120V MIG 3/8" coupon test results

[roadhunter]

Above you mention that 120v welders are not rated for 3/8" plate. Not true. SMAW will run on 120v CC machines well and heavier than 3/8" will be fine with proper technique. That is a tip I suggested many pages ago but it was not what some were looking for but that is the tip I can offer.

120v CV machines on plate can hold that has already been noted. Preheat, flux cored, and joint prep are ways to improve the chance of a strong weld on materials heavier than 3/16".

What else could you possibly be looking for?? Let me know and I will try and answer.

I have a couple of 120v/240v SMAW machines and I agree completely, but I was under the impression that we were discussing the 120v wire feed machines. I actually hooked my Everlast PA200 (plugged to 120v) to my Miller s32-p suitcase welder and it is much more powerful than my Hobart 125.

Excellent point. What 120v SMAW machines do you have?

 

[Blade Breaker]

I have a couple of 120v/240v SMAW machines and I agree completely, but I was under the impression that we were discussing the 120v wire feed machines. I actually hooked my Everlast PA200 (plugged to 120v) to my Miller s32-p suitcase welder and it is much more powerful than my Hobart 125.

Excellent point. What 120v SMAW machines do you have?

The 120V CV machine noted above is a wire feed machine.

I had at one time a Miller Max Star 150. Running on 120v It will run 1/8" 6010 very nicely at around 90-110 amps. 7018 it would run but you could trip breakers if your doing allot of welding running at 120+ amps. Sold this due to the fact I do not travel much for my personal business any more and I now have a generator to run my larger welder if needed. SMAW is a much better choice for farm/construction equipment repair and sometimes even fabrication.

I currently have these welders, Miller XMT 300 with a S-22A feeder, and Lincoln Square wave tig 355. The Lincoln is the actual machine I used when I was in welding school. When the school was trading for new machines after I graduated my instructor called me and asked if I wanted to by any. I went right up and got this one. I just love the way it runs 7018. Passed all my pipe certs on this actual machine. I have only 230V single phase in my shop so I have some 50 amp breakers for the XMT and one 100 amp for the Lincoln.

Maxstar 150 STH - TIG Welder - GTAW - Miller Welding

 

[zing]

Well said Muddstopper. What keeps getting lost in these threads is the fact that very few have said it is absolutely impossible to weld the 3/8" with 110 v machine and pass the bend test. What most of us have tried to point out over and over is it is not a good idea to keep presenting it like its no big deal and anyone can do it. These different people that have either been able to pass the bend test or came close are experienced weldors and spent considerable time and effort prepping the coupons for welding.

How can yo usay that? The idea that 120V welder are not perfect at welding thick metal has been repeated and acknowledged a hundred times. This is the way the conversation keeps going.

- 120V guy - What are some tips for welding thicker metal (like 3/8)?
- 220 V guy - That is outside of the specs. You could kill someone welding a trailer with 120V and driving it 75 on the highway.
- 120V guy - Ok, but I am not doing anything that will go on the highway. It is just a little project for personal use.
- 220 V guy - Bucket hooks over your head could snap and drop 2000 lbs on your head.
- 120V guy - I am not talking about bucket hoops.
- 220 V guy - It won't pass a bend test.
- 120V guy - I don't need to pass a bend test, I just want some tips to make it the best it can be. I can add some gussets to help support it.
- 220 V guy - It is irresponsible to say you can weld a battlehip with 120 V just by adding some gussets.
- 120V guy - I don't want to weld a battleship, I just want to do some projects for personal use around the farm.
- 220 V guy - Buy a 220V welder.
- 120V guy - I can't afford a 220V welder or the rewiring required to get 220V to my shed.
- 220V guy - It takes too long to weld thick metal with 120 V. It takes an hour to do prep and multiple welds. Just use 220V and it can be done in 5 minutes with one pass.
- 120V guy - I don't mind spending some extra time, because it it the only option I have. I can't afford a 220V welder or the rewiring required to get 220V to my shed.
- 220V guy - Just pay a professional to do it for you instead of trying to do something that is outside of the manufacturer's specs for the welder.
- 120V guy - I don't want to pay for a professional, this it a do it yourself forum and I am just looking for some tips on how to make the best of the equipment that I have.
- 220V guy - You can't use a jeweler's hammer to pound in a fence post. You need a sledgehammer.
- 120V guy - If the horses are going to get out of my field and run on the road I will use a rock to pound in the fence post if I have to. In the real world people MacGyver stuff all of the time. I am just looking for tips to make the best of the equipment that I have.
- 220V guy - The prep work is too meticulous to get it to pass a bend test. No beginner is actually going to spend the time required to prep it properly.
- 120V guy - I don't mind spending some extra time, it is just good practice. Besides a beginner with a 220V welder might also skip the prep work and get poor penetration on their weld.
- 220V guy - You can't just make up something that is not on the welding spec sheet that has been signed off by the weld engineer.
- 120V guy - There is no weld engineer or signoff sheet. This is just for little projects at my farm.
- 220V guy - It's irresponsible. You could kill someone welding a trailer with 120V and driving it 75MPH on the highway.


