cold weather welding

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Hi all i dont weld for a living just play around in my garage i was out there today and the air temp in the garage was about 60 degrees but my work piece was almost cold to the touch i had my machine a miller 210 set up to weld 1/8 steel with the settings i normally us for that thickness but it seemed like the wire speed was to slow like the wire was burning back to the tip when i turned up the wire speed it seemed somewhat better i probably had it up 10 to 15% higher then i normally do.Is this due to the cold temps or does the metal need to be preheated.Thanks for any info...Joe
Reply:No expert on the mechanics of migs, tho I own one. I'd guess the colder temp would slow down the drive rollers due to resistance in the gear lube.               JMHO,                          MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Another possability was the line voltage could be down which would in turn drop down the output of you machine for the same settings if you don't have an actual output meter and are going by the numbers on the dials. Some machines are corrected for line voltage so it may not be an issue with yours, just a though.I used to work in a shop in a huge industrial park, you could tell when it was getting close to lunch time as the heat dropped down due to increased load on the system.....Mike
Reply:I had to laugh at this thread. Cold Weather Welding? LOL Just shows how different  where we work and live can really be.These pics were given to me by a friend. I actually wasn't there on this job. At the time we were in Seward on the southern end of the state where it was a balmy -10F
Reply:wow, no thank youand i think the +40's are coldMechanical Engineer
Reply:Damn, there's cold and then there's that. No thank you.....Mike
Reply:wow I thought +10 was cold!!!
Reply:-10 degrees F is the coldest temp I have ever been outside in. It's hard for me to imagine working at the temp shown in the top picture.
Reply:Ive been a lil colder than that, but it was geese hunting, not welding
Reply:Originally Posted by spuddownI had to laugh at this thread. Cold Weather Welding? LOL Just shows how different  where we work and live can really be.These pics were given to me by a friend. I actually wasn't there on this job. At the time we were in Seward on the southern end of the state where it was a balmy -10F
Reply:Looks like some fellow Alaskans!  Never thought I would move south but did!  I remember working at Livengood Camp during the pipeline as a Service mechanic For NC and we were repairing a Scraper and the thermometer was -68F,  The snot would freeze to your lip!  We had it made cause we had a Herman Nelson 1 million BTU heater with 10" duct pointed into the tent we fashioned.  The Fitters were like in the picture.  Brings back memories for sure!!Thanks for the pictures!  BTW I grew up just south of Seward in Cooper Landing till the year after the Quake.TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Originally Posted by spuddownI had to laugh at this thread. Cold Weather Welding? LOL Just shows how different  where we work and live can really be.These pics were given to me by a friend. I actually wasn't there on this job. At the time we were in Seward on the southern end of the state where it was a balmy -10F
Reply:I have to agree w/ Duane.Being in road construction, I've worked my share of sub zero days and nights and you can have 'em!!!! Just moved down from southern Idaho and haven't had many long sleeve days yet. Have had a couple of early AM's I had to put the jacket on for a couple of hours. "Course bein' retired I go inside whenever I need to.                   MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Ol'Stonebreaker,I know exactly what you mean!  Since moving to WA State, It took me a couple of years to aclimate! Heck we seldom get to +30 here and it feels cold now!!  Already I am thinking that a trip to AZ is in order!  I saw guys welding Pipeline supports like the picture above and the guy on the right was making the next pass, (I think by the time they got all the way around and did the cover they were warmed up?)Enjoy Retirement!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:I'm so glad to be retired from "rig welding".  Doesn't matter where we're welding in the winter, Alaska or PA, still sucks.  But, -10 REALLY sucks.  Talked to some weldors that worked the pipeline in AK and they told me in severe cold, one could kick the tires of a piece of heavy equipment and where they kicked would "chunk" out.  Damn, that's cold.I once had 2 rigs on a job for Fleetwood Homes.  We fabricated a Tops Lifting Device, outside, in January.  Wind chill was below 0.  Had frozen snot to my knees.
