First timer

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Today was my first time with a welder in my hand.  Always wanted to learn the trade. Got a small miller 140 mig to get my feet wet.  Here were my first few welds. Butt weldCorner welds
Reply:Nice job!  Very nice in fact for your first time!   Now get ready to spend money!  Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Not bad at all for the 1st time out. You can slow down just a bit on the corner joints. The V shape to the beads tell me you were going a bit fast. Looking at the thickness of the material in the 2nd pict, your but joint probably didn't get good penetration. Your bead looks nice, but that little machine will not blow thru steel that thick, butted up like that. I'm guessing 1/8"? That's about the max practical thickness of that machine under real world conditions..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:The butt weld actually had perfect penetration.  The corner weld not as good. Yes I was going fast on corner but if I slowed down it would indeed blow through.
Reply:The steel was 16 gauge so alittle smaller then 1/8.  Should the penetration on that corner bead really penetrate all the way through almost showing a bead on non welded side?
Reply:Originally Posted by Fadetoblack188The butt weld actually had perfect penetration.  The corner weld not as good. Yes I was going fast on corner but if I slowed down it would indeed blow through.
Reply:Thank you for your help dsw.  Sorry i didnt post specs, i no for the future.But i was using .30 wire on at autoset speed function on my miller.  I was using a 75/25 mixture for gas.  I can def see some penetration on the corner weld. just not as much as i found on the butt weld.  Next time i was try and slow down a bit.  If i burn through like you said, i will just turn my speed and volts down.Thanks again for your help!
Reply:also, those tiny copper puddle looking spots, what is that or causes that?
Reply:they come off with the brush so i suppose its not a big deal
Reply:That's a good attempt! Nice.