brokenbiker
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- 10,436
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- Llanbobyll, south wales
so ive been giving my mate a hand learning mig with his mightymig100. we had issue with the tips, they have been changed, then also had issue with a connection in the torch, the nut that holds the torch power lead on was split so had to be replaced as it was causing an intermittent connection. anyway all fixed now and going well. he wanted to know what the thickest metal he could weld was so I decided to do a little test.
3 different thicknesses 5mm, 3mm and 2mm. recorded settings, cut the welds and polished with a flap disc, although I don't have anything to etch them with so this wasn't really usefull, especially as I only had 40 grit flap discs too so cant really see anything except the weld profile.
all hot rolled steel as far as I can tell, thick horrible scale on it that needed grinding off before welding.
here are the pics:
5mm steel, voltage on 2 and wire feed on 10 (so machine is maxed out)
there was nothing to see on the back of the weld so I didn't take a pic.
next was 3mm hot rolled, same settings as above
judging by the back of the weld I would say this achieved nearly full penetration and with a bit of a weave may have been able to get it to penetrate right through but would have ended up with a rather large weld.
next is 2mm hot rolled, voltage still on 2 but wire feed on 7 as when it was set on 10 it blew holes and made horrible welds.
didn't bother cutting this one as it had obviously melted through at the beginning of the weld and I think it only smoothed out as I picked up the speed a bit.
now, some of the welds look ok, some look horrible, but I am blaming the mask on that, it was a shade 12 mineral glass lense so no adjustment and no auto dark (that's my excuse and im sticking with it
) although I will admit my torch angle could have been a bit more consistent (and correct) at times.
I had also forgotten how much spatter was generated with flux core. wire used was SIP 0.8mm self shielded flux core, 0.8mm tip.
any critisicm of the welds is welcome, I haven't done much mig lately so am a bit rusty but im happy with them for their purpose
3 different thicknesses 5mm, 3mm and 2mm. recorded settings, cut the welds and polished with a flap disc, although I don't have anything to etch them with so this wasn't really usefull, especially as I only had 40 grit flap discs too so cant really see anything except the weld profile.
all hot rolled steel as far as I can tell, thick horrible scale on it that needed grinding off before welding.
here are the pics:
5mm steel, voltage on 2 and wire feed on 10 (so machine is maxed out)
there was nothing to see on the back of the weld so I didn't take a pic.
next was 3mm hot rolled, same settings as above
judging by the back of the weld I would say this achieved nearly full penetration and with a bit of a weave may have been able to get it to penetrate right through but would have ended up with a rather large weld.
next is 2mm hot rolled, voltage still on 2 but wire feed on 7 as when it was set on 10 it blew holes and made horrible welds.
didn't bother cutting this one as it had obviously melted through at the beginning of the weld and I think it only smoothed out as I picked up the speed a bit.
now, some of the welds look ok, some look horrible, but I am blaming the mask on that, it was a shade 12 mineral glass lense so no adjustment and no auto dark (that's my excuse and im sticking with it
![laughing :laughing: :laughing:](/forum/styles/smilies/laughing.gif)
I had also forgotten how much spatter was generated with flux core. wire used was SIP 0.8mm self shielded flux core, 0.8mm tip.
any critisicm of the welds is welcome, I haven't done much mig lately so am a bit rusty but im happy with them for their purpose