Trouble!

[Sonata81]

Morning all,
I just purchased a Cigweld 150 shielded mig and have been tinkering around with it over the last few days. Anyhow, I haven't been doing too bad with settings and actual welding with push and pull etc. yesterday I modified my trailer by "trying" to weld 3 mm angle iron to the frame to secure the floor a bit more. However, when I got welding, it was spattering everywhere and no fluency. I tried to change the settings through voltage and feed but the same problems occured. My questions are:
Was the earth grounded properly to the trailer through the undercoat of the bare steel?
Too much stick out?
Unclean tip?
Not enough gas (outside welding but relatively no wind, pressure set to 20)?
.9mm steel wire?

Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance!

 

[shenion]

Does look like not enough power.

Could be loss using an extension lead.

It need to be bare metal for the return clamp.

 

[jonnyBMX]

it doesnt look the cleanest of surfaces might just be because the welds made it look dirty once you welded it?

 

[Sonata81]

Thanks guys. Umm, the surface fairly clean as I ground it prior, is that too much atmosphere turning it brown? I turned the gas to 25 now and can't see a real difference though. I'm getting brown specs rising to the top of the weld also? Is this silica? Is that normal? Thanks again!

 

[Jim Davey]

What is that beige stripe running below the weld? If its seam sealer it may be giving off some fumes and contaminating your gas shield.

 

[Sonata81]

Brown specs? Hmm. I take my hat off to those welders out there. I'm a automotive spray painter and I kinda need to start learning this art.

 

[Bede]

Don't worry about the specs, they chip off and is normal. Your gas flow is a little high but since you're welding outside I'd leave it. The soothing isn't a problem. Newbies always get too hung up on unimportant factors like that.

The right hand half of that weld is absolutely fine. Good consistency of movement giving a tidy straight, flat weld. A gnat's * high on the power perhaps or maybe move the torch slightly quicker but only very slightly and you're bang on.

Your first picture would be clearer if you'd given it a wire brush first.

Not far off at all though for a newb.

 

[Sonata81]

Thanks for all your info guys, ill keep chippin away!

 

[Bede]

Sooting, not soothing! Silly iphone autocorrect.