First Attempts With IMPAX IM-MIG-120 120A MIG/MMA Welder (Gas/Gasless)

[Muggins the Mug]

Using an old piece of quarter inch thick steel plate to test the Impax IM-MIG 120A welder, from Screwfix. This was using SIP 0.8mm flux core wire at various settings.

From left to right. 40A, 60A, 80A, 100A and 120A. My only previous welding experience was an Aldi buzz box arc welder, over 15 years ago. Some of my old previous attempts with that are still on here.

The Impax welder doesn't come with any recommended settings for the use of flux core wire amperage vs material thickness.

https://www.free-instruction-manuals.com/pdf/pa_2706188.pdf

 

[BrokenBiker]

ill start by saying, realistically you need 250 amps for 1/4" steel.

but, that said, the 4th weld looks good to me, the 5th looks like you were travelling too slow.


i have no experience with your welder but have to ask, how are you getting the amps values? as mig is constant voltage so amps will fluctuate. my mig is semi synergic and gives an amps value but i dont trust it, its more for reference to be able to repeat settings for me.

120 amps with gasless might see you full penetration on 3mm, maybe 4 at a stretch.

keep at it, its mostly about consistencyonce you figure out what settings are workig for different materials and joints

Edit, didnt see the link for the manual...looks odd as there doesnt seem to be a voltage adjustment, or is that done via the 1 knob and a menu style approach? or is it literally just 1 setting for all?

 

[Muggins the Mug]

ill start by saying, realistically you need 250 amps for 1/4" steel.

but, that said, the 4th weld looks good to me, the 5th looks like you were travelling too slow.


i have no experience with your welder but have to ask, how are you getting the amps values? as mig is constant voltage so amps will fluctuate. my mig is semi synergic and gives an amps value but i dont trust it, its more for reference to be able to repeat settings for me.

120 amps with gasless might see you full penetration on 3mm, maybe 4 at a stretch.

keep at it, its mostly about consistencyonce you figure out what settings are workig for different materials and joints

Edit, didnt see the link for the manual...looks odd as there doesnt seem to be a voltage adjustment, or is that done via the 1 knob and a menu style approach? or is it literally just 1 setting for all?

It was just to practice some beads on a piece of scrap steel, it's all that was available at the time. I've got some offcuts of thinner stuff coming shortly. The amperage adjustment is via a dial, whereas the wire thickness is done through a button selection, as it the type of welding.

 

[tom2207]

interesting , the manual speaks at one point about trimming the wires speed ,,, but never says how , and after that it basically stays semi synergic .

 

[Muggins the Mug]

I think there's a few mistakes in the manual, as it says that the wire spool capacity is upto 5kg. There's no way it can take a 200mm diameter spool. It can take a 100mm spool for either 450g or 1kg of flux core wire.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Gubber me, that's a name from the past!
Welcome back!

 

[Cobbler]

According to the search facility, last post 2009. Got to be some sort of record

 

[tom2207]

playing with the wire thickness selector will change the wire feed speed no doubt ,,,, so well worth a play , you will get settings that may suit you better ,, but it would bug me not being able to get what I want , most of the machines I own have synergic settings ,,, but I never use them.

 

[Muggins the Mug]

Gubber me, that's a name from the past!
Welcome back!

Somethings are worth coming back to.

 

[BrokenBiker]

playing with the wire thickness selector will change the wire feed speed no doubt ,,,, so well worth a play , you will get settings that may suit you better ,, but it would bug me not being able to get what I want , most of the machines I own have synergic settings ,,, but I never use them.

My mig is semi synergic, as you alter 'amps' which is just a glorified wire speed knob, you get a window of voltage you can then adjust with the voltage knob...it won't let you run flat out wire with bottom barrel voltage, but then again, why would you? It's got more than enough adjustability for me to still work like a normal mig but a bit easier to set up...I couldn't cope with a mig with 1 button I don't think

 

[Muggins the Mug]

According to the search facility, last post 2009. Got to be some sort of record

 

[Muggins the Mug]

playing with the wire thickness selector will change the wire feed speed no doubt ,,,, so well worth a play , you will get settings that may suit you better ,, but it would bug me not being able to get what I want , most of the machines I own have synergic settings ,,, but I never use them.

I'm led to believe that this machine selects the wire speed automatically. All new fangled to me!

 

[tom2207]

I'm led to believe that this machine selects the wire speed automatically. All new fangled to me!

yep ,,, but you maay want a tad more or a tad less depending on how you find things ,,,

 

[Muggins the Mug]

I've got some rather agricultural welding jobs to do, for myself. I've got a couple of 6ft long galvanised sheep hurdles to repair, where the interlocking loop welds have came apart. Also to fix some Heras fence panels where the tack welds at the tube ends have given way.

Didn't worry, the galvanising will be ground off out in the open, before any welding proceeds.