A few of my first welds with the I-MIG 200.....

These are not great but I will get better. Just need some practice and pointers.
One HUGE problem I have is that I cannot see what I'm welding. I've adjusted the helmet everywhere and nothing works.
I'm basically guessing at what I'm doing....Any idea on that?
I did order a Fabricator helmet so maybe that will help.

These are on 1/8" material: 17.6 volts, 205ipm wire speed, Arc Force at 1/4 on.
They seem cold then get hot so I'm thinking more voltage and faster speed.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...t/IMAG0313.jpg

These are also on the same 1/8" material: Voltage is cranked to max, speed was cranked to max Arc Force still at 1/4 on.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...t/IMAG0311.jpg

These are on 16 gauge material: 16.4 volts, 200 ipm speed, 1/4 Arc Force.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d8...t/IMAG0310.jpg

how far is your face from the shield inside helmet . my helmet has holes in the head band to move helmet father or closer to face i have mine with face as close as it will go . I did have a helmet once self darkening and same thing could see crap when welding tossed it in the trash . I bought my last helmet from northern tools since the guy on welding tricks liked it and said it worked good , it works great like the helmet . tell me how you like Fabricator helmet was thinking of getting one of those too . hey welds look good

Not sure on how close my face is... I can TIG fine but it's almost like a #9 shade is too dark, I need 8 or 7 which the Fabricator has. I hope I don't screw my eyes up more than they are after 3 botched Lasik surgerys.

I have flash burned my eye's it sucks . I never go under 9 . how far from the weld are you when welding maby your to far from weld when welding to see rite . I have a friend with lasik and he had to get glass's when welding since things up close was blurry but he could see very long distance great . darn chart is to small have try to make it larger http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/guide/guide.pdf

My problem is.... I still have glasses. Two surgery's on my left eye and one on the right and I have a little double vision and haloing in both eyes.
Yes, when I was welding my Mig cart and holding the torch down in the frame far from my eyes, I had no clue where I was.
With the above welds, I tried everywhere from almost in the puddle to about 16" and it didn't matter, as soon as I'm welding I can see the puddle but the seam or joint of what I'm welding disappears. Probably partly my Tractor Supply helmet and partly my eyes.

And your a real wise guy with that damn small chart! lol.....:D just kidding

Sometimes when the seam or joint is hard to see, I know I need more light on the material overall. I put a cheater lens in my cheapo helmet and it helped immensely. Was about 10 bucks. Now, at the distance I am from the weld, I can see the puddle very clear. I tend to be looking about 10" to a foot away from the weld.

the 1/8" material is pretty dirty, so I would be cleaning it first. The 1/16" welds look better, but could be a bit hotter. The second bead on top is definitely not hot enough, or moving too fast. Just sitting on top like toothpaste. IMO. You'll get it with practice.

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Originally Posted by KSmith

the 1/8" material is pretty dirty, so I would be cleaning it first. The 1/16" welds look better, but could be a bit hotter. The second bead on top is definitely not hot enough, or moving too fast. Just sitting on top like toothpaste. IMO. You'll get it with practice.

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I agree with all of the above... My biggest problem right now is just not being able to see and tell what is going on with the puddle.
Are you saying more Ambient lighting on the material, like a flood light or something? I will try that.
I have a cheater lens but I tried it once with Tig and didn't like it, maybe I'll try it with Mig now.

I know nothing about a MIG welder so answer this..

I felt comfortable at a certain speed of the wire coming out. Can you set the speed to your liking and then just adjust the Voltage for your material or do you need to fine tune it all for different materials?
Turning the speed up also increases the Amperage, yes?
Also, turning the speed up will deposit more wire on your material, yes?

I was trying to weld an 1/8" gap and it seemed like bumping the trigger worked best and made it look somewhat like a TIG weld..... is this a correct way to Mig a gap or not? (I know it will heat the machine up faster)

no speed doesn't increase amperage. this is how it work set what amps you are going to use then set wire speed to the rite speed to match amps . if wire speed is to slow the mig wire will seem like it is burning before getting to weld if to fast wire will spatter and not have enough time to melt . i tell by sound if rite will sound like bacon crackling with a nice smooth crackle . so more amps used more wire speed also what size wire are you using

when welding a gap mig i find zig zag welding works good to fill gap and maby a little extra wire speed . i have filled gaps over 1/4 wide its a pain after filled i grind down and redo a nice weld over it since now you have metal filling gap bump work hit the trigger let cool and re bump to fill wide gaps

i use a hood on the back of my helmet to block out all light coming in from back of helmet that helps a lot with seeing the weld , they have the back cloth for hoods at welding shops most guys that tig or mig outside us the hood since light coming in from the back of the helmet cause glare

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Originally Posted by CGCINC

I agree with all of the above... My biggest problem right now is just not being able to see and tell what is going on with the puddle.
Are you saying more Ambient lighting on the material, like a flood light or something? I will try that.
I have a cheater lens but I tried it once with Tig and didn't like it, maybe I'll try it with Mig now.

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The cheater lens fixed my puddle control issues...

also when welding do you tip the torch to to the left if welding to the right . like if i am welding like from left to right the nose of the torch is slightly pointing left with upper tilted slightly right and when i weld i look head left of welding puddle looking at it . with my helmet face about 8 to 10 inch from weld to see puddle good .

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Originally Posted by Rodsmachineshop

no speed doesn't increase amperage. this is how it work set what amps you are going to use then set wire speed to the rite speed to match amps . if wire speed is to slow the mig wire will seem like it is burning before getting to weld if to fast wire will spatter and not have enough time to melt . i tell by sound if rite will sound like bacon crackling with a nice smooth crackle . so more amps used more wire speed also what size wire are you using

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Umm, yes it do... you have constant voltage and the wire speed controls amperage.

that sorta goofy not like normal migs , so to me welding voltage is more like amps on a normal mig and wire feed is sorta manipulated when adjust feed . all the mig i use have a amp knob and just a wire feed and you adjust feed to what amps and wire size you are using

didn't even think of the cheater lens

agree....use a zig zag to fill a gap, or you could call it 'weave'. If not, the wire can come out into the gap and not make contact with the metal to make the weld. So you have to start on one side, and form a bridge across, then build on that as you work along the joint. It takes a little finessing to do it right.

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Originally Posted by CGCINC

I have a cheater lens but I tried it once with Tig and didn't like it, maybe I'll try it with Mig now.

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I'm planning to get at least one set of these: cheater lens safety glasses.
http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/we.../3013305M.html

Those Nemesis glasses also come in different shades including #3 and #5.

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Originally Posted by KSmith

. If not, the wire can come out into the gap and not make contact with the metal to make the weld. .

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This was happening when I welded in a small circle pattern, the wire went right through the gap and then it would contact the side and pop...
That's why I started bumping the trigger. I'll try the weave or zig zag.

good thing to do is go to a drug store to the reading glass"s they always one of those reading glasses stands and try different power one so you order the rite ones with the rite power.. i some time just use some reading glass's i got from cvs drug store i use just the same as cheaters but just not tinted. the only problem with my eyes i need .5 lens the 1.0 are to strong , with your eyes since you had lasik you mite also need neg instead of pos my friends glass are neg since he had lasik