Helpful feedback required!

[scotto75]

Hi,

I've posted a few pics of some early attempts with a new welder, and received some very good and instructive advice. I've had a few more hours practice and thought I'd post a pic of where I am now in the hope you guys may be able to advise me on what I may be doing wrong/right and what I should be doing to improve further. Here it is....

It's 2mm on the highest setting on my 100EN, done in one pass. I was pulling the puddle from right to left. I went a little too quick right at the start, but then eased back, so you can see the penetration change.

I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

 

[scotto75]

Okay. I was feeling pretty good about this. It's definitely my best go yet. The missus isn't bothered, so I thought i'd share it here.

Is this okay? If so, where do I go from here? I thought trying some corner fillets might be the next step, or lap joints maybe?

 

[Tigman]

your weld looks very hot and there is no profile , maybe due to the fact that you are weaving and traveling a tad slow , i would try again without the weave , if the penetration is not the same , open up the plate leave a gap and try again , is your machine 100 amp ?

 

[scotto75]

Thanks for the advice Tigman!

I was using the maximum setting (2MAX). The manual says you can use either 2MAX or 2MIN for 2.0mm steel, but most of my practicing has been on 2MAX. It also claims that 100A is top of the current range, so you're spot on.

When I first started I was weaving with a sort of 'c' shape, but was advised in other posts to stop it immediately. What I do find I do instead now is I move the torch back and forth slightly. I move forward and then go back until I can see the puddle, then move forward again.

Does the penetration look okay?

I'll try on 2MIN. I did have a go before but it was a bit trickier to find a consistent sweet spot with the settings, so lost patience and went back to 2MAX.

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[Tigman]

Yes your machine is basic in that you only have a few settings , penetration looks ok , try not to weave

 

[scotto75]

Thanks!

 

[BrokenBiker]

Penetration looks OK to me. As said try not to weave. I used to weave on every single joint and used to get frustrated when I couldn't get consistent welds, then I forced myself to stop and started getting better welds and more consistent welds too...then I went back to mma and left my mig in the corner...

 

[scotto75]

Thanks. I will work at being more consistent in my movement. I may try and get an hour tonight (if the mrs will look after the baby) and see what happens.

What do you use the MMA for? Is it better than MIG for the thin stuff?

 

[BrokenBiker]

Thanks. I will work at being more consistent in my movement. I may try and get an hour tonight (if the mrs will look after the baby) and see what happens.

What do you use the MMA for? Is it better than MIG for the thin stuff?

MMA is stick welding, absolutely terrible for thin stuff, i dont touch anything under 3mm with it usually unless i have no other way of welding it. MMA is brilliant for thick stuff, brilliant for welding in the wind, brilliant for a quick repair without having to set anything up like gas or voltage and wire feed speed, just set your amps for the rod and off you go.

mig is a relatively low penetration process from what i have learnt on here, MMA penetrates better with the right rod and its easier to go from welding mild steel, to welding stainless, to welding with a lo-hi rod, then back to mild steel, then back to lo-hi without having to change anything except the rod, the machines are generally cheaper to buy and most inverter MMA machines will do lift or scratch start dc tig too whcih is why i like them as they are so versatile (uless you want to weld car body work etc, although i have welded exhausts with it with good effect)

 

[scotto75]

Ah okay, stick welding... I know a guy who's got his rope access and said he does a lot of work on bridges and oil rigs.

I got to have another go this evening. Didn't have a huge amount of time as my 3 month son had got a bit of a cob on, but I tried and failed to get a puddle going using 2 MIN on the Clarke 100EN. It just wouldn't get started. I ended up going back to 2 MAX and did a few runs trying to maintain a constant speed with no weaving movement. I also tried pushing and pulling the puddle from different sides. Anyway, here's the last one I did....

Not sure if this is too flat and penetrating too much?

I think my 100EN will only work on 2mm at 2MAX with a WFS at 3.5, so not sure how to improve the settings. I'm guessing it must be now a case of working on my technique. I also have a 100E that has a couple more options when it comes to changing the voltage, so I might compare. (I prefer the 100EN though as the torch handle is sturdier, the trigger is more sensitive and it has a fan).

 

[cliff366]

I've got the pro 90 and you will need to be on 2 max and prob a small gap on 2mm as it really hasn't got much beans but is good for thinner car repairs which is why I went for it as I have to lift mine in and out the shed ;0(

 

[cliff366]

If you look on the mig welding guide There's bits on the pro 90 and what it can do

 

[scotto75]

Cheers Cliff366. I did have a look at that welding guide a while back but, looking at it again now, I can see that maybe 1 MAX - not 2 MIN- is the next setting down from 2 MAX. It must go 1 - 2 MIN then 1 - 2 MAX (I was thinking it went 1 MIN - MAX then 2 MIN - MAX. If that makes any sense?!)

The manual for the 100EN only lists 3 settings. 1 MIN, 2 MIN and 2 MAX - there's no mention of 1MAX. It lists 2 MAX as the setting for 2mm when using 0.8mm wire. But says to use 2 MIN if using 0.6mm wire. I do have some 0.6mm, but have just been using 0.8mm across the board.

I also have the 100E Mk2, which I think is the model above the Pro 90. The manual gives four of the available six settings for 0.8mm wire and it should be on the highest, 3 MAX, for welding 2.0mm. I have had a go with it, but preferred the 100E. It has a fan, so better duty cycle, can be used gasless simply, and the torch was slightly bigger and handled better. But I may try the 100E Mk2 in a side by side comparison, and see which performs better. Ultimately, I may just be better off selling them both and getting something a little bigger!

 

[cliff366]

Min1
Min2
Max1
Max2 is on mine I know a few have said it should be the other way round I've put a fan in mine as duty cycle was rubbish and the lower settings are rubbish unless it's clean sheet steel I'd like a bigger amp rig but carrying it back and forward to the car is a pain and really I never weld over 2mm and if I did a few mates I could drop bits to all tacked ready for them to weld

 

[Cobbler]

I had an old 100en, & was unsure about how the settings went, the user guide is unclear, but I put a volt meter on it, found mine was the same as Cliffs above. Not sure if they are all the same, but easy to check with a meter between the tip & the earth return

 

[scotto75]

Thanks Cobbler, I'll give it a whirl. I'll try 1MAX as well just for a comparison, but I'm guessing 2mm is the thickest it can handle, so the highest setting's the only option on both machines.