Lowsy MIG welds

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Hello,I was doing some light welding last weekend and was having a lot of trouble.  I was doing mig w/flux-core.  Problem I was having is a lot of popping and on/off of the arc.  I could get about 1/4 inch then it would start/stop, start/stop, etc..  It ends up creating a horrible looking weld and I'm not sure that its even a strong weld even though I was seeing heat "rings" on the back side indicating I was getting penetration.  Yes, I grind all my joints so I have shiny metal.Could someone give me an idea as to what I was doing wrong?  I had used the chart on the inside of the welder and set to d-3.5 when welding 1/4" material.  It's a Lincoln 135Pro.  I'm thinking maybe I was holding the gun at the wrong angle or something???BTW, I only weld once every few months as something needs to be done around the house, etc.., so it's like learning all over again every time I do it  Thanks!
Reply:sounds like a ground issue. grind the metal where you slap the ground on.how many volts were you running?
Reply:Sounds like a problem I had. Besides what Steve said it could be that your drive roller is worn, your liner is damaged, your wire has rust on it or your wire is binding to itself coming off the spool.Not sure I would consider 1/4", "light welding" with that model welder.Last edited by bruceb; 03-21-2007 at 11:41 AM."Common sense is not very common"http://www.tahoekeyshome.com
Reply:steve28- I am running 120V.  I weld on a 4x5 table with 1/2" top.  I attach the ground to the table top.  Maybe I need to grind the table a little.bruceb- The wire seems to be feeding fine.  The unit is only about 1 year old, so I don't think anything is worn out on it yet.  When not in use, the welder sits covered up with a protective, breathable cover on it.
Reply:that machine does not have enough juice for 1/2" you can try to heat the snot out of it but you would probly be better higher output mig welder!
Reply:Attach your ground directly to the work, sometimes just attacing to the table isn't good enough.Your 135 isn't really rated for 1/4, even though it will do it, I hope it's not anything too ciritical.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:steve28 - I'm not welding 1/2".  That's just the thickness of my table top.MicroZone- No, its not anything too critical.  I was just making a mounting bracket for my bagger on my new mower.  I was seeing the problem on 3/16 and 1/8" stuff too.
Reply:a pic would helpChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Take that "Chart" off of the inside of your welder and throw it in the trash. They're worthless.Turn down your wire speed.My Lincoln SP135 with flux core doesn't like fast wire speed. Try turning it down to about "2".- Paulhttp://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:Do you have an extension cord on that welder?  Are you getting good power?  It needs ALL it can get and more to weld 1/4" .  How far from the main panel are you?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Just to add my two cents.  But how far away are you holding the gun.  If you are long arcing that also could cause the said problems.
Reply:Originally Posted by ZTFabTake that "Chart" off of the inside of your welder and throw it in the trash. They're worthless.
Reply:When it stops.... does the wire stop feeding or is it just the arc that you lose? If the wire stops feeding and your rollers are not too loose then you may have a problem in the trigger or the wiring to the trigger._________________Chris
Reply:Thanks for all the replies.  I will try to answer all your questions:DavidR - no, no extension cord.  I am about 15 feet from a 100AMP service panel hooked directly into my meter box on the house.Partagas - I try to stay about 3/8" of an inch away.  I try not to long arc as you call it.lorenzo - no, the wire doesn't stop feeding, just the arc is lost.I don't have  picture right now.  I'll try to get one tomorrow.