MIG question for ZTFab or whoever knows.

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I have an MM175 MIG using .023 wire. I'm building some handrails in place and have a lot overhead to do. Would like some advice on how best to do it. Do I need to turn voltage up or increase gas flow?                                 TIA,                                       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:How thick is the material? The .023 wire is only good to 16 gauge with 14 gauge pushing it.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:I would turn the voltage down.  While welding over head you will see the wire burn off before it gets to the plate.  As welderwomn sez, use the same settings for overhead as you would for verticle up..... She is right.Run stringers only, use a push or forehand method.No downhill. DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI have an MM175 MIG using .023 wire. I'm building some handrails in place and have a lot overhead to do. Would like some advice on how best to do it. Do I need to turn voltage up or increase gas flow?                                 TIA,                                       Mike
Reply:Originally Posted by David RNo downhill. David
Reply:The top rail is .060 square tube,the Yamaha shipping crates I've talked about before. Thanks folks, for all the tips. I'll play w/ speed,voltage and angle.   I just had a thought that I may need to clean the bottom side of the top rail more with the flap disc. I've been cleaning all this w/ cup brush for painting but that may not be enough for mig.            Thanks again to you all,                                           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:I agree with TEK and Rojo.Bump up the wire speed a hair from flat position and find a technique that's comfortable. Push or pull..023" on .060" is perfectly fine and there is no problem with downhill with proper puddle control.If you find that you are running downhill a lot, you might wanna back the settings off a bit to help control the puddle rather than letting it "fall" with gravity.- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Ok, watch me take a bashing from this but, I am pretty much on agreement with rojo and ztfab,  For what you are gonna be doing I think your setup will be fine.  I am a big believer on this site in using "vertical up" however there are times that downhill is fine.  When using a mig I run anything less than .125 thickness downhill.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:you guys are going to crack up, but I agree too.  Down is OK with a MIG on thin stuff.  I do it with exhaust all the time. I thought he was talking about some pipe railings.My mind changes as I age.  I learn as I go, and I learned a lot here.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Hey guys, a serious question related to this: Anyone know of any tip tricks for when we have a LOT of upside down welding to keep the nozzle clean? I have cut down nozzles, to get the electrode out further, and I use plenty of tip dip, which at least keeps it from sticking. That's kind of why I said to find a good angle to weld, so the welder keeps clean longer, so there is less boogers in the tip. Only thing is to try and weld at a bit of an angle, so the spatter can bounce around the tip, rather than fall into it. But sometimes, I load a tip up pretty quick. I know, stop, smack the mig gun on something to shake out the boogers, but any other thoughts???And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:If your doing fluxcore you don't need a nozzle..Non stick cooking spray works.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Yeah, I thought about that Zap. But I am doing mig W/ gas, so no dice. Maybe in the next day or so, someone will have an idea for us.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:OK, here is my take. There is no way around it. Too much non stick goo is bad. A light coat inside the nozzle is all I can stand. It gets on everything! If you ever welded without any of it, you will find that all the spatter is going to get stuck to the nozzle, so keep cleaning the nozzle, that's it. If you use the goo, the spatter slips past the nozzle and slides all the way down to the gas diffuser, clogging gas flow almost completely, then you will get porosity, and you'll know to clean the nozzle and more importantly, the gas diffuser. The other bad condition is arcing from the contact tip to the nozzle itself, which can become dangerous, if not sporadic-electrically. If you get paranoid about cleaning the nozzle inbetween every pass, it just keeps on welding, but now you are paranoid about spatter and obssesive about cleaning the nozzle. If you get lazy, the spatter gets so thick that it will become very difficult to clear. Point a lubricated gun staight up for overhead and you just have to get quick at cleaning. You need to be quick anyway, experiment, you may come up with something yet, I haven't!! But I am compulsively obsessed with cleaning the gun.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by David R I thought he was talking about some pipe railings.David
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloHey guys, a serious question related to this: Anyone know of any tip tricks for when we have a LOT of upside down welding to keep the nozzle clean? I have cut down nozzles, to get the electrode out further, and I use plenty of tip dip, which at least keeps it from sticking. That's kind of why I said to find a good angle to weld, so the welder keeps clean longer, so there is less boogers in the tip. Only thing is to try and weld at a bit of an angle, so the spatter can bounce around the tip, rather than fall into it. But sometimes, I load a tip up pretty quick. I know, stop, smack the mig gun on something to shake out the boogers, but any other thoughts???
Reply:Originally Posted by TEKIf your rig is adjusted dead on your spatter will be minimal. That is not always that easy to do so nobody take offense, ok? If you angle the gun away and do a push, the spatter will shoot at an angle away from the gun.You will still need to clean on occasion
Reply:No holy grail.  I have a can of nozzle gel I have used for years.  Just wait till the gun is hot, clean it, dip it in deep and pull the trigger to blow the plug of stuff back into the can.  Let it drip and cut off the wire sticking out. I always carried a small pair of side cutters to clean out the nozzle, then I bought a pair of those "welpers" and didn't look back.  I keep gel and welpers in the truck and at the shop. I also found the 2 piece nozzle for tweeco or lincoln guns with the front piece having course threads saves me a ton of time.Acording to the bible, too much voltage can make for a lot of spatter.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:An interesting observation about nozzle crap up...The first MIG I owned was a MM130, it came with the worst gun, a GA17C it used a piece of 1/2" pipe with a paper insert as the nozzle! I had more problems with it... So when the time came to upgrade to a MM210 I was a little concerned about its gun, So I ordered a 400A (100%) Roughneck off eBay, and stuck it on.  In five years I have not changed the nozzle!  It is so big that welding 1/4" does not get it hot enough for anything to stick!  I also have never had to use no stick spray or dip.
Reply:Originally Posted by RojodiabloHey guys, a serious question related to this: Anyone know of any tip tricks for when we have a LOT of upside down welding to keep the nozzle clean? I have cut down nozzles, to get the electrode out further, and I use plenty of tip dip, which at least keeps it from sticking. That's kind of why I said to find a good angle to weld, so the welder keeps clean longer, so there is less boogers in the tip. Only thing is to try and weld at a bit of an angle, so the spatter can bounce around the tip, rather than fall into it. But sometimes, I load a tip up pretty quick. I know, stop, smack the mig gun on something to shake out the boogers, but any other thoughts???
Reply:Again,thanks for all the tips,folks. I think w/ all that I've learned here, I should be able to master this.                                       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:Originally Posted by Me!   So when the time came to upgrade to a MM210 I was a little concerned about its gun, So I ordered a 400A (100%) Roughneck off eBay, and stuck it on.