Help. How do you avoid undercut.

[Billrog]

Once I found where my welders ran best for different sized rod I marked it with a felt pen on each welder mainly because I some times have no need to weld for up to a yr. and would never remember what setting I'd used.

 

[Jorville]

I think the rod is 1/8 inch, but I need to measure it to be sure. I can't run 150 amps. 115 is about as hot as I can do.

The numbers I gave you above is what I used on a Miller 350 Syncrowave. I have seen that From one Miller welder to the next the amp setting heat is close. I think you are using a 1/8 rod, If you are getting undercut at 115 amps maybe the base metal is too thin. If you tried to run 1/8 inch rod at 150 amps on that Miller you would have excessive splatter, and lots more undercut. That"s if your Miller and the Syncrowave I used have the same temperature at the same amp setting..

 

[4570Man]

I don't try to stick weld anything thinner than 1/4 inch. I have a mig for anything thinner. Ray ( the certified welder ) could run 150 amps on driveshaft tubing which is less than 1/8 thick.

 

[4570Man]

I am welding DC with a 1/8 rod. Here are some some pictures of the Miller and the mig. I tried welding this weld at 125 amps. It had pretty bad undercut so I reduced to 115 amps with much better success., I still had rod left so I turned the piece over and turned the welder up to 125 amps. Here are some more of my welds some are better than others.

Whoops I accidentally uploaded the Miller twice in place of the mig and the mig is last.

 

[Shield Arc]

One big problem I see, is inconsistent travel speed. I'll bet you a dollar to a donut your rod angle is off too.

 

[4570Man]

One big problem I see, is inconsistent travel speed. I'll bet you a dollar to a donut your rod angle is off too.

You are right, but I have made a lot of progress since the my first stream of globed metal not even worthy of being called a weld.

 

[Shield Arc]

It takes time. One thing that will be a big help to you, is find someone who can weld, and get some one on one lessons. A few members here have come to my shop, within a couple hours, huge improvements in their welding!

 

[4570Man]

The co owner of a local metal fabrication shop told me mid summer I could come over the end of summer when his business slowed down for some lessons, but summer is over and he hasn't said anything else.

 

[Shield Arc]

One on one instruction makes all the difference in the world. When you're having trouble welding, and the welder stands behind you, reaches around you and grabs your hand and welds for you. It doesn't take long before the light comes on, and you get it!

 

[muddstopper]

45 min of pretty good info, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP8hh0yQibM