i figured out why i hate my mig

[brownbagg]

i have a miller 130, I have always hated that sucker. oh there nothing wrong with it, I just hated it so much, i bought a miller tig.

welll I just completed my CWI class for two weeks and in the class they talk about GMAW-S that is short circuit gas metal arc welding. and basicly what it is , the small mig doesnt have enough amps for the arc to jump as in spray, droplet,mode so the willer actual have to touch the work to fire off. and that why I alway hated the machine, now the 220 machine has enough amps to get into spray mode. The small migs have to fight the work

This is also why AES doesnt recognize GMAW-S as a pre WPS

 

[bad_idea]

some fancy words there. couldn't you just say the little machine doesn't have the *** to melt the thicker metal?

 

[koditten]

Not buying it. I have used plenty of 110v units that worked fine. I can't say if I used this model or not, but 110v mig units will work on steel up to 1/4" thick.

KO

 

[Terra Nova]

Not buying it. I have used plenty of 110v units that worked fine. I can't say if I used this model or not, but 110v mig units will work on steel up to 1/4" thick.

KO

^ This. Short Circuit Mig has it's place just like Spray Transfer has it's place.

 

[zkling]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Thank you so much for the laugh!!!

Whats the saying about a little knowledge is dangerous?

Not trying to be extremely hard on you, but if you are claiming to be / become a CWI. I fear for the lives that may come into contact with your inspections.

SO much is welded in our every day life with short circuit transfer I can't begin to count it. Spray transfer is usually reserved for thicker weldments, in which you are correct you need more amps (usually >250amp class machine) as well as the proper gas mix.

Not trying to be offensive, but I just get irked when people try to shove their newly induced knowledge upon others when they really have no clue what they are talking about.

Just like anything you need to match the proper tool to the job. Try setting that 130 up with some 0.023 wire and 75/25 gas.

In the mean time may I recommend some good reading material for you.
The miller mig handbook.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/

 

[rsanter]

go to a smaller wire and slow the feed a little and you will get a stable arc without the wire touching the base material
I have done it with an 85 amp unit and 030 wire if you have the right feed and move along at the right pace

you need more pracitce and take a class

bob

 

[napalmv8]

I partially agree with brownbagg
I was working with 240Amps transformer MIG welder (I suspect the real output is less than 240 )
It welded fine 4-5 mm steel, but when I tried to weld 2 pieces of 1 mm steel together using 5-mm hole - it was a challenge In aprox 90% of times it welded only the hole in the upper sheet. So I had to drill 8-mm holes to weld in such situations.
Then my friend bought 240Amps inverter type MIG. Now it's no problem even to weld spots without drilling a holes even on 100 Amps current.

So, I suppose that welding quality depends not only from max current, but also from welding mashine params such as output voltage and how stable it is during welding process (i.e. begining, welding, stop) and how stable it in dependance of wire speed (i.e. if you have 240 Amps only at 300mph wire feed speed )) )

 

[ezzzzzzz]

I bought a used 110v Miller Cricket (70amp) at auction many years ago. During that time it performed exceptionally well even up to 3/8" given multiple passes and pre-heat. I had no complaints overall. It lasted about 10 years before finally giving up the ghost. My newer 220v Miller 175 is freaking awesome. It welds like a Singer sewing machine. There is no question that capacity is a key player in performance but you've got to know how to set heat and wire speed. I've just added a Miller Syncrowave 250 to the mix. I'll have to learn to tig properly now.

 

[HPMan]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Thank you so much for the laugh!!!

Whats the saying about a little knowledge is dangerous?

Not trying to be extremely hard on you, but if you are claiming to be / become a CWI. I fear for the lives that may come into contact with your inspections.

SO much is welded in our every day life with short circuit transfer I can't begin to count it. Spray transfer is usually reserved for thicker weldments, in which you are correct you need more amps (usually >250amp class machine) as well as the proper gas mix.

Not trying to be offensive, but I just get irked when people try to shove their newly induced knowledge upon others when they really have no clue what they are talking about.

Just like anything you need to match the proper tool to the job. Try setting that 130 up with some 0.023 wire and 75/25 gas.

In the mean time may I recommend some good reading material for you.
The miller mig handbook.

http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/improving-your-skills/mig/

+1 I think a bit more reading on the difference between spray transfer and short circuit transfer would be beneficial. As zkling notes, spray transfer only occurs at higher amperage. There is nothing wrong with short circuit transfer as long as it is appropriate for the application (i.e. thinnner material) as all low-amperage (whether 120v or 240v) migs will operate in short circuit transfer mode.

