Mig Gone Haywire

Franko,
your Tig welds way back there lokk like they are good just not good looking. that is where the practice, practice ...... comes in.
Can I ask why you use MIG? do you weld a lot of thin stuff with the wire feeder? if not or since you have the TIG for thin stuff now. You should Consider switching to flux core. It is much better for heavier stuff, plus wind is not an issue, no dragging gas bottles. Just throwing that out there.

Your welding is looking a lot better with the gas:eagerness:
Mark
 
I had a terrible experience with stick welding when I was in college. I got my first GMAW rig when I was restoring an old Willys Jeep about 30 years age and having to repair a lot of rust on the body. It was a Marquet 90 or something. It is a miricle I could weld at all with it because it wouldn't feed wire steady.

About 10 years later, I got a Lincoln 175 MIG and was pretty impressed with how clean the welds looked — and how easy it is. I've heard that you shouldn't MIG a trailer, but I know the first utility trailer I got was welded with a MIG because there were wires sticking out of the some of the welds. Miserable craftsmanship, they didn't even de-burr the cuts.

I've built a 4x8 light weight utility trailer to pull with my Honda CRV and a boat trailer for my Bass Tracker. Neither of those have fallen apart, so I must have done something right. I was welding 16 ga C purlin on the boat trailer and 1/8 angle on the utility trailer. I had a friend who is a genuine welder to weld the suspension parts for both of them. I made the suspension parts for the boat trailer with 3/16 angle and it bolts to the C-channel frame. It can be moved to dial in the center of balance and spreads the stress on the C-channel.

I make a lot of things for my clients with aluminum, so I want to be able to stick some things together instead of having to drill, tap and screw everything.

I purchased a rather expensive Lincoln 250 GTAW rig about 9 years ago and failed miserably with it, gave up and sold it. Last summer, I traded the Lincoln 175 for the Hobart Handler 190 with the spool gun (none was available for my Lincoln 175). Disappointed in my success with aluminum with the spool gun, I got a Hobart EZ TIG. It was malfunctioning (it wouldn't auto start), although I was able to weld with it by touch starting. Encouraged by success, I returned it and upgraded to the Miller Syncrowave 210 and I love it. It is simple, fairly automatic and makes pretty good welds. It can be upgraded with a chip to allow higher frequency and pulse.

So, to answer your question (if you are still reading after all that), I had the MIG first. I've tried flux core welding but I prefer gas shielding because it looks better and is cleaner. I don't much like spatter. I absolutely love my Miller TIG welder. If I had to give up one (and I've considered it) I'd sell the MIG and do everything with the TIG, but there is almost no re-sale value for a Hobart Handler 190. It is a year old, I gave about $850 for and I've seen a couple on Craig's List last for several weeks at $400. I rarely weld anything thicker than 3/16.
 
Just a late comment I experienced last month, same conditions giving lousy welds as shown on your pictures. Checked and checked everything, gas flowing as it should...... Finally looked at the gas cylinder, it was Nitrogen. The supplier had just given me the wrong replacement when I bought the gas, same as I always had for several years. Never occurred to me that the gas might be wrong.
 
Franko said:
I had a terrible experience with stick welding when I was in college. I got my first GMAW rig when I was restoring an old Willys Jeep about 30 years age and having to repair a lot of rust on the body. It was a Marquet 90 or something. It is a miricle I could weld at all with it because it wouldn't feed wire steady.

About 10 years later, I got a Lincoln 175 MIG and was pretty impressed with how clean the welds looked — and how easy it is. I've heard that you shouldn't MIG a trailer, but I know the first utility trailer I got was welded with a MIG because there were wires sticking out of the some of the welds. Miserable craftsmanship, they didn't even de-burr the cuts.

I've built a 4x8 light weight utility trailer to pull with my Honda CRV and a boat trailer for my Bass Tracker. Neither of those have fallen apart, so I must have done something right. I was welding 16 ga C purlin on the boat trailer and 1/8 angle on the utility trailer. I had a friend who is a genuine welder to weld the suspension parts for both of them. I made the suspension parts for the boat trailer with 3/16 angle and it bolts to the C-channel frame. It can be moved to dial in the center of balance and spreads the stress on the C-channel.

I make a lot of things for my clients with aluminum, so I want to be able to stick some things together instead of having to drill, tap and screw everything.

I purchased a rather expensive Lincoln 250 GTAW rig about 9 years ago and failed miserably with it, gave up and sold it. Last summer, I traded the Lincoln 175 for the Hobart Handler 190 with the spool gun (none was available for my Lincoln 175). Disappointed in my success with aluminum with the spool gun, I got a Hobart EZ TIG. It was malfunctioning (it wouldn't auto start), although I was able to weld with it by touch starting. Encouraged by success, I returned it and upgraded to the Miller Syncrowave 210 and I love it. It is simple, fairly automatic and makes pretty good welds. It can be upgraded with a chip to allow higher frequency and pulse.

