Mig technique question

[handirifle]

I have owned and used my little Campbell Hausfeld Mig for about 15 years now, and do a decent job with it. One thing I cannot do is what it SEEMS like I see some guys do. My best welds are by using the semi circle method, gradually advancing up the area to weld, but is seems like when I have watched some REAL welders use Mig's they never seem to use the semi circle method, but just a slow advance. Am I missing the slight circular movement or is there a better way?

 

[Shield Arc]

Well I'm no real welder! With Mig, dual shield, self shielded wire, 7018, and several other rods. I use an up and down movement. To much work for me to do circles.

 

[Bensjamming]

An oscillation while welding I'd not required when welding in the flat position. It will widen out your weld with less chance of cold roll or slag inclusions though if trying to cheat do a larger bead in one pass. With dual shield you pretty much never have to do anything but keep a sealy arc gap, and a consistent travel speed as long as it set up right. With hardwire though welding vertical up you have to oscillate or rather draw triangles as you go up. Advance up to the center point then down n to a side then the other remaining in the puddle the entire time. Also it doesn't have to be a circle, you can do cursive l's or the easiest is just to trace the front of the puddle. Also a sideways J, like tilted 90 deg to the right. Forward then back and up to kinda backfill preventing undercut if there is a gap or a bevel. Just play with it and see what works for you.

 

[ericher69]

I have owned and used my little Campbell Hausfeld Mig for about 15 years now, and do a decent job with it. One thing I cannot do is what it SEEMS like I see some guys do. My best welds are by using the semi circle method, gradually advancing up the area to weld, but is seems like when I have watched some REAL welders use Mig's they never seem to use the semi circle method, but just a slow advance. Am I missing the slight circular movement or is there a better way?

A good video http://youtu.be/w4RrDeUKcH4 hope this helps

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

 

[Shield Arc]

I do a motion some what like this. Start at the bottom, hold there long enough so the puddle forms to the size weld I want to make. Move up to the top, and hold there too, move back down to the bottom plate, etc, etc, etc.

 

[handirifle]

A good video http://youtu.be/w4RrDeUKcH4 hope this helps

Sent from my iPhone 5s 64Gb using TractorByNet

Great video, thanks. That is somewhat how I TRY to do it, and usually turns out my best work. That guy was about 100yrs ahead of me in skill though, and welder equipment too, I think.

Guys thanks for the replies, I guess it was an optical illusion for me. It's just those guys make it LOOK like they are just going straight through. WHen they are done the semi circle pattern is there, so they must just be a lot smoother and faster than me.

Guess I am not as bad as I thought.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I remember reading some article that said the stack of pennies look is unnecessary and wasteful in the welding process. Bensjamming note is quite interesting. I did a project that was using thin waled square and I was instructed just to drag the mig across. Again, I am no welder, was just putting this out as a conversation point.

 

[Shield Arc]

Member here ZTFab, (only posted a couple times) but he has over 3,000-posts on Welding Web. He has a very unusual method of Mig welding. I think he does a lot of automotive work. Only way I can even come close to my welds looking like this, is to run at the very bottom of the wire manufactures recommendations for volts wire speed / amps. Even tho I think this looks really I would never do it for anything structural!

 

[muddstopper]

To me that looks like a lot of pulse welding by trigger method. I will do that on really thin material and the looks are similar. Not sure how strong the weld is, but it will hold a muffler pipe.

 

[Shield Arc]

Welding Web has a very large thread on this method. "Mig like Tig".
Mig like Tig