Welding 3/8 to 1/8

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I've a project where I'd like to weld a bunch of 1/8 square tubing to 3/8 plate.  I ran a quick practice bead and I think it looks ok with good fusion to the 3/8 plate, but I'd like more experienced opinions, especially since the voltage/speed chart recommends that I be maxed out with .035 wire.Hobart 210mvp (@230v)100% CO2.030 solid wire (INEFIL ER70s-6)Machine set at "4" w/ about 45 wire feed (wish I knew actual voltage/speed, voltage goes 1-7, speed 0-100)No metal prep (non-practice welds will be prepped)Aspiring welder w/ a Hobart 210mvpCeler, Silens, Mortalis
Reply:Looks good to me so...What's the problem again?Run it!...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:If I am understanding what it is that you are asking, you want to know how good the weld is, not how good it looks.  Did you give it the hammer-whack test?  Did you bandsaw through your test bead and have a look at a cross section?
Reply:HEY ! Lets X-ray it !!!  It's  lil 1/8 tube. I can see the heat on the inside. Good to go. Let'er rip.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Originally Posted by Marty FeldmanIf I am understanding what it is that you are asking, you want to know how good the weld is, not how good it looks.  Did you give it the hammer-whack test?  Did you bandsaw through your test bead and have a look at a cross section?
Reply:Looks a little on the rough side.  Tap 4 is definitely on the cold side for 3/8", especially with CO².  Looks like you may have been using a looping motion. If done incorrectly, a looping motion can end up with a lot of lack of fusion issues, especially in the root.  I'd turn the unit up another tap or two, and travel straight along the joint using a little side to side wiggle if needed.  This would result in a weld bead similar to my attachment.It's a shame you're using CO² with the unit you own, because the 210 MVP performs much better with C25. Attached ImagesESAB Migmaster 250 Hobart Ironman 230Multimatic 215TWECO Fabricator 181i & 211iHH125EZ - nice little fluxcore only unitMaxstar 150 STH - very nice
Reply:You mentioned wishing you knew what actual voltage/speed the settings represented.  You could measure how much wire comes out in a set amount of time at different settings and then write them down on the machine - then you'd at least know wire speed.    As for knowing volts, the manual online (which is very short) looks to list the volt/amp curves for each setting on the machine, so you would know the range of voltage, depending on amperage (wire speed).Miller Dynasty 200 DXMiller CP-300 with 30A feederHypertherm Powermax 900Oxy-fuel w/Harris torchesScotchman Glide-in bandsawMonarch 10EE latheEmi-Mec Autoturn latheDeckel FP2NC milling machinePro-Tools 105 Bender
Reply:Dan always a pleasure to look at your welds. The consistency is amazing. Guys take note, this is how you want your mig welds to look like..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:Originally Posted by DanLooks a little on the rough side.  Tap 4 is definitely on the cold side for 3/8", especially with CO².  Looks like you may have been using a looping motion. If done incorrectly, a looping motion can end up with a lot of lack of fusion issues, especially in the root.  I'd turn the unit up another tap or two, and travel straight along the joint using a little side to side wiggle if needed.  This would result in a weld bead similar to my attachment.It's a shame you're using CO² with the unit you own, because the 210 MVP performs much better with C25.
Reply:Most people who use the 210 or Miller 211 say that .030 wire runs best in those machines, so I would stay with the .030. A weld does not need to be any larger than the thinnest member, so no need for a bigger weld from what I can see. As long as you are getting adequate fusion to the 3/8" plate, you're good to go.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWDan always a pleasure to look at your welds. The consistency is amazing. Guys take note, this is how you want your mig welds to look like.
Reply:Just a suggestion.  Strip the scale off first.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonJust a suggestion.  Strip the scale off first.
Reply:with an AC voltage of 230, under no load it looks like:                                                                        1=18 volts                                                                         2=20 volts                                                                        3=23 volts                                                                        4=25 volts                                                                        5=28 volts                                                                         6=30 volts                                                                         7=33 volts assuming i read the manual correctly
Reply:Looks good! Just my opinion but on 3/8 I would want to be at least on tap 5 and maybe a little more wire. Favor gun angle towards the thicker plate and wash up onto the thinner material. How you like the 210mvp? I love mine so far other than the flimsy ground clamp.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonJust a suggestion.  Strip the scale off first.
Reply:Originally Posted by livefast1Looks good! Just my opinion but on 3/8 I would want to be at least on tap 5 and maybe a little more wire. Favor gun angle towards the thicker plate and wash up onto the thinner material. How you like the 210mvp? I love mine so far other than the flimsy ground clamp.
Reply:Couple more goes at it:  Hobart 210mvp (@230), .030 solid, CO2, tap 5.  Slight push angle on both with wire pointed slightly more to the 3/8.  Top pic is straight with a slight wiggle, bottom is U motion (moving along bottom then washing up onto the 1/8).  Metal prepped this time around.Last edited by maxdugan; 12-30-2013 at 09:11 PM.Aspiring welder w/ a Hobart 210mvpCeler, Silens, Mortalis
Reply:Are you dragging the gun bck or pushing forward?  Its said that dragging will net a little more penetrationMiller Syncrowave 210 w/CK FlexLoc 150  3/6/14ESAB PCM 1125 Plasma CutterAtlas 12x36 LatheACER 9x42 3hp millHarig 612 Surface GrinderDRINK Machine              welding&fabrication
Reply:Slight push.  I'll try a pull next time see how it looks.  I just usually seem to have better control of the puddle when I'm pushing.Aspiring welder w/ a Hobart 210mvpCeler, Silens, Mortalis
Reply:Doesnt ztfab pull on his welds? Not sure but when I mig I pull unless its in a hard to reach or see areaMiller Syncrowave 210 w/CK FlexLoc 150  3/6/14ESAB PCM 1125 Plasma CutterAtlas 12x36 LatheACER 9x42 3hp millHarig 612 Surface GrinderDRINK Machine              welding&fabrication
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWDan always a pleasure to look at your welds. The consistency is amazing. Guys take note, this is how you want your mig welds to look like.