Reply:Ok, since we are playing top that!  I remember going hunting for rabbits in AK at age 11, took a neighbor friend with me and we were having a blast till a weird weather pattern came in that night (we were sleeping in a tent (-10f) not unusual)  The next morning we got up and the thermometer on my parka was maxxed out at -50!!  Needless to say we lit a huge fire and were standing around it (as close as we could get to stay warm when the fire popped and my friend jumped back and the bottom of his leather MukLuks (you might need to look this up) stayed where he was and he was now in his socks at -50f!!!!My friends dad (luckily) got worried and came looking for us, when he got there in his old "white 5 ton truck we were sure glad he came!!!   That was in the early 60's and I to this day will never forget it!!  I also remember him squeezing the old 'paper wrapped' 30wt oil can to try to get some of it into the valve cover of the ole flathead!!(GUESS THAT IS WHY I FINALLY MOVED SOUTH IN 93You all stay warm and get paid well!!Happy New Year!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Hey TJ, I didn't mean any disrespect to the original poster with my reply. I just wasn't expecting  the cold to be + 60F. I'm with you though, between 60 and 70 is my favorite temp. Anything over 70 and I'm looking for some shade to hang out in. Maybe a beer or two to cool down with.LOL This took place last winter. We were in Seward working on their Harbor.Tim, Cooper Landing, now there's a place that has a personality swing. Little quiet, sleepy place in the winter then a complete Mad House in the summer. I guess the entire Kenai is that way though. Soldotna and the bigger areas seem to absorb it better. Still a mad house. I took the ferry into Homer one time. We offloaded at 7 am on the Fourth of July. I didn't know they had even manufactured that many Motorhomes, Let alone they were all in Homer. Duane, Their both welding. One following the other. Looks like the wind is blowing by the pattern of the sparks. I think the one guy is using the other to break the wind. Can't say as I blame him. There are two guys with weed burners on the other side  of the pipe trying to warm it a little.Mike, I have been through Soda Springs many a time and it always surprised me how much winter you could have there!. Bitter Cold and Deep snow. Not to much different from Western Wyoming. I always tell people that I moved here to get away from the winters in Wyoming.
Reply:Spuddown,I haven't been back to Cooper Landing in about 5 years, but last time I was there it had changed considerably (understatement)  When I went to 1-8 school there we had a one room school that the first teacher built, heated with a barrel stove and generator that ran the lights (only on when we needed to read).  We had a big class one year (11) kids all 8 grades combined and 4 of them where from the new family in town that opened a little sawmill (LOL)Dad was one of the early Hunting/Fishing guides and guess what I did growing up (packed Moose, sheep and bear hides) cut firewood and learned a lot about living in the woods (wouldn't have traded it for anything)Sorry guys, back on topic!  In my past life we burned a lot of old 7018 and if the flux fell off we just grabbed another and when more was bad then good we bought another box!  I thought rod ovens were for cooking soup, and keeping the spam warm and tasteTim---now a hobby welder and loving it (hope to make enough) on the side to buy more tools/toys in the futureA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Can anyone tell me the "rules" for welding in cold weather? I am welding 3" Schedule 40 pipe for geo-thermal system in the hills in Western Maryland. The Brain Trust wants me to move my work space outside so I am no in the way, even though I still have to weld in the mechanical room. I told them that welding outside in below freezing temperatures is not really recommended because of adverse conditions affecting the weld. What's the real story from real world welders PLEASE........
Reply:Originally Posted by Oldtimer-10 degrees F is the coldest temp I have ever been outside in. It's hard for me to imagine working at the temp shown in the top picture.
Reply:Wear warm clothes.
Reply:IT AIN'T THE COLD, IT'S THE HUMIDITY"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammIT AIN'T THE COLD, IT'S THE HUMIDITY
Reply:OP. it's most likely a problem with your wire feed. Could be a bad liner, bad tip, the grooves in your rollers could be  worn ar you could have the tension on the wire roll itself too tight. Trust us it's not the "cold" thats the problem. Back off topic! I'm so glad I have a job in a shop now lol. I think the coldest I've ever welded was in -30 weather with a windchill in the -50s. One of my buddies just got back from welding at a mine in way northern canada and it was -57F dunno what the windchill was. I miss working with him but **** I aint going back to that!
Reply:how long does it take to pre-heat a weldment that is -50. i could imagine that being a cracked out nightmare