first welds --whats wrong?

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These are on 12ga or 1/8 with power mig 255c .035 75/25 gas, ws 280, 18volts  Not the best pics but I need to practice that to.                                                                       Thanks, Ken Attached Images
Reply:turn the heat down. when watching the puddle it should be a molten cricle, yours are a little long more oval shaped than circle so turn the heat down.  but other than that they look good.
Reply:Here are two (2) settings for you to try.1st - 21 voltage & 250 Wire Speed2nd - 22 voltage & 300 Wire SpeedSlow your travel speed down and use slight back and forth movements along the joint (crack where the two pieces fit up).  Watch your puddle spread out as you bring the puddle back slightly.  The move forward and then backward to form puddle.  Then move forward and then backward to form the puddle.  Keep doing this until you reach the end of the joint and add a slight pause at the end to form a good crater.PLEASE POST PICS OF BOTH SETTINGS...IF YOU CAN.If you don't understand my above description, then let me know and I will give you a link to my video.- ASODBeauty in the Bead!
Reply:Did you grind the rust off before you started?If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:I did have it cleaned up but there was mill scale on the face,my grinders and brushes were on the job. I dressed the edges with a bench grinder. Is this pm255 a good unit? Thanks for the feed back. I will try the new settings when I get all of my tools back home. These got wet and sat outside a couple of days before the pics but, yes they could have been alot cleaner before the surface rust.  Thanks Ken
Reply:the 255 is a great machine.  I have two of them and they have been very dependable and both weld great.  On my machine 20volts or more and you are going to burn thru on 1/8" material.  For 12 gauge I normally run in the area of 18 volts, and 240 I believe.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Not looking bad.  I agree about slowing down the travel speed a little.  I would spend more time practicing straight forward smooth torch movement before getting into backstepping, pauses, weaves, etc.  Those will come with time.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Looking good so far.  Slow down so the edges fill in a little better.    David  Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by Hammack_Weldingthe 255 is a great machine.  I have two of them and they have been very dependable and both weld great.  On my machine 20volts or more and you are going to burn thru on 1/8" material.  For 12 gauge I normally run in the area of 18 volts, and 240 I believe.
Reply:The cleaner your metal, the better the MIG process will like it. This will show up in the quality of your welds.