As far as I can tell the ones beating the dead horse are the people who keep saying that no one should EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER try to weld anything thicker than sheet metal with a 120V welderr, because it could be fatal.

 

[Blade Breaker]

OK what is the project you want tips on I can try and help. There are to many variables to just say that gussets will help in all cases. Looking for a single tip that can make things stick is probably not possible. It will greatly depend on the project.
Just so you know I love the low voltage machines and am not saying they do not have there place in the world.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Road hunter, I may have missed it, but...was that a root bend or a face bend you made? I don't see both. There is a difference.
And did you post somewhere your process to authenticate the results? I am not saying you did not do this, but am wondering about your settings, and particular "troubles" you went to, including prep process, total plate length etc.

If you did post this, please provide a link. It's important not to know it is possible, but "how" it is possible...otherwise, it is just irresponsible for those of the guys who are impressionable by your post for them to think it can be done "any ole way".

 

[roadhunter]

The 120V CV machine noted above is a wire feed machine.

I had at one time a Miller Max Star 150. Running on 120v It will run 1/8" 6010 very nicely at around 90-110 amps. 7018 it would run but you could trip breakers if your doing allot of welding running at 120+ amps. Sold this due to the fact I do not travel much for my personal business any more and I now have a generator to run my larger welder if needed. SMAW is a much better choice for farm/construction equipment repair and sometimes even fabrication.

I currently have these welders, Miller XMT 300 with a S-22A feeder, and Lincoln Square wave tig 355. The Lincoln is the actual machine I used when I was in welding school. When the school was trading for new machines after I graduated my instructor called me and asked if I wanted to by any. I went right up and got this one. I just love the way it runs 7018. Passed all my pipe certs on this actual machine. I have only 230V single phase in my shop so I have some 50 amp breakers for the XMT and one 100 amp for the Lincoln.

Maxstar 150 STH - TIG Welder - GTAW - Miller Welding

I've got a maxstar 150 as well. Runs 1/8 rod really well. Nice and compact.

 

[roadhunter]

Road hunter, I may have missed it, but...was that a root bend or a face bend you made? I don't see both. There is a difference.
And did you post somewhere your process to authenticate the results? I am not saying you did not do this, but am wondering about your settings, and particular "troubles" you went to, including prep process, total plate length etc.

If you did post this, please provide a link. It's important not to know it is possible, but "how" it is possible...otherwise, it is just irresponsible for those of the guys who are impressionable by your post for them to think it can be done "any ole way".

Mark,

It was not me. It was from another forum where a similar discussion was taking place. Sounded like he went to a lot of trouble to preheat the material before he welded it. I posted links but they were pruned. Do a search and you will find plenty of discussion on the subject and even a few success stories.

I've messed around with my Hobart 125 and my everalst pa200 hooked to a miller suitcase and have had success on 1/4" material but I dont' have any 3/8 material. I was actually willing to participate in the testing but when it became obvious that many were her to argue and bash instead of contribute and be productive I decided not to continue.

Do you think a pa200 hooked to 120v could pass a bend test using 3/32 or 1/8 rod?

 

[zing]

OK what is the project you want tips on I can try and help. There are to many variables to just say that gussets will help in all cases. Looking for a single tip that can make things stick is probably not possible. It will greatly depend on the project.
Just so you know I love the low voltage machines and am not saying they do not have there place in the world.

