Gas mixture on millermatic mig

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I am having trouble getting my mixture right for a clean weld. I am using a Millermatic 185, .035 wire and 75/25 mix... Some welds look good and clean with the argon gauge a .032. But the next weld may look like crap, looks chared and has holes in it. I weld tubing for roll cages and things like that but this is a new welder to me. Any suggestions? Thanks a ton really appreciated.
Reply:It is tough to understand what you are asking.  You start out by saying you have a tough time finding  the right 'mixture'.   Are you mixing your own gases?  If so, that is most likely your issue.  I can tell you that your regulators are not designed for mixing.Its also unclear what you mean by argon gauge at .032.  Do you mean 32cfh?  A little high, but depending on your nozzle shouldn't be an issue.Stick with C25.   For now, a clean, new nozzle.  Assuming .134 tubing.  Set the tap to 4 and dial in the wire speed.As for specific issues why your welds don't look as you intended - post pictures please.The toughest thing about welding roll cages with a MIG is all the angles you have to move that gun to.  I would do dry runs with every weld.  Watching were the gun angle was and how it felt in my hand.  When I drop the hood, I don't always notice the angles getting sharper and sharper.  With a dry run I know how its supposed to feel.  I normally TIG tubing, but I suspect that if you divide the tubing in quarters and do opposite quarters you'll do fine.Your going to want to do some practice welds and cut them up.  You want good penetration and on things like vertical down you can fool yourself.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:Originally Posted by con_fuse9It is tough to understand what you are asking.  You start out by saying you have a tough time finding  the right 'mixture'.   Are you mixing your own gases?  If so, that is most likely your issue.  I can tell you that your regulators are not designed for mixing.Its also unclear what you mean by argon gauge at .032.  Do you mean 32cfh?  A little high, but depending on your nozzle shouldn't be an issue.Stick with C25.   For now, a clean, new nozzle.  Assuming .134 tubing.  Set the tap to 4 and dial in the wire speed.As for specific issues why your welds don't look as you intended - post pictures please.The toughest thing about welding roll cages with a MIG is all the angles you have to move that gun to.  I would do dry runs with every weld.  Watching were the gun angle was and how it felt in my hand.  When I drop the hood, I don't always notice the angles getting sharper and sharper.  With a dry run I know how its supposed to feel.  I normally TIG tubing, but I suspect that if you divide the tubing in quarters and do opposite quarters you'll do fine.Your going to want to do some practice welds and cut them up.  You want good penetration and on things like vertical down you can fool yourself.
Reply:CarterI think you may have a gas leak to check turn the tank on and pull the trigger a time or two. Then turn the tank off and watch the gauges and check it for about 1/2 hour.You should not see a drop in pressure.  If you do that shows a leak somewhere.If you have a flow meter the ball should not be off the bottom when not welding.have funtom
Reply:Heres some pics of what im talking about. And the only reason i said to set the argon gauge to .32 is cause it says it on it. I must not understand that i have a bottle pressure gauge and another that says argon next to it. Attached Images
Reply:It's almost as if the gas doesnt hit right it wont penetrate. I know this is a newbie question but i have always had small flux core welders and man, nothing is more pretty than a nice mig weld and its killing me mine is having problems.
Reply:send pic of regulator.
Reply:Looks almost just like these and the knob works the left hand gauge. From what i can tell right hand gauge is bottle pressure and from reading the left is nozzle flow/pressure? Attached Images
Reply:All the flowmeters I've used have looked similiar to this. A ball floats up the tube showing cu. ft./minute. The dial gage just shows bottle pressure not what you are running to the mig gun. Attached ImagesMillermatic 200Hobart Handler 120Victor O/A & Ramco BandsawLincoln 225 ACSnapOn AD HoodMiller XMT304/22AHypertherm Powermax 1650 G3Lincoln Idealarc DC600 w/Extreme 12 VSMiller Digital Elite "Joker"
Reply:Yes, in the picture, the gauge on the right is tank pressure.  The gauge on the left is delivered pressure.... however, the gauge on the left is calibrated to indicate approximately how much gas will flow - that's the "CFH" - "Cubic Feet per Hour"  There is a fixed oriface in the regulator.  With a given pressure, and assuming the other end of the tube is open - you can estimate what the actual gas flow will be.Note the gauge on the left indicates gas flow even when none is flowing....  So by definition, it cannot be accurate under all circumstances.  For MIG, it is close enough once the gas starts flowing.Using a similar gauge, I typically set it at 25 CFH for steel.  I have gone as high as 35 for aluminum (pulse, with larger work distance - i.e. gap) but quite frankly haven't notices a difference.In a nutshell, your gas is roughly set to 32 cfh (I think, the picture is a bit blurry) and that sould be just fine.For me, its tough to judge contamination from pictures.  I'll leave that to others, but what is apparent is that you are having problems with position.  The first picture shows porosity (could be gas coverage) and what stands out is that glob on the right.  MIG is unforgiving in that it throws down metal fast.  If you screw up you must stop right away or you will just have more grinding to do later.  Stop fast before you make more work.The 2nd picture - welcome to up hill welding.  The weld puddle gets so hot that it doesn't solidify - and drops out.  Looks droopy.  You can counter this by - going downhill (tradeoff penetration) or by manipulating the gun - upside down 'U' or V or sortened triangles, or for small welds, I will sometimes do cursive small 'E' (specially lap of fillet).  Basically you are moving side to side trying to keep any one spot from getting too hot - and allowing it to solidify.  Might ask around if ER70-2 wire would be better.  I don't know.From my limited experience, if you see bubbles in the weld, you've out run your gas coverage.  Time to get the grinder.  In your case I suspect you had to twist the gun and at that moment messed up the gas coverage.  I would suggest divide the joint into quarters.Con Fuse!Miller Dynasty 350Millermatic 350P-Spoolmatic 30AMiller Multimatic 200Hypertherm PowerMax 1000G3Miller Maxstar 200DX
Reply:I may be wrong but the areas that show bad are where the welding is not protected by the metal you are welding.  Like air movement comes from behind the metal and in those areas the gas get blown out of the weld.  Pictures 1 and 3 it looks like at the start of the weld.
