Probably off topic but I need a little help. When welding sheet(16 ga)metal overhead(floor etc on my 42) should I put a little more volts and more wire speed to it. Miller 135. Not having much luck. Thanks, any Tips and or advice would be great.
Overhead Welding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Caveman
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offrd63
Ain't you done yet!
I've had the best luck with a little more heat, and just doing lots of "spot welds"
aw
aw
welding overhead will not work very well with mig. spot welding will produce much better results. the puddle is too fluid for overhead it will fall out. if you turn up the heat too much it will be a spray transfer of metal and it will definetly fall out and hopefully not onto you.
little less heat and keeping the weld pool small has worked for me in the past...
yes, but if its too cool your weld penitration will suffer. but try whateva works for yah man go with it!
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Play around with temp and wire speed, I struggled for a long time until I got the right settings, then it all went smooth.
The zap pause it grat for thinner 22 gauge metals, but floor pans are more like 18 to 20 gauge. In the corners were they draw the metal its is pulled paper thing and is a real tought area to weld, less head and no continious welds.
A little less heat and try to move the puddle fairly quickly, or was it a little more head and move the puddle quickly........
Pretty sure its a little more head and move the puddle quickly.
PS. I have been working in a restoration shop this month and have done mostly rust repairs, all but edge and lots of compound curves and cuts. I have gotten real friendly with good old sheet metal hand shears, small angle air grinder with 3M 40 grit pads to find tune the fit.
Also a quick tip, if you pull the gun further away from the material, it gets cooler but also less gas over the area being welded.
If you are poking through, pull the gun back and quick and short pulls on the trigger will allow you to fill the hole.
Rob
The zap pause it grat for thinner 22 gauge metals, but floor pans are more like 18 to 20 gauge. In the corners were they draw the metal its is pulled paper thing and is a real tought area to weld, less head and no continious welds.
A little less heat and try to move the puddle fairly quickly, or was it a little more head and move the puddle quickly........
Pretty sure its a little more head and move the puddle quickly.
PS. I have been working in a restoration shop this month and have done mostly rust repairs, all but edge and lots of compound curves and cuts. I have gotten real friendly with good old sheet metal hand shears, small angle air grinder with 3M 40 grit pads to find tune the fit.
Also a quick tip, if you pull the gun further away from the material, it gets cooler but also less gas over the area being welded.
If you are poking through, pull the gun back and quick and short pulls on the trigger will allow you to fill the hole.
Rob
Overhead welding with MIG is completely doable and sound with a little practice and technique. On the thin gauge stuff using the "tacking" method is acceptable. When welding heavier material (probably 3/16" or thicker) it is better to use an exaggerated (more movement than you would normally use) forward and backward osculations. This will do two things: 1. in the forward movement you are preheating the material while letting the material behind cool slightly 2. in the reward movement you are backfilling or "finishing" the weld. With this method and a little practice you will get sound welds with adaquate penetration without having to "pulse" the welder and they will look nice as well.
Also, no heat or wire adjustment shold be needed.
Also, no heat or wire adjustment shold be needed.
brian
SILVER Star
the little 110v(assuming that is what you have??) machines don't really have enough shizzle to work over head.
i have a little 110 also and i can hardly get it to run over head. yet my buddy has a hobart 110 that has no problem working over head. although it is one of the "larger" 110v boxs out on the market.
your best bet is to crank it all the way up(once agian going with the 110Vassumtion) and go with the spot meathod.
another way to is to run alittle bit hotter on the top side with alittle gap in the joint so you form a "bead" on the bottom while you're doing the top. taking this one step farther, run a second gas line to a buddy under the truck and have him follow the "puddle" with the gas line(with just enough gas flow so you can feel it) as you weld the top side. it's kinda like purge welding.
i have a little 110 also and i can hardly get it to run over head. yet my buddy has a hobart 110 that has no problem working over head. although it is one of the "larger" 110v boxs out on the market.
your best bet is to crank it all the way up(once agian going with the 110Vassumtion) and go with the spot meathod.
another way to is to run alittle bit hotter on the top side with alittle gap in the joint so you form a "bead" on the bottom while you're doing the top. taking this one step farther, run a second gas line to a buddy under the truck and have him follow the "puddle" with the gas line(with just enough gas flow so you can feel it) as you weld the top side. it's kinda like purge welding.
Eskimo
SILVER Star
Come AWN guys, he's talking about 18 gauge sheet metal... It doesn't take a 400 amp machine to do that!
I'll third the spot weld method. When doing thicker steels (like.120 or better), I typically turn down the wire speed a tad, and turn the gas flow up a bit.
I'll third the spot weld method. When doing thicker steels (like.120 or better), I typically turn down the wire speed a tad, and turn the gas flow up a bit.
brian said:
That is total BS.
It does not matter if it's over head welding or not, if the machine is rated for the thickness, that's all that is relevant.
Overhead welding is much harder, it's always easier to weld on the bench, in position. That's probably why you thought that it was harder.
Like others stated, just take it slow. Make sure the area is clean and make sure you machine is dialed in before you start work.
If anything, the 110 machines are often rated to work with thinner metal than the larger machines are. Check out the Miller website, I own that little miller and a miller 250 and they both work well on thin sheet....
Also, that little Miller is probably THE BEST 110v machine ever made. And, by the way the Hobart is the POS little sister of the Miller - they are the same company, the Miller is the top of the line and the Hobart is the home owner version with crappier parts and less duty cycle.
PM me if you need some welder setup tips.
-Stumbaugh
make sure to protect not only your face but your ears, my co-worker had a peice of slag pop and it fell into his ear and burnt a hole in his eardrum. ouch!