MIG wire breaking at the TIP

[Jay]

I'm another "FNG" to welding. I have a 220V MIG unit.

What am I likely doing wrong when the wire breaks off at the end of the tip and appears to be welded to the tip, as in I can't get the wire out?

TIA

[McClary]

im sure others will respond with more info ,

but i would say it be several different factors......


wire speed could be too slow , or the heat set too high, so when you stop welding, wire is burning up to the tip ....

other could be the gun too close to the work piece ......

but i would start with turning up the wire speed or turning down the heat ...

[geezer]

That problem can be caused by having a poor ground clamp, because a poor ground clamp will give you the impression your wire speed is too high as it pokes out more wire than you can burn, so you reduce the wire speed and sure enough the voltage burns the wire faster than it comes out fuzeing it to the tip. A GOOD ground clamp is an absolute must in mig welding. There are only two variables in mig, voltage and wire speed. without a good ground clamp you cannot dial it in properly. Get a good ground clamp real brass or use strands of copper wire attached to your existing one and see the difference.

[geezer]

One other thing I forgot to mention, keep your ground clamp as close as possible to the work.

Also because no two welders weld the same you could take a clean piece of 1/8 inch material practice dialing in on it until you get what you like then record your settings voltage wirespeed and stickout etc., this becomes you base point for to help solve future troubles. Most problems are ground clamp or wire feed tension, the ground clamp is always the most possible problem which leads to confusion on other settings.

[Ray]

One of the first things I did to my I-mig 200 was replace the ground clamp, need copper on the face.
One dead giveaway of a bad ground. if if you hear sounds like poping or a machine gun while your welding.
I found that you have to crank down on the tension more on these than I'm used to, slipping wire will act the same way, you can usualy hear the feeder motor change sounds when it slips.

[Jay]

Thanks Guys. I had read about cheap ground clamps so I coiled a thick copper wire around mine to increase the contact area before even starting. Though I will make sure I clamp closer to my work going forward.

I'm using the guide chart that came with the unit for determining voltage and wire feed speed based on material thickness, so that I'll at least be in the ball park. But based on your comments it sounds like I may be getting the tip too close.

I welded together a simple welding table top this afternoon. Photos were taken with a phone camera so I don't know if there is enough clarity and detail for anyone to comment on the results. But I'd sure listen if anyone does.

[performance]

Jay,

No offense, but those welds need some work. What gas and gas rate are you using?

What wire? There is too much spatter. That could be from too long of a stick out or too high of voltage. The arc should be stable and try the arc force about 3/4 of the way to the right. The sound should not be unlike a bumble bee or a mosquito like whine.

Move your gun to about 1/2 inch off the metal to weld right now.

A good point to start is probably about 18.5 volts with a wire speed a little over 200.

The wire speed feed is a relative number like 0 -10. Actually to convert to a close wire feed in inches per minute, multiply by 1.92 and will be close to ipm.

[Jay]

Jay,
No offense, but those welds need some work. What gas and gas rate are you using?
What wire? There is too much spatter. That could be from too long of a stick out or too high of voltage. The arc should be stable and try the arc force about 3/4 of the way to the right. The sound should not be unlike a bumble bee or a mosquito like whine. Move your gun to about 1/2 inch off the metal to weld right now. A good point to start is probably about 18.5 volts with a wire speed a little over 200.
The wire speed feed is a relative number like 0 -10. Actually to convert to a close wire feed in inches per minute, multiply by 1.92 and will be close to ipm.

No offense taken Mark. Other than watching some videos and maybe 30 - 45 minutes cumulative weld time I'm as green as they come.

I'm using a flux core mild steel wire .030". Voltage for the above welds was set at 18V and wire feed speed was at "4" on a 0 - 10 dial scale. The material thickness was 3/16".

Dumb question I'm sure but what did you mean by "try the arc force about 3/4 of the way to the right."? You mean how far I'm leaning the gun?

[performance]

First, which unit do you have?

The Everlast units have an arc force control right in the middle of the machine panel on the front (160,200, 205). 250P is under the cover on the side.

After reading your last post, it seems you do not have arc force control....probably a cheap transformer welder, not an Everast with the 0-10 scale if my guess is correct.

However assuming the basics of about 600 ipm capability, you'd probably wantt to up the wire speed to 5 or 6 and turn the heat up to about 19.

With that, you are limited on weld quality, but the biggest thing with flux core is polarity. The torch has to be - (negative) or straight polarity. This can account for some of the weirdness of your weld.

