Help with settings please?

[Peloquin]

Right then... the next load are in and I've had a play on some scrap before kicking in on the work.
I followed all advice and to be honest I'm pretty happy with the welds.

8mm steel, .8 wire.
I whacked the power up by 1 click on each dial, so it went up by 4 settings and these were the results.
I still need a bit of practice but these were from about 7am today, been on them most of the day so they got a bit neater than these. Does it look like theres enough penetration?
Im welding right around the join of the metal but the side/ rear pics didnt come out very good.

3rd pic down is showing penetration it actually shows up better than you can see in the pic but not a great deal more, 4th is the best pic from the back.
Feel free to point out anything wrong, I need to learn.
Cheers folks.

 

[Wozzaaah]

3rd pic down is showing heat marks, not penetration, it's also showing where you've burnt the edge away, if that was a fillet you'd probably have considerable undercut.
Don't get too hung up about penetration, you won't get the weld coming through like you do on thin sheet.

 

[Peloquin]

Right, cheers. So have I got the power too high now or will the burning of the edge be a bad technique?

 

[Sub-arc]

This may help

 

[Peloquin]

So, the welds I did todaylook to me to be normal except for the burning of the edge. Would thid be simply my aim off a bit or do I have too much power hitting it?

 

[Sub-arc]

So, the welds I did todaylook to me to be normal except for the burning of the edge. Would thid be simply my aim off a bit or do I have too much power hitting it?

Yes there's too much power. In fig C, it shows undercut on both sides where you just have the equivalent of undercut on the top of the plate. No big problem with the strength of the weld there, it just doesn't look the 100% you're after

Turn the plant back 2 of the fine steps and try that.
Or to prove it to yourself- try a few more attempts with the same setting and see if you can lose that burnt edge by changing torch position. I still think its too hot though.

 

[Peloquin]

Right, I'll try knocking the power down then. Thanks for the help.

 

[Sub-arc]

Glad to help.

I noticed some clean looking welds recently with nice clear pics. Considering he'd just got the machine. End of page.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34648&page=2