Penetration Question

[bergy1]

Hi I've attached a couple of pics to ask the question about penetration on the weld on the far right?

This is on 1.3mm steel, is this close to having the correct penetration?

It doesn't appear to be when I compare it to what the User Guide shows on the underside but if I leave the torch any longer it blows through.

Could it be I need to reduce the power settings and wire speed even more so I can slow down even more?

Thanks

 

[sapperb]

Hopefully a thin metal pro will chime in. I don't weld on metal that thin. The thinest I weld is .120 and or 1/8th inch. I would say turn your power up, but you would truly blow through it. It doesn't look to bad overall.

 

[malcolm]

What type of shielding gas are you using? The welds don't seem to be flowing. My guess is an argon/CO2 mix with not enough flow rate. Sorting that would make life a lot easier. Disposable bottles are always a pain for that, and it pays to keep the torch really close to the work for thin stuff.

For penetration it's best to judge that from butt joints. For those you don't want to see the edges of the original metal on the reverse, but you don't want to blow holes. For thin metal it's a fine balance, but 1.3mm isn't all that thin in my book so should be manageable. It's just practice.

For an overlap joint the penetration you have laying the beads would be fine.

 

[bergy1]

Thanks, I'm using Argoshield Light and the taps were fully open so I'm assuming gas flow is not the problem. I'm using a full size BOC bottle too.

This was only my second evening practicing, so I'm trying to work out what sort of penetration I should be seeing in thinner sheet metal.

I'm using a Clarke 160TM

Thanks

 

[malcolm]

If it's Argoshield Light then the photos do show a problem with your gas flow.

It's worth sorting as it affects the weld a lot. Common reasons are too much breeze, torch not at the right angle, or plain not enough flow. What does your flowmeter read with the gas flowing? Difficult to judge anything else with that one wrong.

 

[bergy1]

Unfortunately my regulator doesn't have a flow meter it only reads the high pressure value of the gas bottle.

I can hear a definate good hiss of gas when I pull the trigger away from the work, so could it be the draft in my garage? I was working a few metres away from the half opened garage door. I myself couldn't feel a breeze but the smoke was visibly blowing away afterwards. Could a draft like this create this sort of problem?

Regarding what I should see on the underside, is my weld on the right still not penetrating enough?

Cheers for the replys folks

 

[mike os]

you really NEED a reg with an output dial, a flow guage would be OK too, but I dont like using them without having some idea of output pressure first.

 

[Robotstar5]

You can use a flowmeter like this



or cheaper option, a "peashooter"

 

[redwine300]

As above, but would like to suggest slowing down the wire speed a little, this in turn will enable you to perhaps slow the travel speed of the torch. This may allow a little more time for the weld pool to penetrate through.