Hi,
First off - terrific site. It is great to know there are people across the globe learning and building.
I've put a few hours in welding with a Hobart 175 w/ 75%/25% shielding and my results are a bit lacking. My test pieces are 3/16" (about 5mm) thick steel. My test welds are just for penetration - trying to determine optimal voltage and feed rate. So, onto my issue...
I can go an inch or so, maintaining a steady pace all the while, then at the last moment I get blowthrough. Yet, when I flip the piece, I have minimal penetration leading up to the blowthrough.
I have 1 - 4 voltage settings (with no midrange settings). My test welds have been in the 2 - 3 voltage range and i have tested wirefeed across the board with similar results.
I have tested with straight line welds as well as zigzags.
Any ideas what I may be doing wrong? I'm guessing it will all come down to nailing the perfect voltage/feed combo. I will try to post picks of these nasty welds in the following days, but are there any tips to narrowing this down in the interim?
Thanks in advance!
First off - terrific site. It is great to know there are people across the globe learning and building.
I've put a few hours in welding with a Hobart 175 w/ 75%/25% shielding and my results are a bit lacking. My test pieces are 3/16" (about 5mm) thick steel. My test welds are just for penetration - trying to determine optimal voltage and feed rate. So, onto my issue...
I can go an inch or so, maintaining a steady pace all the while, then at the last moment I get blowthrough. Yet, when I flip the piece, I have minimal penetration leading up to the blowthrough.
I have 1 - 4 voltage settings (with no midrange settings). My test welds have been in the 2 - 3 voltage range and i have tested wirefeed across the board with similar results.
I have tested with straight line welds as well as zigzags.
Any ideas what I may be doing wrong? I'm guessing it will all come down to nailing the perfect voltage/feed combo. I will try to post picks of these nasty welds in the following days, but are there any tips to narrowing this down in the interim?
Thanks in advance!