Need some critique

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Here are a couple of beads I ran with my new Millermatic 211. Its on 1/4" plate with about a 25cfm C25 gas flow. It did not go all the way through but I could see heat marks on the back side. Not sure why I am getting so much splatter. Any input would be appreciated. I have oxy and stick welded but not for a while. Done a tiny amount of TIG last summer. First time for mig. I set the controls by the inside of the door.Thanks in advance for your help. Attached Images
Reply:Oh and I am running it on 220V
Reply:doesnt look like a ton of spatter. It actually hard to tell whats going on with just stringer laid on top of a plate. They just always look so tall to me.  Try beveling two pieces of the plate and weld them together at those settings. off hand it looks like too much wire. maybe run a couple of fillets too.
Reply:Clean the welds with a wheel first, makes seeing the bead easier.It look inconsistent for sure, get your puddle built and maintain that size just like stick.Electrode movement will help as wellMiller 185Lincoln Weldanpower 225Lincoln 225 buzz boxCheap-o C&H 110v (my first welder)
Reply:thanks 7bicks. Yes I sure do need to work on my consistency. Not sure what you mean by "electrode movement will help".Thanks for the input
Reply:By movement he means moving the nozzle in a pattern. This could be semi circles((((((((((((((((   or   ))))))))))))))))     or small full circles .  Welding a joint is also good advice. There are 5 basic joints in welding. Butt, Corner, T, lap,  edge. What welding a joint will do is keep you straight and you can easily see how much deposit is needed.  When you get these fillet welds figured out go back and try a few lines.CWB InspectorRed Seal B PressureArguing with an Inspector is like mudwrestling with a Pig.After a while you realize the Pig likes it.
Reply:Turn the voltage up a little and point the gun into the puddle. (drag it)
Reply:Thanks all for the input. It is much appreciated. I will be picking up some various thickness's of material today to practice.One more quick question on a butt joint. Should there be a gap between the two pieces or should they fit tight together. If a gap how do I know how wide a gap to have.Thanks again
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBillThanks all for the input. It is much appreciated. I will be picking up some various thickness's of material today to practice.One more quick question on a butt joint. Should there be a gap between the two pieces or should they fit tight together. If a gap how do I know how wide a gap to have.Thanks again
Reply:So I am need to do a partial bevel on thicker pieces. The ones in the picture are 1/4 inch. When you are setting the machine for a particular thickness, does that take into account the beveling or should it be able to do that thickness without the bevel? What thickness should I think about using a bevel. Thanks again for the help. I have signed up for a class but it doesn't start till mid April and I want to practice before then.
Reply:The bevel is to allow the weld to penetrate into the metal. With 1/4 inch you shouldn't need to bevel the edges. I'd space them less than a 16th inch apart and run a bead right down the center, no fancy pants weaving required. Remember to pause at the end of the bead so there isn't much of a crater (that's where cracks start)
Reply:A nickel gap is a rule of thumb for ya. also make your land a nickel width as well...you can bevel any thickness you want..maybe from about 3/16 and up...bevel on a 22.5 degree as a rule of thumb as well. but if it's a tight spot open your bevel up more to 30degrees or so...I am by no means a expert but this is what I have been told.JerodHypertherm 30Miller Syncrowave 200Millermatic 140and a propane torch and hanger if all else fails
Reply:Thanks GOT14U. Appreciate the input.Bill
Reply:When you go to school you wont be putting in roots (full penetration welds) for quite a while. As I mentioned you would learn more practicing fillet welds. For what its worth lincoln has a newer technology called STT. Surface tension transfer. These are mig machines designed for full penetration welds, (yours really isn't) Many of the big refineries/upgraders/ oilsands facilities are using this technology for closure welds( tie-ins) What you want to do is very advanced.CWB InspectorRed Seal B PressureArguing with an Inspector is like mudwrestling with a Pig.After a while you realize the Pig likes it.
