My welds are tall if that makes sence, what am I doing wrong?

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Basically, they seem to sit tall, doesn't seem to be melting much of the metal, just filling in if that makes sence.  [IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]any help would be great, want to make sure they are strong welds.
Reply:Turn the voltage up and move a little faster.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Cut one of your welds in half perpendicular to the bead and then polish it with sanding disk to where you can examine your penetration.If penetration is too shallow, then crank up your amps and adjust wire speed and your torch speed as required.....If penetration is deep enuff, then just speed up your rate of travelFrom your pics, I'd say you are at least two taps too cold, but otherwise you exhibit good control of direction and consistent speed.....do the same, but hotter next time.Last edited by pigeonpoop; 01-18-2014 at 11:50 PM.
Reply:Hello and welcome.Knowing the process and settings as well as other info would help greatly. Settings that are fine on 1/8" won't give you satisfactory results on 1/4". I'd agree it looks like the bead needs more heat. However without knowing wire size, gas used, machine and settings like voltage ( or tap number  as well as what machine) and wire speed, material thickness, it's impossible to give good answers to your question.Turning down the wire speed or going to a smaller wire might be one answer, better prep might be another, as well as turning up the voltage. Without all the info, it's impossible to give you the correct answer to this issue..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:Superlate62Get a copy of Lincoln's The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding.All editions are equally good for this topic - go cheap - go EBAYStudy the weld joinery section.Consider Hard-Wire MIG as the shallowest penetrating of the commonmanual processes.You have provided nowhere for the weld to be other than on the top.Until you get 'the book': gap and tack each end, or with tube/each corner,this will insure 100% fusion with a near flush bead profile; because the weld has a place 'to drop into'.Practice on material the same wall thickness as your tube.  Use graduatedstick and Ox-Actet. rod to gap your joint.Get the book . . .Opus
Reply:Originally Posted by pigeonpoopCut one of your welds in half perpendicular to the bead and then polish it with sanding disk to where you can examine your penetration.If penetration is too shallow, then crank up your amps and adjust wire speed and your torch speed as required.....If penetration is deep enuff, then just speed up your rate of travelFrom your pics, I'd say you are at least two taps too cold, but otherwise you exhibit good control of direction and consistent speed.....do the same, but hotter next time.
Reply:Originally Posted by pbungumPigeonpoop - On a MIG power supply, amps is governed by wire speed.  "Cranking up amps" is done by increasing wire feed speed.
Reply:Originally Posted by pigeonpoopCould be you are correct....I'll set my Hobart 210MVP on tap 1 and just crank the wire speed to max for the thick stuff.....Them silly suckers at Hobart need to listen to you so they can eliminate that whole danged twisty knob and save money then proclaim their wire welder is a 'one knobby' affair that any idiot can use.But for now, I'll admit that this idiot finds that extra 7 position tap knobby mighty useful.....but that's just me and I never claimed to be a certified welder....I'm a satisfied welder, but not certified.Them certified guys get paid for what they can do. Us satisfied guys do it for fun and don't mind an extra knob to twist...Hell, I'm tempted to get one of those new fangled HTP 221's with lots of twisty knobs and push buttons to play with whether I really need them or not. But that's just me
Reply:Originally Posted by BurpeeI detect a bit of Ironworker in Your Soul. You are a completely sarcastic Asczahole. Welcome Home Bro.
Reply:Technique has a roll in penetration as well as heat.  It is important to keep the wire in the leading edge of the puddle and don't worry about trying to make the weld look like TIG.  Once you get that down you can play with the MIG like TIG making sure you spend enough time at the leading edge to penetrate the base metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by FernTJTechnique has a roll in penetration as well as heat.  It is important to keep the wire in the leading edge of the puddle and don't worry about trying to make the weld look like TIG.  Once you get that down you can play with the MIG like TIG making sure you spend enough time at the leading edge to penetrate the base metal.
