Sean, one of the mysteries of mig welding is setting the wire speed.
The rule of thumb is that it takes 1 amp to weld 0.001 inches of stock without any joint prep for a single pass and there is a relationship between wire gauge, feed speed and weld current.
From the Miller mig welding manual:
Wire gauge:
0.023 in = 3.5 amps/ inch/ min
0.030 in = 2.0 amps/inch//min
0.035 in = 1.6 amps/inch/min.
Lets say the stock is 1/16 inch or 0.0625 in., therefore it would take 62.5 amps.
What wire speed yields 62.5 amps with 0.030 wire?
62.5 x 2.0 = 125 in/ min. or 12.5 in. in 6 seconds.
With the Heat turned off, pull the trigger and count 6 seconds, one thousand, two thousand?.
Adjust the wire feed control to get 12.5 inches in 6 seconds. This is a good starting point to tune the wire speed up or down from.
As for straight CO2, yes is dose give more heat but at the cost of more weld spatter, much like self shielding wire.
Gas flow is not a hard and fast rule; it has a range of 15-20 cu ft/hour.
Too much gas will suck in air and too little wild not shield the arc well.
One way to control the arc heat is with the wire stick-out. A short stick-out is puts a lot of heat into the arc for a good hot start. A long stick-out causes the wire to melt fast and a cooler puddle.
The rule of thumb is that it takes 1 amp to weld 0.001 inches of stock without any joint prep for a single pass and there is a relationship between wire gauge, feed speed and weld current.
From the Miller mig welding manual:
Wire gauge:
0.023 in = 3.5 amps/ inch/ min
0.030 in = 2.0 amps/inch//min
0.035 in = 1.6 amps/inch/min.
Lets say the stock is 1/16 inch or 0.0625 in., therefore it would take 62.5 amps.
What wire speed yields 62.5 amps with 0.030 wire?
62.5 x 2.0 = 125 in/ min. or 12.5 in. in 6 seconds.
With the Heat turned off, pull the trigger and count 6 seconds, one thousand, two thousand?.
Adjust the wire feed control to get 12.5 inches in 6 seconds. This is a good starting point to tune the wire speed up or down from.
As for straight CO2, yes is dose give more heat but at the cost of more weld spatter, much like self shielding wire.
Gas flow is not a hard and fast rule; it has a range of 15-20 cu ft/hour.
Too much gas will suck in air and too little wild not shield the arc well.
One way to control the arc heat is with the wire stick-out. A short stick-out is puts a lot of heat into the arc for a good hot start. A long stick-out causes the wire to melt fast and a cooler puddle.