So, to answer your question (if you are still reading after all that), I had the MIG first. I've tried flux core welding but I prefer gas shielding because it looks better and is cleaner. I don't much like spatter. I absolutely love my Miller TIG welder. If I had to give up one (and I've considered it) I'd sell the MIG and do everything with the TIG, but there is almost no re-sale value for a Hobart Handler 190. It is a year old, I gave about $850 for and I've seen a couple on Craig's List last for several weeks at $400. I rarely weld anything thicker than 3/16.
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frankc-i fought a brand new miller syncro wave 185 amp welder for 2 years trying to learn to tig weld steel. i finally solved problem with help of miller factory. . i know what frustation is. the welder was ''out of adustment when i received it from the first day. u just put one of these welders on a freight truck or your private trail er and drive or bounce down a rough and i will tell u what can happen as far as ''adjust ment'' to ur welder. it aint pretty but u can solve the problem urself in 20 minutes with common screwdriver call me in mt. at 406 596 7960 u asked for help-here it is re ''steve in mt.. re ''SMALLFLY.
 
smallfly said:
frankc-i ... it aint pretty but u can solve the problem urself in 20 minutes with common screwdriver call me in mt. at 406 596 7960 u asked for help-here it is re ''steve in mt.. re ''SMALLFLY.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer, Smallfry. I have no issues with my new Miller Syncrowave 210. The Hobart EXZ TIG that I returned was the one that was malfunctioning. Miller technical support was very helpful and helped me work through a diagnosis that included sending me a new torch and some tungstens, which didn't solve the problem of no auto-start. There is a Miller certified repair center close to me. I actually took the EZ TIG in for warranty repair, but changed my mind overnight and picked it back up and returned it.

I ordered the EZ TIG from CyberWeld. It arrived all dented up for which they gave me a discount after the fact, and gave me a little bit of a deal on the Miller 210 upgrade.

I doubt there was anything wrong with the original Lincoln Squarewae 250. It was before uTube was filled with welding instructions and I just wasn't up to figuring it out all my own. I told the guy I sold it to that I'd never made a successful weld with it and I never heard back from him, so I assume that in the hands of an experienced welder, it was fine.
 
Franko,
Sorry if my post sounded like I was picking on your welds or welders. I read my post a bit ago and with my typos it could have been taken that way, not my intent. by your response I am guessing you did not take it wrong. I was first trying to compliment your tig welds in that although they are not Mr. Tig pretty they look as though they are strong welds. I brought up the Flux core because I meet many people that don't use flux core because they think it is hard, or has a trick or something. also one does not need the gas, and on the smaller machines it increases the thicker range of what you can weld. but it hurts on the thin stuff. As far as not welding trailers with MIG never heard that one. It would also appear neither have most trailer makers. I learned to weld on MIG in a structural and miscellaneous metal shot, we welded most everything with MIG. Once in a blue moon we would be spec'ed to use flux core or 70xx rod (now I use mostly 7018 at work) But the shop had big machines.
At home I have a older Lincoln SP125 Plus (the plus is a continuous control on wire and amps) I use for general, and quick jobs, and a Lincoln square wave 255 if I need to weld heavy stuff I use it for stick. Or for smaller stuff. TIG. More and more I take the time to set up the Tig just because it is so much nicer to not get spattered all over. Very nice machine just big. some day I will try one of them new fancy tig machines with more stuff I don't know how to use.
Mark
 
Mark, I read no ill will in your post. You were interested enough to respond and I always appreciate that. I took what you said as a compliment. Any criticism or comment is welcome. I'm trying to learn.

I'm sure fabrication shops use larger and more powerful MIG welders than mine. Almost all automated welding machines use MIG. I've seen em weld bridge sections together with wire that looked 1/2" diameter on tv.

My TIG is hooked up to stick weld. I need to make time to learn to do that someday. :)

I really like arc welding. There is something empowering about working with a bit heat that is hotter than the surface of the sun.
 
Franko, no bs I wanted to weld since I was a kid man you are right about empowering. The stuff I do in my garage/shop to me is just so cool. Since I was about 18-19 I have worked with steel for a living in one way or another. I love that kind of work(don't always love the people I have to deal with, Or the place I have to go) With about Ten more years left of Ironworking I am building my skill and shop to keep me moving once I retire.
Speaking of hot metal I am trying to add some smith work to my metal working skills. And let me tell you my blacksmith work looks way bad.
Mark
 
Yeah, isn't it fun? Welding is the ultimate joinery. Literally merging the molecules of two pieces.
 
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