MIG Welding 1.5mm steel, vertical.

[Churtz]

Hi all.

I need to complete some welds on some 1.5mm mild steel box sections. I have created an "inner sleeve" to turn the welds into lap joints instead of just butt joints, but I struggle a little with settings for the vertical welds.

I have an RTech MIG 180.

I've been messing with some scrap of the same thickness, and settings seem okay for fillet joints. Is there a rough guide to how much lower I want it for vertical so it doesn't drip? Also, uphill or downhill? The welds are functional and need some strength.


Thanks in advance!!!

 

[bourbon]

Welcome to the forum. Any way of turning the job so you are welding flat?

 

[Churtz]

Welcome to the forum. Any way of turning the job so you are welding flat?

Thanks for the reply!

Unfortunately not. It's a leg extension on a chassis rail. Not a structural part, but the car is in tact rather than a shell that can be flipped etc.

 

[Robert Weaver]

Is there a rough guide to how much lower I want it for vertical so it doesn't drip?

I believe you want to go higher ( in wfs and voltage), not lower.

Uphill in bursts, minimise distortion while getting decent penetrating but but not too much volume.

I made a mistake doing vertical down at the same parameters as a horizontal fillet; pigeon poo and rework.

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Traditionally vertical up is done traveling in spiraling triangles...

Using that technique, you generally want to turn both voltage and wire speed down a bit, to avoid putting in too much heat due to slower travel.


With 1.5mm you can probably get away with doing as Robert says and going in hotter and basically using the wire feed to force metal upwards (as some people do for overhead)...

You would need to travel fast at a very consistent speed and possibly turn down the inductance settings to reduce weld puddle fluidity to make that work.


I would suggest trying both techniques on some scraps of 1.5mm plate held in a vice, until you know which method you prefer and feel confident with it.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Honestly, on 1.5mm do a test piece and try welding downhill. How long are the welds?

 

[8ob]

Honestly, on 1.5mm do a test piece and try welding downhill. How long are the welds?

As above, on thinwall gear crank up the amps, reduce wire feed and go downhand. Its that or stop start uphand.

Bob

 

[Churtz]

Honestly, on 1.5mm do a test piece and try welding downhill. How long are the welds?

I have got a few bits of scrap that are the same material thickness, so will have a play today.

The box sections are about 70mm by 50mm, and I need to weld the full way round. So have a horizontal flat, 2 verticals, and an overhead.

 

[Churtz]

As above, on thinwall gear crank up the amps, reduce wire feed and go downhand. Its that or stop start uphand.

Bob

Excuse my ignorance, but doesn't the wire feed speed control the amps? I have power and wire speed settings on mine.

Thanks.