MIG weld technique

[FABMAN]

guys,
i found this weld on the internet, and would like to be able to produce some welds like it.

it seems to be a MIG weld, from the spatter, but how did he get the "row of dimes" ?
is it just a series of spot welds, on and off the trigger multiple times ?
would it be as strong as a normal continuous bead ?
thanks much.

[captkipp]

MIG Technique

No it's not multiple trigger pulls. It's a continuous weld from start to finish.

The weld is accomplished using circular motion with the gun head. Some welders prefer a wave technique, making a series of U's. I personally like making counterclockwise circles welding forward on the base metal and washing the weld puddle up on the wall as you circle back into the molten puddle about halfway. This allows the first half of the puddle to freeze and creates the proverbial "stacked dime" look.

[Sberry]

It looks ok but as a matter of principle its not something to strive for. I should word that better but I bet someone will come along and add to it.

[diamondback]

There are reasons to weave, whip or oscillate and there are reasons not to. As you develop in your techniques and they should be plural then you will come to understand when and where to change them. Typically you only need to run stringer beads with MIG. That means keep the arc on the leading edge and run the bead straight.

When you pull the arc off of the leading edge the arc force gets lost in the molten puddle, all it does is add turbulence to the puddle and keeps filling wire into it. It is one way to control burn through in the right conditions on thinner materials. To be successful in this case your parameters or settings will be very finely controlled and your understanding of what is going on will be at a point that you know what is going on in the puddle and are able to control it.

Take a look at the thread in this link, it might help.


http://www.millerwelds.com/resources...hlight=weaving

[con_fuse9]

guys,
i found this weld on the internet, and would like to be able to produce some welds like it.

it seems to be a MIG weld, from the spatter, but how did he get the "row of dimes" ?
is it just a series of spot welds, on and off the trigger multiple times ?
would it be as strong as a normal continuous bead ?
thanks much.

Its probably not a bunch of spot welds on top of each other. The spot welds never look that neat (where's the crater?).

I've been practicing my aluminum with MIG and with the pulser. If I studder in my movements, I get a stack of dime look. Basically, move, stop, move, stop. I found this accidently when I was resting my elbow on a rougher piece and it didn't slide well. It doesn't take much. However it does zero for penetration. Just builds the aluminum up. If it were my butt, I would prefer the more uniform bead with good wetting in the corners.

I'd post a picture but you'd see my other practice runs and I'm not showing that crap to anyone. Too embarrassing.

[FABMAN]

thanks a bunch guys for the detailed info.
next time i get a chance i will practice these techniques and see if i can come close.
thanks

[Flynn]

hey whats up guys, ive been a welder fabricator for 9+ years now and have perfected the mig welding technique you were talking about in the orignal picture. i find that that welding style to be as equally strong as the "drag" method or any other since ive never had any of my welds fail in my 9 years. heres a picture of some of mine.








http://www.profabricationtechniques.com/mig-welding

[warrenlark]

hey whats up guys, ive been a welder fabricator for 9+ years now and have perfected the mig welding technique you were talking about in the orignal picture. i find that that welding style to be as equally strong as the "drag" method or any other since ive never had any of my welds fail in my 9 years. heres a picture of some of mine.

http://www.profabricationtechniques.com/mig-welding

Nice, very nice. I checked out the web link and that is very informative as well. Thank you.
Warren

[MR.57]

.... ive never had any of my welds fail in my 9 years. ....]

If you haven't had a weld fail in 9 years, you haven't been testing them enough.

[bob_e95482]

Although I've tried to duplicate what the fabricators at my company do, I just can't quite get the hang of the stack of dimes. They do a triangle pattern to get that look.

[Helios]

I know the 'stack of dimes" look in TIG seems to be what's "in style" and "desirable" but I wonder why. I especially wonder why some MIG weldors try to "fake" or mimic it.

I have no welding education to speak of, but it seems to me that putting a sine wave into the crown of the weld – as in the "stack of dimes" look – invites stress risers to form where the crown of the weld is smaller (between the "dimes").

Maybe not enough to cause failure, but why purposely do it?

It might not look as cool, but all other things being equal, wouldn't it be stronger if the crown of the weld was straight and of uniform height and width?

[Daniel]

I know the 'stack of dimes" look in TIG seems to be what's "in style" and "desirable" but I wonder why. I especially wonder why some MIG weldors try to "fake" or mimic it.

I have no welding education to speak of, but it seems to me that putting a sine wave into the crown of the weld – as in the "stack of dimes" look – invites stress risers to form where the crown of the weld is smaller (between the "dimes").

Maybe not enough to cause failure, but why purposely do it?

It might not look as cool, but all other things being equal, wouldn't it be stronger if the crown of the weld was straight and of uniform height and width?

You're right. In the mig application i'ts only for looks.
If you would do a tensile strength test, the pronouced stacked dimes looks would fail earlier then the smoother look. To many ridges.

[turbo38t]

Well, I agree with the one guy...."Cs" work or the circle pattern. You can make these welds just as strong as a stringer BUT setup is critical. You have to have everything set up PERFECT to do so........otherwise, as in some of the earlier replies you can see ther cold lap or incomplete fusion. Short circuit MIG isn't about penetration as much as fusion. I find this technique VERY succesful for structural downhill mig welds. The problem is most people think welding hotter and faster downhill is better BUT they generally get A LOT of cold lap. You should have ZERO spatter as well when things are perfect, not even that little tiny spatter. When doing your circles you want them tight enough to keep the puddle hot , yet just enough to pronounce the dime look. If you can "feel" the dimes with your fingernail you were probably too "cold" or had too much wire. Dave

[nedster]

I'm a newbie, but I'm with the chorus of the confused. I'm impressed with the welder's ability to control his bead so well, but why would anyone strive to produce an inferior weld? If its just for looks, all this does is create the illusion it's a good weld when it is not up to standards.

[Flynn]

If you haven't had a weld fail in 9 years, you haven't been testing them enough.

you may think that i havent tested them enough, but i mainly weld suspensions for off road race vehicles and they receive extreme repetitive beatings for hundreds of miles from rocks, bumps and constant up and down jaring motions. the shortest race in the sport is 200mi and longest 1,300 miles and the vehicles get up to 130 mph. 95% of the time its the metal next to the weld fails, the HAZ "heat affected zone" not the weld. at the moment there 8 race vehicles currently racing on my suspension that ive welded. and have never had a weld split crack or tear.

heres some pictures from the last race with my suspensions.

heres some video from a past races so you can see the punishment the suspensions get

heres an example of the extreme punishments the race vehicles go through