wirefeed - .023 vs .030

admin

Nube here! Took a welding class and ended up picking up a Miller135. Using .030 wire and 25/75 shielding gas, and besides consistency, I'm really happy with the welds.  One of the general rules taught in class was the weld width/height should be equal to the thickness of the material your welding.  I noticed my welds (.250) were atleast twice that of the material (.125), and spent allot of time dressing/grinding the weld.  Should dropping down the wire size (.023) correct this?  The weld itself looks good, speed good, penatration is also good for a rookie, just large as compared to the material.  I'm going to be doing allot of 1/4-3/16 button welds and wondering if .030 is too big.
Reply:MM135, A lot of 1/4" and 3/16" I would switch to Fluxcore.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:1/4 - 3/16 is the dia of the spot weld, not the material thickness.  The sheetmetal is 15-18 ga.  I don't believe fluxcore on sheet metal is a very good idea.  I'm wondering if .030 is going to result in allot of grinding, finishing up the welds.
Reply:.023 Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:.023" is what you want for sheetmetal.  You have a great welder for that kind of work.Hobart Stickmate LX AC/DC, Millermatic 252 & 30A spoolgun, Thermal Arc 185 TIG, Miller BWESmith Oxy-AcBridgeport 2J , South Bend 42" 9AHusky 7.5 HP 22.3 CFM 80 gal compressor
Reply:It was made for .023.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Sheetmetal - use 0.023/0.025Thicker than sheetmetal, you can gain a -little- bit of workpiece thickness capability at the loss of some of the thinner sheetmetal capability if you use 0.030.  It should be in the manual and/or parameter chart.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:As others have mentioned GMAW solid wire is better suited for your application. I think that you may be misunderstanding what your teacher was talking about in regard to width/height. This is when dealing with stringers, not spot welds. A 1/4" spot on 1/8" material is fine. One other was to keep your size down would be to move quicker."Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." -- Seneca the Younger