welding with my new portamig 215

[jonnyBMX]

Hi everyone,

received my portamig 215 yesterday... first impressions were very good looks well built etc,
was nice and easy to set the wire tensioner and wire feed motor tension.

so here are the first welds I ever did with the welder, also tested the spot weld timer(works a treat)

1st two pictures show the weld, all on the same power one stitch welded and two normal but one with a faster travel speed, the 3rd picture shows the penetration (and my lack of effort to clean the panel)

the 4th and 5th image show me stitch welding two pieces of metal together (ignore all the other welds which were done on a previous machine ages ago)

the 5th shows where the metal snapped (above the weld)

all in all well pleased with the welder and initial welds

any comments?

 

[zardoz]

Can you try and get some long bits of metal, and do some long runs for at least a few feet. That way you will find it easier to watch the molten pool, and learn how to read it.

Trust me, it is much easier than faffing about with lots of different piddly welds, less than 6 inches long.

Congrats on buying your first Portamig. Good machines are they not?

 

[jonnyBMX]

Yeh I've got plenty of metal was just testing the welder out quickly really! Top welder yeh

 

[zardoz]

Sorry, i mistook you for a learner. I have one of the old 185 models without the stitch weld option. Do you think it works like it should ?

 

[jonnyBMX]

well... in many ways i am still a learner (arn't we all), and as ever im always gratefull for input from others and i thought ur suggestion of trying longer welds is good!

everything on the welder seems to work well I think, VAST improvment from my old siegen 150.

only think ive noticed was the hub that holds the wire seems to have an un even surface which causes the spool to spin at a angle is that normal? maybe thats how wire is pulled evenly off the wire reel?