How Do I Deepen Weld Fusion?

Frank that is correct about wire diameter, use the smaller size. The problem is you are past the current carry capacity of 030 wire, it is stable to maybe 160 amps, it cannot handle 200 amps,. At 70 amps you are shy of the proper amperage of 200 amps by three times. You should be at 4400 watts for 1/4 steel. If your arc is stable at 70 amps you are probably at about 13 volts which is good for 22 gauge metal or 900 watts.

With 1/4 inch steel your two wires that will handle 200 amps are 035 and 045 diameter wires. And you are correct, you should choose the 035 wire.

Professionally, we don't short circuit 1/8 inch and over, we use pulse. On small weldments, short circuit is okay on thicker steels as the part gets hot and the weld has time to do its thing. On large weldments the mass cools the weld to fast and lots of cracking can and does accur. Pulse puts tremondous amounts of heat into the weldment virtually eliminating cracking. On weldments over 1/2 inch thick, we do not use bare wire pulse. We use flux cores, 1 and 8 we us a lot.
Chuck
 
I had all but given up on using the mig because of lack of fusion on heavy parts. Did some more research and ran across tri-mix gas for the mig. It has 2 or 3 % oxygen with the argon CO2. Absolute night and day difference in the welds. ,035 wire is now like welding with 1/8 stick. Parts actually get hot now, with the argon CO2 I found the welds cold. But its virtually impossible for me to weld less than 1/8 material with that mix, continuous blow throughs unless I get the voltage down to where I can't get a stable arc. Might be worth a try.
 
I'm a hack welder but why wouldn't you want to make a pass from the opposite side too, after grinding out the root of the first pass ? As well as enhancing penetration, it minimizes the plates pulling away from the desired angle (by attempting to equalize thermal stresses on both sides of the joint).

I'm equipped only with a Miller 211 MIG so I'd be inclined to stick weld a joint like that one. Having said that and given the current limitations of the small MIG welder that you're using, I'm impressed by your results !
 
2 or 3 % oxygen with the argon CO2.
Answer, We use argon with 2% Oxygen for spray, only works on high currents, fallen out of favor because pulse is all position.

I'm a hack welder but why wouldn't you want to make a pass from the opposite side too, after grinding out the root of the first pass.
Answer, Welders are lazy. And grinding makes a mess . My roots look as good on the back side as they do on the other side. If it can be welded from both sides that is the way we do it. Usually on thick steels, greater than 1/2 inch.
 
Randy, I can't weld from both sides because I can't have a bead on the inside because the tool box has to fit fairly tight inside the frame. I could contour the corners of the box with a hammer to clear an inside bead, but somehow that doesn't seem like a good idea.

Chuck, I'll check out what I'd have to do to make .035 wire fit in my rig. If it isn't practical right away, do you think the quality of my last test weld will be sufficient for this application?

[edit note: See post further down regarding .o35 wire and drive roll]

Here is a truncated isometric sketch of what I'm building. It is an 18" x 42" trolly to go under a heavy duty lower tool case that will be a stand for my new PM1228 vf-lb lathe. Heavy duty leveling casters attach to the angle on the right. I estimate that the total weight it will ever have to support is about 1200 pounds. The lathe is 500#, tool case 200#, which leaves a generous 500# for tooling and chucks that will be stored in the case.

The 6x6 angle on the right as well as the bar the stationary wheel brackets are welded to are 3/8" thick. The bar with the wheels pivots on a 1/2" bolt so the stationary wheel side can be leveled with the vertical bolts against tabs on the bar. The gussets on the right side probably won't be necessary. The original plan was to use 1/4" stock, but I found a 6 x 6 x 3/8 angle drop at my supplier.

-1.jpg
 
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I did a break test on that second test weld. I put it angle up on my 20 ton shop press and squashed it. I can see no failure of the weld. This piece was just a little over an inch wide, so it's less than half the length of the welds that will be used.

break test_0478.JPG break test_0479.JPG
 
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chuck said:
Can you get .035 70s3 wire, a liner rated for that size of wire and .035 drive rolls? My hobarts all came set up this way but I bought them from welder supply houses.
Chuck
Click to expand...

Shouldn't be a problem with the .035 wire, Chuck. The stock Hobart Handler 190 liner is good for .030-.035 wire, and the drive roller has two grooves and is reversible to use with either .030 or .035 wire. I'll make a run to Air Gas tomorrow to pick up a roll of .035 70s3 wire.

I purchased my Hobart at Northern Tool. I purchased the Syncrowave 210 TIG at CyberWeld.

I notice on the welding chart that amps and speeds are a click less for .035 wire. According to their documentation, the voltage you recommended should be in the amperage range indicated on the chart.

What is the difference between o70s3 wire and 070s6 wire?
 
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Franko said:
What is the difference between o70s3 wire and 070s6 wire?
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s6 has more maganese and silicone, the first is for strength, the second for de oxidizer. S6 should not be multi passed, the weld deposit picks up maganese from the first pass, making the second pass to hard and brittle, to make it simple. This problem is intensified on structural shapes which are A36 steel, considered a medium carbon steel, ,,,
gotta go
Call airgas, they may not have it in stock, garland steel may, don't let them price gouge,,,
 
garland welding supply, not steel.
yes your weld will hold your lathe and cabinet
 
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