 

[brownbagg]

if you notice in the title it say, the reason I DONT LIKE it never say anything about you or anybody else. I posted this because i figure somebody else had the same idea, and it brought up a different prospect of these small machine. I never said anything about the bigger machine or any body else machine, I just said that mine is basically a sheet metal machine. So before you start jumping in people **** remember I said I DONT LIKE MY machine. thats a personal observation

 

[bad_idea]

I would suggest you don't make personal observations if you don't want/expect SOMEONE, ANYONE to 'jump in your ****'. Besides, who jumps in ****? I try to step around it because I hate cleaning it off of my shoe.

 

[zkling]

brownbagg,
Actually you said you "hated that machine" not only in the title but in the body of your post. Which I take to be sever orders of magnitude above your claimed "I don't like it".

People (I know I am not) are not trying to personally attack you. It's just that you came on here and set forth that there was a problem with the process and the machine itself. The way you stated it was from a very much you know more than everyone else. As if you were preaching it to us. The fact is you are completely wrong!!! Sorry but it is the truth.

It would be similar to a professional driver getting into a civic and saying "O this is such a piece of junk, it is only naturally aspirated and the suspension frequency is just so wrong, it just can't work".

What worries me is that you are stated to become a CWI!!! Someone that should be on top of their welding procedures. The CWI's I have personally worked with would have given you a lashing if you were to make such a statement to them.

Lord help us if you ever learn about the third sub-process of GMAW, besides short arc and spray.

 

[koditten]

BB:

Regardless the way this thread went, we will enjoy seeing some pics of your "trouble" welds with this rig. We all love a good mystery and I can garentee that you will get some very constructive advice.

You are among like minded people. Lets start over and do this the right way.

KO

 

[SiGmA_X]

Any pics with the MM130? Those are great machines for their rated capacities...

 

[welder4956]

i have a miller 130, I have always hated that sucker. oh there nothing wrong with it, I just hated it so much, i bought a miller tig.

welll I just completed my CWI class for two weeks and in the class they talk about GMAW-S that is short circuit gas metal arc welding. and basicly what it is , the small mig doesnt have enough amps for the arc to jump as in spray, droplet,mode so the willer actual have to touch the work to fire off. and that why I alway hated the machine, now the 220 machine has enough amps to get into spray mode. The small migs have to fight the work

This is also why AES doesnt recognize GMAW-S as a pre WPS

Trust me, you don't want spray transfer for any welding at home. Spray transfer MIG of carbon and stainless steels is best for thicknesses over 3/8" such as for fabricating heavy structural steel or pipe. Most of the material I weld at home is 1/4" thick or less and short circuiting transfer is just fine for that application.

In your CWI class, they probably mentioned that the AWS D1.1 structural welding code does not allow short circuiting MIG as a "prequalified" welding process. The reason is due to poor weld penetration and fusion on structural steel welds. This code is intended for thicknesses over 1/8", but many structural steel welds are in much greater thicknesses, up to several inches thick, or attachments to heavy thickness members. There are applications for short circuiting transfer where it works just fine, but the weld fusion is just not consistent enough on heavy structural steel. Don't forget that even though short circuiting does not meet the "prequalified" requirements in AWS D1.1, a fabricator can still weld the test coupons and qualify the welding procedure to meet AWS D1.1. At work, we limit it to 3/8" thick or less and have had no problems getting good fusion.

Edit: I hope you don't mind me asking, but who taught your CWI class? I know many of the CWI instructors that teach for AWS and some of the independant training companies.

 

[tylerae40]

Perhaps you don't know how to set your welder up to make a good weld? I'm a apprentice boilermaker and I had to relearn everything when I started my trade, start with the basics mate.

 

[ietech]

brownbagg,
Actually you said you "hated that machine" not only in the title but in the body of your post. Which I take to be sever orders of magnitude above your claimed "I don't like it".

People (I know I am not) are not trying to personally attack you. It's just that you came on here and set forth that there was a problem with the process and the machine itself. The way you stated it was from a very much you know more than everyone else. As if you were preaching it to us. The fact is you are completely wrong!!! Sorry but it is the truth.

It would be similar to a professional driver getting into a civic and saying "O this is such a piece of junk, it is only naturally aspirated and the suspension frequency is just so wrong, it just can't work".

What worries me is that you are stated to become a CWI!!! Someone that should be on top of their welding procedures. The CWI's I have personally worked with would have given you a lashing if you were to make such a statement to them.

Lord help us if you ever learn about the third sub-process of GMAW, besides short arc and spray.

++++ 1 He came off pretty strong I am not a pro welder, Just an "asrequired" at work and try to "make it happen" guy sometimes I can make it happen and sometimes iREDO IT --- but the way the OP came across was a little over the top

 

[78Bird]

I was gonna say, try using spray transfer when you have to weld thin material, and if it works at all it'll work a lot more like a really messy plasma cutter than a welder, as far as results go...