Reply:Pigeon I understand what you were trying to say. "amps" is often misused by many to describe increasing the "heat" or voltage in mig. pbungum is correct the wire speed or stick out changes the true "amps" given a fixed set voltage. Amps just often happens to be an easy way to explain cranking up the "heat".Hey just be glad you are in the "modern" Navy. My dad talks about going back out in the older diesel subs after major refits in the late 50's/early 60's and having massive amounts water leaking thru the hull due to poor welds and repairs by yard workers who really didn't give a $hit. USS Thresher and USS Scorpion caused the Navy to make some changes, but even into the mid to early 70's there was a lot of questionable stuff going on in yards like Newport News as to weld quality when he was stationed there..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:Overlooking the obvious, if this is hardwire, are you pushing or pulling? If it is a "BUTT" joint that is tight together, push the puddle, don't drag or pull it. Depending on your metal thickness, wire size and shielding gas; 1/8"-3/16" thick, I would use the following; wire type and size: .035" ER70S-6, Shielding gas: C-25 ( 75% argon-25% CO2), wire feed speed @ 265 ipm and voltage at 18.4 volts. BUTT joints, push the puddle, if you have prep with a slight bevel, pull the puddle. If you have a slight gap between your 2 members drop WFS and Voltage to 17.4 volts and 210 to 230 ipm WFS and pull the puddle.Have fun!
Reply:thanks for the info guys.  was welding on 1/8" tubing.  wire size is .30, voltage is at 7.5 (says thats good for 3/16").  I am using a millermatic 180 auto-set.  i have the wire speed on auto for .30 wire.  on those welds, i was pulling them.  ill try again today with what you guys are saying, grab a couple of pictures and see what else i could do better.
Reply:this is some scrap that i had left to weld.  [IMG][/IMG]and i made a mistake, i am welding with a millermatic 211 not the 180.  welding with 110 not, 220.  havent set up the 220 yet, hopefully can get that done this week.  So i turned up the voltage to 8, and it just dosent feel/look like it is hot enough.  this is welding in the valley of the metal.  this is welding the butts of the metal[IMG][/IMG]i think that it would help if i take the wire feed off of auto?  also think it will help when i get the 220 set up, but again have no idea.
Reply:Try pushing your puddle with the butt welds. I would like to see what you get when you do.
Reply:okay, just to make sure, thats starting welding at a point close to you and pushing the puddle away from me, correct?
Reply:That's correct. Do the reverse of what you are doing now. Point the gun in the direction you want to travel and once the puddle starts, push it forward like you said, away from you. You can do a very slight weave motion, and I mean slight, just enough to spread/wash the puddle out and forward. Can you set your wire feed speed and voltage separately? If you can, you would want approx. 17.5 volts and approx. 225 ipm wire feed speed with .030" wire. That would be a setting using C-25 gas. If you are using straight CO2, set your volts approx. .5 volts higher. Let know how you make out!
Reply:alright, i feel like these are defiantly better.  going to 220 helped a lot in my opinion.  also pushed the puddle instead of pulling it.  [IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]
Reply:Good improvement
Reply:Looks alot better!
Reply:thanks guys, i guess i wont pull towards me anymore!
Reply:Lap joint looks a bit inconsistent and it looks like you could have slowed down slightly. But joints at the end look much better, but the real proof is flipping them over and looking at the back to see if you managed to get all the way to the bottom of the gap.You are doing much better than you were before however..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:Nice job! It only will get better now the more you do! Congrats!
Reply:Originally Posted by LT1AdavancedOverlooking the obvious, if this is hardwire, are you pushing or pulling? If it is a "BUTT" joint that is tight together, push the puddle, don't drag or pull it. Depending on your metal thickness, wire size and shielding gas; 1/8"-3/16" thick, I would use the following; wire type and size: .035" ER70S-6, Shielding gas: C-25 ( 75% argon-25% CO2), wire feed speed @ 265 ipm and voltage at 18.4 volts. BUTT joints, push the puddle, if you have prep with a slight bevel, pull the puddle. If you have a slight gap between your 2 members drop WFS and Voltage to 17.4 volts and 210 to 230 ipm WFS and pull the puddle.Have fun!Now what about all the splatters?  I turned down wire speed and it didnt help.  Tried to mess with heat, wire speed, and how fast I move, still having issues.  [IMG][/IMG]
Reply:What gas are you using? 100% CO2 will spatter more than 75/25. Also, keep your stand-off distance short, 3/8" or so.A few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:okay, im using 75/25.