Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all,

I picked up a Harbor Fright Titanium MIG 140 Professional Welder for some car sheet metal rust repairs I have to do. I am doing this over at an the in-laws and they don't have 220v power. I also own a Lincoln weld pack 175 which I have used in the past to do this exact repair.

I cannot for the life of me, in two days, dial in the welder. I am using c25 and started by following the HF chart and increasing values, nothing gets penetration to the other side with tack welding. When i practice running a longer bead, I get penetration through the solid sheet. For the butt weld repairs, I need to do tack welds, since I am patching into 22ga metal on the car. My tacks just don't good penetration on both sides like what I am use to with the Lincoln. What is also concerning is that I am dialing way beyond the HF chart that they say would work in their chart.

I am using a straight angle on the gun with the butt weld and also tried a 15 degree angle. Using my welding pliers I am using the built in 1/4 stick out. I am doing quick tacks and seem to get cold welds. Gas is set to 25 scfh (hf chart says between 20-30 works)

Any thoughts and/or suggestions would be appreciated?

Tacks will always tend to be cold unless you run right on the edge of way too hot (voltage). Short circuit MIG starts with no prep heat. Even on a 12" run, the first 1/4" - 1/2" is cold. Then the metal gets hot enough to provide full penetration. Nature of the beast.

I would bump from 15.5 to 16.0v based upon your picture. I run my volts high enough that I get hot tacks, but wire feed slow enough to not get any "stabbing". Using this method, you need to skip around a LOT to avoid warping the metal. 22ga is very thin stuff and will buckle and pucker immediately if you overheat it.

cj737 wrote:Tacks will always tend to be cold unless you run right on the edge of way too hot (voltage). Short circuit MIG starts with no prep heat. Even on a 12" run, the first 1/4" - 1/2" is cold. Then the metal gets hot enough to provide full penetration. Nature of the beast.

I would bump from 15.5 to 16.0v based upon your picture. I run my volts high enough that I get hot tacks, but wire feed slow enough to not get any "stabbing". Using this method, you need to skip around a LOT to avoid warping the metal. 22ga is very thin stuff and will buckle and pucker immediately if you overheat it.

cj737 thanks for sharing that tid bit of knowledge! I didn't know either of the two points you mentioned. The last time I did a patch panel I jumped around and also hit the panel with a damp sponge. I'll try what you mentioned and continue pushing up the voltage and make sure I don't get stabbing as well.

Cloves:

Just an FYI- I had a similar regulator come with my a Protig 200. At first it seemed like especially when welding aluminum I couldn’t a hot enough puddle, and I went through argon like crazy. I also noticed that the torch gas sounded loud and the resultant “breeze” felt unusually stiff for 20 cfh. I finally got a htp flow meter and the problem was solved. Although mig is less sensitive to flow rates, what you think is 25 cfh might actually be more like 40cfh.

Just something to consider.


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