I appreciate that, but to be honest I don't think this conversation is about any particular project, it is about the fact that so often when someone asks about doing a project with 120 the helpful responses are like hen's teeth while the majority of posts are "Get a 220 welder."


To respond to your post though, I have a yard trailer with a broken axle and so I am thinking about putting a walking beam on it to make it a little more durable and survive the ruts and holes in my fields. I would like to reinforce the section that would be considered the tongue/subframe, so that walking beam supports are solid and can join at both the outside of the trailer and also at the center. I would alos have to build the beams and supports, plus attach the axles. The supports and the walking beams are not going to be 3/8's but they will be thicker than sheet metal.

At this point I am just thinking about what it should look like and how to do it as cheaply as possible, while still making it solid enough to last.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/nstizing/IMG-20140901-02115Medium_zps7e876089.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd320/nstizing/walkingbeamtrailertilted_zpsc961bf3d.jpg

 

[Todd NE WY]

The strange part is nobody is recommending that people do any critical welds on heavy material with 120v welders. Nobody is trying to mislead other folks into believing their 120v welder is good to use on 3/8 material. Nobody is telling people to do anything unsafe. Heck all that we are dealing with is practice pieces. We talking bout practice, practice??, we talking about practice.
View attachment 392724

The bottom line is you can continue to show up and lecture us on how this is unsafe and how this is not something that should be done on a critical weld, 120v welders are not suited to weld 3/8 material, etc, etc.. or you can realize that nobody is even suggesting any of that and you are basically just arguing to argue as nobody is disagreeing with what you are saying. Hopefully once you realize that you will be able to contribute.

No the strange part is you bunch of Sodo fan boys chanting and carrying on about nobody is recommending it. Sodo over and over again recommends it for "fixing the occasional thick bracket". Not sure what your definition of "recommends" is but he is recommending people do it.

So for what seems like the millionth time if you want to practice at home and go thru what it takes to weld 3/8" with a 110 v wire feed machine have at it, but quite posting and acting like it is routine procedure to do it. I know I know this is a "hobbiest forum" or thats what I keep seeing posted. Hobbiest or not I want the stuff I build and repair to stay that way. I have a life and I don't need to waste time on inadequate repairs or builds. For the record yes I own and use a 110 wire feed machine, I also own and use a Miller BlueStar 6000, I pick which one depending on what I need to do. I don't weld on the livestock panels that I am rebuilding with the miller and I didn't do any of the structural welds on the bale spear I built with the 110 v wire feed machine. Yes, I did use it to tack the spear collars on before the final weld with the miller.

 

[roadhunter]

No the strange part is you bunch of Sodo fan boys chanting and carrying on about nobody is recommending it. Sodo over and over again recommends it for "fixing the occasional thick bracket". Not sure what your definition of "recommends" is but he is recommending people do it.

So for what seems like the millionth time if you want to practice at home and go thru what it takes to weld 3/8" with a 110 v wire feed machine have at it, but quite posting and acting like it is routine procedure to do it. I know I know this is a "hobbiest forum" or thats what I keep seeing posted. Hobbiest or not I want the stuff I build and repair to stay that way. I have a life and I don't need to waste time on inadequate repairs or builds. For the record yes I own and use a 110 wire feed machine, I also own and use a Miller BlueStar 6000, I pick which one depending on what I need to do. I don't weld on the livestock panels that I am rebuilding with the miller and I didn't do any of the structural welds on the bale spear I built with the 110 v wire feed machine. Yes, I did use it to tack the spear collars on before the final weld with the miller.

Another fine contribution to the topic for the millionth time. "get a bigger welder" "this is unsafe" etc..... And as usual nobody is recommending doing anything unsafe but for some reason we still get the same worn out lecture. I also never said anything about this being "routine" either.

So basically you just did the same rant about a bunch of things nobody is suggesting. Nobody is suggesting this is "routine", nobody. You just made that up. Nobody is suggesting this be done on any critical weld, nobody. Nobody is suggesting this be done on a bale spear. So basically you are just arguing with yourself as nobody is saying what you are claiming. Keep up the great work.