arc length, or maybe just the brand of rod. The 7018 weld with pin holes, the width of the weld leads me to believe the arc length was too much. With all your 7018 welds looks like your biggest problem is travel speed. Slow down some!

Honestly, its hard for anybody to make welds look good on a flat plate! Very easy to make a weld look good on a fillet "T". Also easy to make a weld look good if you take your grinder and grind a groove in a flat plate, and fill the groove with weld. Try it, you'll be surprised!

 

[Furu]

I take it has you're left handed?

Generally both 6011, and 7018 run on reverse polarity. I will run 7018 on straight polarity for open root welding only. Your 6011 welds don't look all that bad! Looks like you were dragging the rod more so than using a whipping, (back and forth) motion. The splatter could be a little too much arc length, or maybe just the brand of rod. The 7018 weld with pin holes, the width of the weld leads me to believe the arc length was too much. With all your 7018 welds looks like your biggest problem is travel speed. Slow down some!

Honestly, its hard for anybody to make welds look good on a flat plate! Very easy to make a weld look good on a fillet "T". Also easy to make a weld look good if you take your grinder and grind a groove in a flat plate, and fill the groove with weld. Try it, you'll be surprised!

No, right handed. Then I looked at the pictures I took. I took them upside down from the position I welded the lines in thus it looks like I am left handed (no just upside down):laughing:

When I get back tommorrow I will try slowing down as I surmised in my post and as you stated. I'll either do "T" fillet or grind a "V" in the plate and see how it comes out. I was wondering if I was letting the arc get a bit long so will try to keep it a bit closer as well. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[weldermike]

No, right handed. Then I looked at the pictures I took. I took them upside down from the position I welded the lines in thus it looks like I am left handed (no just upside down):laughing:

When I get back tommorrow I will try slowing down as I surmised in my post and as you stated. I'll either do "T" fillet or grind a "V" in the plate and see how it comes out. I was wondering if I was letting the arc get a bit long so will try to keep it a bit closer as well. Thanks for the suggestions.

If you have any soap stone run a sraight line with it so you have a gauge to follow. But learning how to run perfectly straight with no aid is the way to train your eyes. With this trade you gotta force yourself to turn your brain into a temporarry computer. It will help in the long run, trust me! Focus, focus, focus.

 

[weldermike]

Bored to death this morning, so decided to build a roll cage for the new millermatic 211. Kept me busy for a while, now bored waitin for paint to dry! BEER BREAK!!!!!

 

[weldermike]

Paint dry finally! Just figd I would send some pictures. Quiet day here guys. Figd while the new machine was still new I would do something to help her future before I start abusing her.

 

[sixdogs]

Can anyone comment on a comparison between the Millermatic 211 and Lincoln 216? I've been thinking of a Lincoln but lots of guys like the Miller and I just don't know enough about them.