Mig bead size

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Hello, I'm currently trying to teach myself mig process now. I've probably got about 7-10 seat session. I took a few weeks off & got back @ it this past weekend. My bead size seems to be way to big/thick... My question is why? From what I'm gathering by NOT giving up is that my travel speed is too low? What else could cause an over sized bead? I'm practicing on 1/8 mild, on auto set & inside chart 4.5/60ish. I know pics help greatly but for what ever reason my uploads never go through, always says contact an administrator. any and all help is much appreciated! Thanks in advanceI make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:My unprofessional opinion is that your either traveling to fast, or your wire speed is to high. If when welding the arc is relatively quiet ( not cracking and poping),  your machine should be set fairly close to accurate, and your not giving the puddle time to " burn in". I'm however not a professional nor do I know what settings 4.5/60 actually are!
Reply:Could be one of several reasons and it's a bit tough to say without seeing the picts of the beads.Most times guys go too fast rather than too slow, but I have had one or two students who have had this issue. If you are doing some sort of motion like the cursive "e", then this will tend to compound the problem as you will spend more time in the puddle. I usually suggest most students start with just plain stringers with little to no motion. I save the "e" style for those who simply can not slow down.  "c" or "Z" motion is sort of a compromise between the two and I find that motion very useful for students doing filet joints.Next thought is if you are pushing or pulling the weld. You don't say, but if you are using FC you drag or pull the bead, if using soild wire/gas, you get a smaller bead by pushing.Wire size is also one factor. While you can weld 1/8" with  .023, .030 or .035, the larger the wire, the wider the bead usually, simply because it gets tough to slow the wire down enough to get the arc correct.I don't know quite why you are getting an error message about posting picts. One thought would be to try and resize the picts 1st to a smaller size. One other one would be to put the picts up on another host and link the picts ( I don't use that method, so I can't help with that.) I'm sure someone else may have a thought on why you can't post the picts up that might help..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:Thanks, I've definitely played w/everything like wire speed, voltage, tension. From my research I'm shooting for that sizzling bacon sound. Going faster helped w/size of bead somewhatI make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:If your in to of a hurry to write "at" and had to use the "@" symbol that tells me your someone that is looking for instant gratification, and it doesn't come easy with welding. Show some pics!I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeIf your in to of a hurry to write "at" and had to use the "@" symbol that tells me your someone that is looking for instant gratification, and it doesn't come easy with welding. Show some pics!
Reply:A couple more possibilities, depending on your level of experience:If you are a TIG welder starting to use MIG, it is the nature of MIG that you can't have heat without wire. TIG allows you to apply heat and control the amount of metal added to the bead separately. Not so with MIG.If you are just laying beads on scrap plate and not making actual welds, the bead will be large because the metal simply has nowhere to go. A properly prepared groove or fillet will look better, but you still won't have the control that you have with TIG.Also, don't rely too heavily on the door chart settings. They're a good starting point, but only that. See weldingtipsandtricks.com for videos that will show you what the proper settings look and sound like.HTH,JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Originally Posted by FabNit2weldiTLife don't come easy buddy, no ones looking for a break here. Just simple guidance/help since I'm stuck w/only teaching myself AT this point.
Reply:Trying to figure the uploading situation but til then THANKS again to those lending there help w/my mismatched info.I make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:Is your polarity set right for the wire your running ?350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Left to right. 1/8 .030 wire, 24ish gas flow, auto set. Middle - rt new spool of wire same setting w/ adjustments using chart at times as well. I was just think I slowed way down once I started again from a few weeks off? "I tough myself with no internet so no sympathy here, but back to the main question. And lets see some pics, then we can help"    same thing I'm trying to do here on the side for now , but I have to know what the hell I'm doing before I myself could go after a job or call myself a welder. So for know I do my research, watch any videos and apply all that w/ some seat time and try for some feed back here or where ever I can find. Thanks again Attached ImagesI make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:Previous weeks Attached ImagesI make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:A few thoughts on picts that may help...If your camera has a macro setting, use it. If not, back up a bit and then use the zoom rather than getting up close. You get a wider field of focus the farther back you are and that helps keep things in focus. Some times it helps to shoot at max resolution using the zoom, the cut and paste to "zoom" in farther before you resize the picts.Use extra lighting vs a flash. Often the flash blots out details. Also you may find with shiny objects the camera has a tough time focusing. Adding a coin or other item at the same location as the weld may give the camera something at the same point to focus on.You want nice up close picts of the weld that show good clear detail, but often you also want a few back a bit farther so we can get some sort of relationship to things as well. Also try and keep the beads in the same orientation. It's easier to discuss the 3rd from the top or right then trying to play where's Waldo with beads going everywhere on the plate.As far as you welds, your Fillet joint is the only one I can see clear enough to make any calls on. Consistency looks decent, but you are maybe a bit cold. Tough to say from here with that pict. This might be due to the distance you are holding the gun from the work, or it could be setting related or just the bead was aimed at the wrong point. i'd need closer clear picts to make any better guesses..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:My tig is still in progress as well. My torch angle seems to always get me & undercut most always on one plain if not both... I'll work on better pics also Attached ImagesI make eyeglasses by Day  N let the sparks fly at Night...Miller digital eliteDiversion 165Millermatic 211 w/spool gunSpectrum 375Buildpro 1/2 table w/fixtures08 F250 Powerstroke
Reply:From the angle of the last pic, it looks like the fillet is mostly on the vertical plate. The heat affected zone discoloration bands kind of give the same indication (wide on the vert. piece, narrow on the other one). That's something I need to always work on too (gun angle) Nice and consistent though.Last edited by Migmark; 12-12-2012 at 10:53 AM.