I'd suggest running gas with solid 70-S6 wire.

[Jay]

First, which unit do you have?
The Everlast units have an arc force control right in the middle of the machine panel on the front (160,200, 205). 250P is under the cover on the side.
After reading your last post, it seems you do not have arc force control....probably a cheap transformer welder, not an Everast with the 0-10 scale if my guess is correct.
However assuming the basics of about 600 ipm capability, you'd probably want to up the wire speed to 5 or 6 and turn the heat up to about 19.
With that, you are limited on weld quality, but the biggest thing with flux core is polarity. The torch has to be - (negative) or straight polarity. This can account for some of the weirdness of your weld.
I'd suggest running gas with solid 70-S6 wire.

It's not an Everlast, although I would have liked to have gotten one.
I did check the polarity after unpacking it and it is set for flux core wire.
Would gas and a solid core wire make a significant difference over flux core wire? If so I'd gladly give it a try.

Do you guys know of any short introductory welding classes/seminars in the Atlanta area?

[geezer]

Jay your weld metal is too dirty, mill scale reduces heat tranfer to the metal.
Clean off the mill scale, you may be able to weld through mill scale with a stick welder and certain rods like 6011 but not with a mig, mig welding requires clean metal, Tig welding even more so.
The welds look humped up which indicates you are not moving fast enough, this is almost the same as not having enough heat, because the heat is directed up on top of your filler bead instead of down in front of the bead into the base metal. Mig welding requires quick movement with the puddle chasing you as you move a head just keeping the wire on the leading edge of the puddle. Watch the leading edge of the puddle at all times so you can control the puddle, we all have a tendency to look back on the bead to see if we are doing good, avoid that it will distract you at this stage of your learning, move fast and throw as much heat as you can handle to make a better weld.
I wish I could be there with my little power arc 200 stick welder for that job, ten minutes of using it and you wouldn't be using a mig anymore for welding.

My mig is parked and probably won't get used by me except in special cases.

[Jay]

...I wish I could be there with my little power arc 200 stick welder for that job, ten minutes of using it and you wouldn't be using a mig anymore for welding.

Thanks for the suggestions. You talk as if stick wouldn't be any harder to learn than MIG. Keep that up and I'll be suffering from buyers remorse.

[Ray]

Check your polarity, with flux core (yuck) you should use reverse polarity, the work clamp connected to the NEG - , you might have to change / check it inside your welder, usually around the wire roll feeder area. That could account for (some of) the splatter.
I feel for ya man, know anybody that welds? sometimes a little over the shoulder time is worth hours of book time. or check out You-Tube, Mark has very good advise, if you know what it a proper mig weld SOUNDS like it really helps.
Just some tips , get some scrap metal and burn up some wire, practice on something your won't have to look at every day LOL, get you a little 4.5" grinder if you don't already have one. Grind on the surfaces your welding, it makes a difference.
Gas is far far better than the flux core, some guys like that flux core, it will penetrate better, and will weld on a dirty surface better, but with the gas and solid core you'll get a much more respectable looking weld, and lots less smoke.
I’m sure your going to get plenty of responses, but maybe I’ve hit on something someone else might has missed. Good luck.

[geezer]

Thanks for the suggestions. You talk as if stick wouldn't be any harder to learn than MIG. Keep that up and I'll be suffering from buyers remorse.

Stick is easier than mig, if you have the right welder and my little power arc 200 has become my baby ever since I got it, I never even look at my mig anymore. Just use the right size rod for the job dial in the amps and go. It has a nice arc and lays a nice bead. Quite a difference from my old miller buzz box.
One word about puddle control. always look at the puddle never worry about what is behind you, it's too late to go back over it, only a grinder can fix that
now, it takes effort to keep your eyes from looking back over the bead which will distract you from what you should be concentrating on which is the puddle.

[performance]

Ray,
Sorry to contradict you but most common flux core is negative, straight polarity. See here:

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...ux-core-1.html

Reverse polarity will cause melting into the tip as well on some flux cores. Dual Shield flux wire can be run DC+. There may be the odd brand that recommends a + polarity on flux core, but most that I am familiar with use DC-.

[Ray]

I'm sure your right mark, I had it backwards from what I was thinking anyway, been a long time since I've used flux core. An old welder I have has a chart on the front , but it's way old. But that what I was thinking.
Last word , check the spool..
Thanks for straitening me out..