Welding 14 gauge steel with a MM252

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I'm not a professional welder by any means. I weld for farm projects when I need which usually means I'm welding once or twice a month. Generally when I weld I like to error on the side of having it too hot. I don't want to have a weld that looks good but really has no penetration.When I get to where I'm welding thinner stuff, this  causes me some problems. For example, right now I'm trying to essentially copy 7A749's torch cart so I'm welding 14 gauge 1x3 to the same. Cuts are at a 20 degree angle like what he says he does (I'm not much for creativity).I'm not at the welder right now but I've got 035 wire and when I set it according to the chart for 14 gauge (16.5V and 190 wire speed) the bead looks tall as if there is not much penetration. Usually when that happens I just set the welder for the next thickness up of metal according to the chart (17.4V and 230 for 1/8"). When I do that it looks good to me for about an inch and then the metal heats up enough that I start blowing through.The fitment is a piece of 1x3 that is cut at a 20 degree angle. I fit that close against a short side of another 1x3. So the cut part burns through, no problems with the 1" side of the other 1x3. Any suggestions on how to find a happy medium? Thanks.Last edited by dpilot83; 01-19-2013 at 11:55 AM.
Reply:BTW, I can see when it's about to happen. I love the way the weld looks for the first inch and after that I know I am either going to have to stop to let it cool or let it burn through and fill it in. I wish I could adjust the voltage and wire speed down while welding to compensate like you can with a TIG welder. I remember welding with a TIG welder on aluminum in high school. That seems like the best way to make a good weld all the way through. Is there any way to emulate that process with a wire welder?
Reply:You can switch wire size to .030 or .023/.025 for thinner metals.  I use .030 for 10ga or thinner.   Also, google "backstep welding technique."  It helps in preventing too much metal distortion due to excessive heat.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:Are you welding with solid or flux core wire?  If gas what is the flow rate.  Pictures of your bead, fitup etc would help.General advice:  The chart is not always going to give the exact best setting, it is a ballpark  setting that you should feel free to tweek up or down, changing voltage or wire feed to suit.  Usually going by the chart for voltage and tweeking the wire feed works OK.When you increase the "heat" you will probably need to go faster to keep from blowing through on thin steel.If you have large or inconsistent gaps in your fitup this will also be a problem.You may wish to switch to a smaller wire, 035 is pretty large if not fluxcore."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Originally Posted by dpilot83BTW, I can see when it's about to happen. I love the way the weld looks for the first inch and after that I know I am either going to have to stop to let it cool or let it burn through and fill it in. I wish I could adjust the voltage and wire speed down while welding to compensate like you can with a TIG welder. I remember welding with a TIG welder on aluminum in high school. That seems like the best way to make a good weld all the way through. Is there any way to emulate that process with a wire welder?
Reply:Play with one setting at a time. Bump voltage at volt or two or wire speed a little thats the nice thing about the infinite adjustment. I weld 14ga with .035 with few problemsMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:I own a Miilermatic 250 (older model then yours) and your settings sound about right in the ballpark. Like others have said, play with your settings a bit. Also what techinic are you using? How much wire stickout? Are you pushing or pulling? Are you welding straight beads? Or are you whipping or weaving? Watch your travel speed. All these perameters will affect the way your welds come out.