Started to learn to weld this weekend. I bought a Lincoln Pro 135 mig welder a while back but haven't messed with it until Saturday. All of my welds looked awful. Most of them looked like a 16 year old's zit filled face. Any body have experience with this welder? Am I doing somethig wrong? Any tips appreciated.

Regards,

Steve,
Like most everything else, all it takes is practice. In time, you will develop a technique...
Don't get discouraged. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Originally posted by BillsCamino:
Steve,
Like most everything else, all it takes is practice. In time, you will develop a technique...
Don't get discouraged. graemlins/thumbsup.gif i have to say the same thing.

i learnd to weld this september in shop class, on a mig also. and i tell you, right now im 100times better than i was when i started, but i am still not as good as most of the guys/gals here. my welds some times looks good, but most of the time they are alright, and the best part of all, they are strong, got lots of pentration also.

but yeah, it will take time.

you might wanna try to hold the tip about a 1/16th of an inch or closer from the metal, and make sure the tip is always clean. if it fills w/ stuff, unscrew it and clean it with a screwdriver. you want to try to make like a u while moving at a good speed. also it all depends on what setting your wire speed and the heat is set at too. you'll get it, dont worry.

aaron

Thanks Guys,
I just am a little frustrated. Nothing I did on Saturday or Sunday seemed to work out. Is there a guide somewhere that shows you the settings (voltage and wire speed) for different kinds of metals and different metal thickness?

Bill,
Are you planning to go to Commerce on the 28th? I was thinking about giving it a shot.

Regards,

Originally posted by USFATL:
Bill,
Are you planning to go to Commerce on the 28th? I was thinking about giving it a shot.As of right now...yes...weather permitting. :rolleyes:

Do a search on MARTINSR. He wrote some excellent posts on MIG welding that are sure to help you. Also, try the Hobart message board:
http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/index.php?s=
You'll get it, just be patient.

your lincoln should come witha chart that indicates what speed and heats to use with what wire and on what metal thickness. are you using gas or flux core if your using flux core even some of the best welders would be hard pressed to produce an excellent weld thats the nature of flux core. get a gas setup and it will be easier to learn. also i would highly recomend an electronic auto darkening mask they work the balls.

Steve, I am in the same boat as you. I started welding with my Mig 135 this weekend too. I welded some 1/8" angle iron to make a cart for my welder and gas bottle. My first couple of welds looked like crap, but by the fourth corner, the weld looked pretty good. As for settings, my Lincoln has a guide for wire speed and voltage settings on the inside of the cover, also in the instructions.

Be patient, get some scrap steel, and practice.
Good luck and have fun.

Kevin

Do a search for MIG Basics on here by MTNSR smile.gif

I have to laugh. It's not you but everybody's weld looks like chicken s**t when they first started. Practice, and more pratice. the "feel" will come to you. Be sure and use good protective clotheing. You'll find yourself scratching at yourself then wishing you hadn't. Ultraviolent light can give you a nice burn.

Here's the web page (http://www.chevelles.com/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=006730) with MARTINSR.

As a welder by trade I can tell you the problem is that you didn't buy a Miller!!!! LOL

But seriously Check your wire ; flux or solid, than check the polarity of the machine reverse for solid and strait for fluxcore

Also try pushing verse pulling your welds pushing creates alot more heat than pulling.

Also watch the stick-out of wire if the nozzle is to close to the metal you get a lot of spatter build up around the tip and it cuts the flow of gas down and it will bind the wire up

Plus if your trying on sheetmetal any thing under 16G needs to be stich welded which means only for a few seconds at a time

Plus with mig welding everything MUST BE VERY CLEAN

The other thing is that you need to have a gap for the wire to fill in as a general rule the diameter of the wire is a good starting point so if your using .028 than try to maintain that gap on whatever your welding

Try on thicker metal for a while like 1/8 where you can use more heat ...Play around by welding in one spot for too long and burn a hole in the metal , that will give you a real good idea of how a weld puddle forms and also what it will look like as it gets to hot, to ultimately burning threw

The settings on most welding machines are usally pretty accurate but vary from company to company so I can't advise on your settings for your lincoln.

Anyway I hope this helps.

Check out hpbooks-1264 it is a great welders handbook for beginners and professionals

Alot of good info posted so far.
I bought a Lincoln Pro Mig 135 last year. My first welds sucked big time. Stephen makes several good points.
Check your polarity.
Make sure that your workpieces are clean (bare metal) and you have a good ground.
Pull your welds with the fluxcore, but I found the key (as recommended in the instructions) was to not watch the point of arc directly, but to look immediately behind it so you can see the "pool" of molten metal being created as you pull slowly along. Do not move too fast.
Also, hold the wire at a 45 degree angle from the workpiece.
For a 1/8th inch piece, I would set the heat to "B" and a wire speed of "2" for starters and adjust from there. Try to maintain a 3/8" "stickout" of wire from the nozzle. I'm still improving my welds and yours will also. It's a very good welder, like the Miller is graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Usually a chart for wire speed and voltage settings is on the cover where the wire spool is located. They also have 1 in the manual. Take your time and practice. I was in the same boat about a year ago. Now I feel very confident welding sheet metal and light metals

Jerry