Reply:Thanks pileobones. I guess I just assumed that if you could set it for a certain thickness that would be full penetration at that thickness without a bevel. Thanks for pointing this out.Bill
Reply:Bill  (Oh Nooooooo!    ),For practice and learning, I think that running beads in the middle of a flat plate is not a good 'lesson'.I think doing a lap joint on ~1/8 inch material is a bit better practice for 'smaller' machines.  And MIG or small(er) FCAW machines fit in that category.Why ~1/8 inch steel?  It's thick enough that you can -usually- get the parameters dialed in without instantly blowing a hole right through the metal.  Yet thin enough that most of the smaller machines usually have enough power (snot/balls/ooomph/etc) to let you make a decent weld and not just 'caulk' some melted wire on top of the base metal (aka cold-lap, aka inadequate fusion aka inadequate penetration).Why a lap joint?  Well first off, because it is a useful joint.    Second, because the edge of the top piece gives you a nice 'line' to follow as you weld.  Third, because you can watch the arc -melt- the edge and the filler then fills the crater as it makes the weld puddle.  Fourth, because the double thickness of the metal at the seam helps you in not blowing right through with the arc compared to a single thickness of say a butt joint.  And it's usually slightly easier to just lay two pieces of metal on top of one another and clamp or tack them together than to jig-up a T joint for a fillet weld.Next, if using a slag producing weld process (SMAW or FCAW fer instance), then you "drag" the puddle.If using GMAW aka MIG, then usually you 'lead' the puddle and do NOT drag it.RTFM.  Also check out some of the tech tips and info at Miller or Lincoln or ESAB (they have a nice section all about welding knowledge in their University area).As said, your practice welds do not show a lot of spatter to me.  They do look a bit 'cold' and thin and 'ropey', which usually means you :- need to increase the voltage (or turn down the WFS);- slow down your travel speed;- maintain a proper CTWD (aka "stickout"), you probably had too much;- decrease the torch angle.Or a combination of all of the above.    The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Thanks MoonRise: I know it is a combination of all of the above. I have a pile of coupons now so I will be doing a bunch of practice and will post as i go.Bill
Reply:MrBill, Are you going to go to NAIT?CWB InspectorRed Seal B PressureArguing with an Inspector is like mudwrestling with a Pig.After a while you realize the Pig likes it.
Reply:pileobones: I am actually work at NAIT as the Associate Chair for the Avionics Engineering Technology program and the course that I am registered for is an evening course. It's called Beginner's GMAW and it runs 2 nights a week for 8 weeks. (48hrs).Did you attend NAIT?Bill
Reply:No I apprenticed thru SIAST in Regina many years back. 2 of the instructors from the Canadian Welding Bureau are welding faculty from NAIT.  Avionics-cool.CWB InspectorRed Seal B PressureArguing with an Inspector is like mudwrestling with a Pig.After a while you realize the Pig likes it.
Reply:this is exactly how they start teaching here at northwest college(they are known for their welding program) 1/8th with gas and then move on to stick then mig processes....lap joints are great for starting on also get your self a thick piece of material 1/4 or so and do a build up pad. it will help with "seeing" what is going on as well. And mig welding is hard to get good penitration. I struggle with it still. nothin like 6010 for your root pass Originally Posted by MoonRiseBill  (Oh Nooooooo!    ),For practice and learning, I think that running beads in the middle of a flat plate is not a good 'lesson'.I think doing a lap joint on ~1/8 inch material is a bit better practice for 'smaller' machines.  And MIG or small(er) FCAW machines fit in that category.Why ~1/8 inch steel?  It's thick enough that you can -usually- get the parameters dialed in without instantly blowing a hole right through the metal.  Yet thin enough that most of the smaller machines usually have enough power (snot/balls/ooomph/etc) to let you make a decent weld and not just 'caulk' some melted wire on top of the base metal (aka cold-lap, aka inadequate fusion aka inadequate penetration).Why a lap joint?  Well first off, because it is a useful joint.    Second, because the edge of the top piece gives you a nice 'line' to follow as you weld.  Third, because you can watch the arc -melt- the edge and the filler then fills the crater as it makes the weld puddle.  Fourth, because the double thickness of the metal at the seam helps you in not blowing right through with the arc compared to a single thickness of say a butt joint.  And it's usually slightly easier to just lay two pieces of metal on top of one another and clamp or tack them together than to jig-up a T joint for a fillet weld.Next, if using a slag producing weld process (SMAW or FCAW fer instance), then you "drag" the puddle.If using GMAW aka MIG, then usually you 'lead' the puddle and do NOT drag it.RTFM.  Also check out some of the tech tips and info at Miller or Lincoln or ESAB (they have a nice section all about welding knowledge in their University area).As said, your practice welds do not show a lot of spatter to me.  They do look a bit 'cold' and thin and 'ropey', which usually means you :- need to increase the voltage (or turn down the WFS);- slow down your travel speed;- maintain a proper CTWD (aka "stickout"), you probably had too much;- decrease the torch angle.Or a combination of all of the above.
Reply:Thanks GOT14U: I just picked up a bunch of 1/8 coupons today and will start practicing with them. I also have lots of 1/4 as well to build the pad on.Bill