Frustrated Hobby welder check pictures please

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I’m very frustrated. I’m a hobby welder but my skill set seems to have gone to hell. As I’m typing this I may have figured out a problem or two.I need help with consistency. I have a Miller 180 with auto set. Most of the following pictures are of .083 thick mild steel. I had been using the auto set, but that might be part of the problem. Maybe I should forget the auto set and use the chart and fine tune it.My fit up is good but I still have problems with blowing holes in the metal. I also need more light in the garage. I work at night with the door down due to cold. Today with the door open I realize how much light I missed.The first and ugliest is of a piece I melted a hole in and then went over it.Another question: If you grind down an ugly weld (Make it flush) and go on top of it  are you making it stronger or wasting wire? Attached ImagesDave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Here are two more Attached ImagesDave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Reebs I find that sometimes I need a halogen work light shining on the work in the garage so I can see better, especially at night. (only 2 bulbs in the garage ceiling) As far as grinding down the welds, that depends on how good a job you do and the type of weld. Usually if I have a bad weld, I usually try to grind it all out, or as much as posible. This is especially true with butt welds. Filets usually you can get away with a bit less grinding as long as you managed to get the root filled well and your machine has the umph to burn it in well for the thickness you are doing. Personally I'd skip the auto set function, but then I've had to set my machines by eye and ear for years..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:Thanks The halogen light is a good idea.Funny you don't know how dark it is until you get some light.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:I picked up a few small clamp on halogen lights years back when I took a class at the tech school. I don't think they could get the welding booths any darker if they tried. They do get HOT so just watch where they end up getting set. When your jacket starts smoking you probably should have put it elsewhere. .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:Dave, I am also a hobby welder with the MM180 with autoset. I have tried the autoset feature two separate times and have not had success with it so I gave up. I have had great success with the machine by manually setting the dials for the materials being joined. When I tried the autoset function the wire feed was way to fast and gave me poor results similar to what you have posted, especially like the first pic. Both times I was welding on 1/4" which is much heavier than what you tried it on but the results are the same so I don't think it could be something we're doing wrong. Anyone had success with it?
Reply:the only grinding i see looks like it was done after welding to get rid of spatter. that steel is not really clean. hit it with the grinder before you weld.
Reply:What size and kind of wire? The beads look too cold. For 0.083 in you should be running 85-95 amps at about 18-20 volts.
Reply:Boatboat You are correct I did not grind down the welds I was removing spatter. If you grind a weld level and then go over it does it increase the joint strenght?Also good idea on cleaning the metal.Transit I will have to check settings.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Oh boy, this is the EXACT same problem I was having yesterday welding 2 inch square tube (1/4 inch thick) using 0.30 wire on a HH187.  Man did I get burn-through.  So I tried turning it down but then my welds were cold.  So by adjusting my travel speed and moving my torch to work distance a little farther from the tube I was able to get some pretty good welds without blowing holes through the metal.  Well, I should say good welds for me....not sure if that is the correct way to go about it but it seemed to work.Great question about grinding off the bad welds as I had the same question.I will be watching this thread with a great deal of interest....--JeffJeff
Reply:Jeff I think I'm going to start  new thread about grind welds. The question gets kind of lost in this thread.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:as for your blow through problem i find the easist way to still weld hot and get decent peno and nice bead is to whip it this also works with stick thin to thick material start the puddle and just whip it foward then get back in the puddle you will kno whow far to whip it foward by just seeing if your getting under etc Good luckCigweld Transmig 265seBoc 140amp StickBoss 200amp AC/DC TIGLincoln Electric Invertec V260-S
Reply:First forget autoset.  Learn to set the machine so it welds best for you.For the square tubing,  fitup can be off, so try welding the two pieces together instead of welding the groove.  One side then the other, back and forth in what ever motion you want to use.  I usually use circles, Cs or plain ol zig zag.  This should allow you to run more heat and not burn through.Different joint styles require different heat.  A butt needs the least and a fillet needs the most heat.You are getting there.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:You should really get some material for Coupons as you can waste some good tubing working towards that perfect bead.1/8" and 3/16" for starters.Just go to the Steel yard and get a piece of 1" or 2" x however long a piece you can fit in the vehicle. My local place has Cut Offs so finding pieces like this is easy.Cut them in to 4-6" lengths and practice your Joints.Write on the test piece with a Soap stone the settings and the pattern- that way you can compare the pieces afterwards.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:I am sure someone much more experienced than me (which would mean almost anyone)  will correct me if I'm full of crap. As far as I know the autoset only works with solid wire and gas, It does not work with flux core wire. If you are using flux core then that may be one of your problems with the auto set.
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBillI am sure someone much more experienced than me (which would mean almost anyone)  will correct me if I'm full of crap. As far as I know the autoset only works with solid wire and gas, It does not work with flux core wire. If you are using flux core then that may be one of your problems with the auto set.
Reply:I found a couple of old photos;3884 is Hobart fabshield 21, 0.045 wires on 3/8 in stock, no V grove, when i was testing my upgrade modes.3885 is the back side.3955 is what fusion should look like. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by IRONARTISTthat looks like a solid wire co2  to me. I think what I would do is if your useing 035 I would set my volts to 19 and while welding adjust your amps till it sounds the best(frying bacon) and that is probably close to where you need to be set. 030 wire I think clear down at 17-18 volts is plenty hot, to hot it just gets irratic splatters and burns holes
Reply:Originally Posted by IRONARTISTHere's another I see happen is check the polarity of your machine. solid wire /gas, dualshield with gas STINGER + , flux core wire no gas STINGER -, Check it cause if it's not right it won't weld right!
Reply:Gas shielded flux core wire can swing both ways, EP and EN.I can’t find the site with the list of the various wires showing which are + and -.
Reply:Post 17 picture one.   Too cold and too fast.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RPost 17 picture one.   Too cold and too fast.David
Reply:Originally Posted by transitGas shielded flux core wire can swing both ways, EP and EN.I can’t find the site with the list of the various wires showing which are + and -.
Reply:Don't know about Miller machine but the Lincoln we have in the school shop (I'm an FFA Teacher) welds square tubing EXTREMELY well when set at 18 volts with a wire speed of 238.  We fabricated several large shop doors using tubing and had LITTLE TO NO BURN through at all, and this was with 15 year olds doing the welding.  Occasionally there would be a small burn through but the kids were able to seal it off.  I agree with the manually setting advice that has been given on this thread by others.  If your machine came with a chart then those settings would be pretty close and you could fine tune it by sight/sound.If you don't use your head you may as well have been born with two backends.That ain't exactly how Papa used to say it.*Linc'n WeldanPower 200 with a Wis. 2 cyl. w/handcrank*Linc'n AC225 *Linc'n ProMig 180*tiny porta torch...
Reply:I usually run 035 at 19 volts or less on thinner stuff maybe a bit more on 3/8 material. seems to me when I took my certs with hard wire at 19 volt the perameters on wire feed was 160 IPMLast edited by IRONARTIST; 02-25-2010 at 01:48 AM.Visions SteelWasilla Alaskahttp://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=c32ed1320fwelderstourchessawsgrindersOriginally Posted by transitGas shielded flux core wire can swing both ways, EP and EN.I can’t find the site with the list of the various wires showing which are + and -.
Reply:Thanks there transit for the download, good info for later use.Visions SteelWasilla Alaskahttp://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=c32ed1320fwelderstourchessawsgrinders