Or you could still weld 5mm by doing more than one pass and beveling the joint more.

There is far too much splatter and smoke... The weld looks atrocious... I have just bought a bottle of gas and 5kg's of normal weld wire.

The MMA bit works extremely well.. 10mm sheet @150A 26~30V seemed to cope very well..

 

The MMA bit works extremely well.. 10mm sheet @150A 26~30V seemed to cope very well..

10mm @150A? If your machine doesn't allow polarity changes, then I would surmise that running it at 150A for more than 30 seconds will permanently damage the machine. Those cheap machines need to be run at or below their stated duty cycle.

 

10mm @150A? If your machine doesn't allow polarity changes, then I would surmise that running it at 150A for more than 30 seconds will permanently damage the machine. Those cheap machines need to be run at or below their stated duty cycle.

It wasn't cheap... I can run it at 100% for 10 minutes.. It auto cuts when too warm... I'm actually impressed with it, for it's size it runs quite well.

Once I get the gas bottle and some copper coated wire, I can let you know how that goes.
With the old Cebora, I could sit at 110A all day welding my tubes... We have just welded 12 sheets ( around 2 mins a piece ) with no issues with this IGBT contraption.. These normally retail at £471..

The machine polarity can be swapped, I just need to lengthen the leads... But I'll do that when the warranty runs out..

 

Post pictures of your welds... carbon wire without gas or flux is pretty bad, black soot and fouling... flux wire helps but there's a lot of smoke and splatter. Best choice is to use wire with gas... and yes the polarity must change. Does the machine it have decent output capacitors? That and a fine output current(voltage) control should get your there.

 

Post pictures of your welds... carbon wire without gas or flux is pretty bad

He's using flux core at the moment.

 

He's using flux core at the moment.

Actually... Until the regulator gets here, I'll continue with MMA..

Question though!!! Paperwork claims. 60% @ 200A and 100% @ 120A... So.. they recommend for every 10 minutes 6mins welding and 4 mins to cool. Is this about right?

 

Yes, that right. The welding period is defined as "continuous," of course.

 

Actually... Until the regulator gets here, I'll continue with MMA..

Question though!!! Paperwork claims. 60% @ 200A and 100% @ 120A... So.. they recommend for every 10 minutes 6mins welding and 4 mins to cool. Is this about right?

Sounds about right to me, for a "consumer" grade welder. Industrial welders can do a longer weld vs cool down but never saw that as a problem for most work.

 

Sounds about right to me, for a "consumer" grade welder. Industrial welders can do a longer weld vs cool down but never saw that as a problem for most work.

Yep! As I said before.. The Cebora, I'm used to, would weld all day at 100+ amps, That was only a 250A unit... But built to last.

 

When I bought my Miller, I bought an industrial one. Got lucky and bought a "demonstrator" the company had used in a seminar for around 1/3 the new price. Welded for a couple of friends that had small consumer machines and knew I wouldn't be satisfied with one of those. The friends were saying their machines weren't any good, but it was them not the machine.

 

So true... the consumer ones just are not very consistent.

 

So true... the consumer ones just are not very consistent.

I'm not the best welder on the block.. But I know a man who is, His weld on my equipment..... Well why do I bother!

 

haha Ian, I know the feeling... but I swear my welds are getting better... wish I could tell... haha.

 

I took a class for mig welding just a short one from the local vo tech school. The one thing he taught was using both hands to control the torch/stinger. That made all of the difference in the look of my welds, that and getting a "cheater lens" for my hood. You can't weld what you can't see.

 

I’ve got that class on my list to take. I had to dial down the darkness on my hood to almost as low as possible. It helps but I still miss the seam at times.

 

I took a class for mig welding just a short one from the local vo tech school. The one thing he taught was using both hands to control the torch/stinger. That made all of the difference in the look of my welds, that and getting a "cheater lens" for my hood. You can't weld what you can't see.

That is how my son welds...( the better welder ) I however have a lazy eye and I was told years ago I wouldn't be a good welder!!

 

Okay! Finally got my Argon mix and my regulator... Wow... How much easier.. 10mm plate 14.4v @ 125A smooth as a baby's whatsit!!

I'm just glad I haven't wasted my money!!

 

LOL.. I did three welds.... My son said "get off, let me do it".. He's definitely a much better welder than me!!!

Funny how he doesn't need the grinder after he welds..... Neat enough to just nickel plate straight away!!

@jpanhalt !! nice to hear from you again... After your spat with Nigel, we don't talk as much..

 

I find TIG welding very relaxing. For me, MIG is tense. Flame is relaxing, except for the heat and soot.