Reply:1.  You'll be better served with that machine if you drop back to .030 wire.2.  32 CFH is "way too much" for what you're doing.  Try 15-20 CFH.  Excess flow will create turbulance and bring in contaminants from the atmosphere.3.  Scares the HE11 out of me to think that "you think" you're ready to start welding on roll cages with welds like that.  Based on the comments/questions and the posted photos, you're a LONG WAY from being ready to start welding cages.  Please learn to walk before talking about running sprints in the olympics.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:3.  Scares the HE11 out of me to think that "you think" you're ready to start welding on roll cages with welds like that.  Based on the comments/questions and the posted photos, you're a LONG WAY from being ready to start welding cages.  Please learn to walk before talking about running sprints in the olympics.[/QUOTE]I understand your trying to help and thats why im here... but if you want to be a dick hit the road hoss. If you read the above i have never had a gas welder. Many people weld roll cages bumpers and so on wih flux core. Like i said i appreciate the help but if your going to comment like that then keep it to your self... Im sorry im not the bad *** you are. To everyone else thanks!
Reply:Thanks for the input this is what the gauge reads now and the welds look better and not burnt... i should say. So thanks i just wasnt sure what was goin on and why they wernt consistant. Attached Images
Reply:Flux core or solid wire, those "welds" have no place on a roll cage.There may be welders who are capable of welding a cage with flux core (not a great idea), but you're not one of them.I've got seagulls that "lay a better bead" on my pier than what I see in those photos.If it's that bad with "gas", I can only imagine what your "flux core" looks like.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:OK guys tone it down a little...I'M trying to sleep here...Carter.You need more practice before you weld things that may save someones life..Not bashing you...You seem to have it down some but you need a little fine tuning..Stay with it and don't let anyone get you down..Get used to the machine and go with the smaller wire..You'll get there....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:The cages i have made are all .120 wall tubing so flux core burns those fine. Im guessing some nhra style's as is prob in your mustang are thicker.
Reply:The Mustang was built in 1979..1980 with a STICK welder.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIFlux core or solid wire, those "welds" have no place on a roll cage.There may be welders who are capable of welding a cage with flux core (not a great idea), but you're not one of them.I've got seagulls that "lay a better bead" on my pier than what I see in those photos.If it's that bad with "gas", I can only imagine what your "flux core" looks like.
Reply:Sorry to the rest of you if you may not want to read that but oh well. And thanks again to the rest of you for the advice. Much appreciated!
Reply:Like I stated give it up..There is nothing to gain from internet mayhem..I should know!...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I'm not aware of any race group that sanctions FC. I've seen some of the off road guys use it, but then I've seen some very UGLY welds those guys will pass off as A #1 also. When it really matters like NHRA, Indy car and NASCAR, it's mig or tig depending on the governing body, not FC.Your welds could use some work and are not up to cage standards, but I've seen a lot worse. If you get porosity you need to stop and grind it out. Some of these issues could be from surface contaminants.  I don't see any evidence of cleaning or grinding. The material in the 1st pict looks very dirty. Solid wire mig will not burn thru crud like FC does. You need to get the material clean. Oil, rust, paint and dirt will all cause issues like you are having  and so will poor gas coverage. Often it's hard to get the gun in close enough with tube clusters to get good coverage, and you might also be swinging the gun away before the weld had sufficiently cooled to loose the gas coverage. The brown "smoke" on the sides of the weld is normal and not an issue. I usually just wipe it off if I have to weld over that area. The pin holes and blister at the start could be caused simply by welding over a porous previous weld, or it could be due to dirty material..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