Got my new shiny red portamig and lovely bit of kit it is. I am a bit stumped though. I have bought some 0.8mm mild steel as intend to repair some car panels. Have followed some guides on here and can get a nice-ish weld going but I have to have the voltage on 1-5 or 2-1 to get any kinda penetration. Is this odd or am i doing something wrong? Because I thought for thin metal I would be using a lot lower setting, but this doesnt penetrate and just creates a pea.
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cumbriasteve
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What wire speed are you using, try it around the 4 to 5 mark and then put some pics up, will be easier for others to see what you think is the problem.
I butt weld 2mm wall box on my 235 Portamig at the 2-1 setting, 0.8 wire and get a perfect weld with good penetration, so in effect the ratio is not so different from your power levels...perhaps slightly more effective.
I butt weld 2mm wall box on my 235 Portamig at the 2-1 setting, 0.8 wire and get a perfect weld with good penetration, so in effect the ratio is not so different from your power levels...perhaps slightly more effective.
cumbriasteve
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Forgot to mention, you should be on 0.6 wire, that would reduce the power requirements
W4yne
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Your technique will also have a bearing on the weld penetration, ie, pushing the gun will give greater penetration than pulling, also your speed. For thin car panel work in general I would only use the pulse technique, see tutorials above.
After finding your correct power setting to find the wire speed use the tutorial above, keeping the trigger pressed alter the wire speed until you hear the "sizzling bacon" sound. I only use 0.6 wire on car panel work, wire speed 2.5 0.8 wire I would estimate at between 1.5-and 2. If you turn up the wire speed then you can generally turn down the power a little. Keep the nozzle about 5mm from the job and the angle at between 60-70" degrees. Hope this is of some help. You can't go wrong by reading the tutorials above. Great choice in machine by the way, I have the 215. Good luck!
After finding your correct power setting to find the wire speed use the tutorial above, keeping the trigger pressed alter the wire speed until you hear the "sizzling bacon" sound. I only use 0.6 wire on car panel work, wire speed 2.5 0.8 wire I would estimate at between 1.5-and 2. If you turn up the wire speed then you can generally turn down the power a little. Keep the nozzle about 5mm from the job and the angle at between 60-70" degrees. Hope this is of some help. You can't go wrong by reading the tutorials above. Great choice in machine by the way, I have the 215. Good luck!
Hi, thanks. I have 0.6mm wire. I just thought it was rummun (i am from norfolk 
that I have to have the power up so high for 0.8mm steel. Does it mean that 1-1 on the power setting i could weld tin foil? 
The Wire speed I am using is about 2-3 ish but that didnt seem to make it any better at lower volts it just made the pea bigger but was just as splattery and didnt penetrate. I can get ok penetration but at a higher voltage but that causes the sheet to go all david (bowie). I guess I need to put some sort of heatsink behind it to absorb some heat and maybe do spot welds then let it cool and slowly fill in the gaps, but the guy on the video on the how to weld thin metal doesnt have to do that, so thats why i am a bit miffed. Also, what are the dials on the reg? I read the reg page but it doesnt actually say what they mean or what they should be. I think one on the left is how much is left in the bottle (i am using argoshield light btw) Is the other how much the welder is using? I read somewhere it should be about 10 so thats what it drops down to when i press the trigger on the gun. Here's some pics of various welds at different settings, hopefully you can help and I can make it all better tomorrow
that I have to have the power up so high for 0.8mm steel. Does it mean that 1-1 on the power setting i could weld tin foil? The Wire speed I am using is about 2-3 ish but that didnt seem to make it any better at lower volts it just made the pea bigger but was just as splattery and didnt penetrate. I can get ok penetration but at a higher voltage but that causes the sheet to go all david (bowie). I guess I need to put some sort of heatsink behind it to absorb some heat and maybe do spot welds then let it cool and slowly fill in the gaps, but the guy on the video on the how to weld thin metal doesnt have to do that, so thats why i am a bit miffed. Also, what are the dials on the reg? I read the reg page but it doesnt actually say what they mean or what they should be. I think one on the left is how much is left in the bottle (i am using argoshield light btw) Is the other how much the welder is using? I read somewhere it should be about 10 so thats what it drops down to when i press the trigger on the gun. Here's some pics of various welds at different settings, hopefully you can help and I can make it all better tomorrow 
malcolm
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What setting do you need to be on to manage a continuous weld without blowing a great hole? It's surely going to be one of the lowest 2 settings. Getting any penetration with a quick burst would indeed require a whole load of power, but that's a bodge we use on lesser welders, but you do a continuous weld on thin sheet with the Portamig.
Better off with 1.5mm to 2mm for learning - 0.8 does blow through a lot which distracts from the getting the hang of it thing.
Better off with 1.5mm to 2mm for learning - 0.8 does blow through a lot which distracts from the getting the hang of it thing.
i need to have it on coarse 1 and fine 6 or coarse 2 fine 1 to manage to do a continuous weld with good penetration. Any less than that and a pea forms on top of the steel :S I thought I'd go with 0.8 as thats what I will be welding. I haven't had any blows through at all, but I havent gone any higher than 2-1.
Yay, don't think its the welder. Pretty sure its the nut behind the wheel 
With a bit more practise today managed to lay down some good welds at 1-2 and even managed to blow a hole. Now holding the torch about 7ish mm away from the steel and have the wire feeding at 4 and have managed to lay some niceish welds. Happy now, I think i still need to practise more.
With a bit more practise today managed to lay down some good welds at 1-2 and even managed to blow a hole. Now holding the torch about 7ish mm away from the steel and have the wire feeding at 4 and have managed to lay some niceish welds. Happy now, I think i still need to practise more.
octo0072000
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welds
are you using a extension lead if so needs to be at least 10AMPS or more i use a caravan extension lead on mine 16AMPS rated if i use a 5 amp one my welding goes all pear shaped make sure you unwind all the extension reel
you my be suffering a volts drop
are you using a extension lead if so needs to be at least 10AMPS or more i use a caravan extension lead on mine 16AMPS rated if i use a 5 amp one my welding goes all pear shaped make sure you unwind all the extension reel
you my be suffering a volts drop
