Mig welding is proving to be a bit tricky for me never welding before.

[Broccoli1]

I HAVE MY 211 ON THIS CART

50.00 BUX YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.

http://www.harborfreight.com/welding-cart-90305.html

[pmac]

Pat,

Glad you got to fire it up. Post the pictures - it'll help everyone's feedback - and it IS a journey. To do it right and do it well - and takes time. I have a long road ahead as a noob but thanks to this forum it's a little smoother. Any meathead can buy a machine and melt something together - but to to get it correctly fused, structurally sound and looking respectable......that's craftsmanship.

Post some pics.....

j

The welds I have done you honestly would think a blind man did them. I was not comfertable at all as far as positioning. I had to get everything set up by the time i started I was almost burnt out. Next ones I do I will just do across a piece of nice metal then post them.

Thanks so much!

[pmac]

I HAVE MY 211 ON THIS CART

50.00 BUX YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.

http://www.harborfreight.com/welding-cart-90305.html

You know i planned on building a cart and table, but since I am having a hard time. I was telling my gf of 13 years I better just buy a cheap cart. So I think I am going to jump on that. Thing is I have a mm211 and a 125 cu ft tank will it hold the tank and all?

[pmac]

Hey Pat-

Another thing that might help. Before you drop your hood and actually weld, do a couple dry runs to make sure everything lines up. While your practicing watch your stickout and your tip control. I would assume you are learning in the flat position. I like to travel with circles or cursive e's when I'm in the flat position. It is important to be relaxed before you start welding.

Have you familiarized yourself with the machine? Do you have any questions about gas flow, machine setup, wire size/type?

Also, i just built a welding table. I have no idea why I didn't do that years ago. What an awesome addition to my shop!

Sounds good I will give that a try. You know I was so unfomfertable when i started. I had to set up a make shift table it was very hard to get things clamped down etc. I seem to have got a good feel for the machine itself as far as what is what, I FINALLY was able to get the wire in without it rats nested like it did the first time i tried WOW was that a mess LOL! It was like nothing i have seen before it unravelled so fast I was stunned LOL! It took my about 45 minutes to get it back on the spool. I think the gas flow I had it set at 20 I am not sure if that is 20 cfm or what it is without looking. I did turn it up just a hair over 20 cause it seemed like i wasnt getting enough with bad torch angle and hieght. Right now I only have the .30 wire. So yes I do have a question what 10 lb spools would be best for me to get at this point?

I was just using the wire that came with the machine, but need to go pickup some 10 lb ers. I need a cleaner wire brush too the one I have is crappy no biggie they ae cheap. I went off the specs on the inside of the chart on the machine. ANd it said for what i was doing to use 60 wire speed it seemed a bit fast so i turned it down a hair, and the heat up just a hair on the 6 I was like on the lower end of 6 at first and didnt hear the nice sizzle but when i turned it up just a bit like i said just higher end of the 6. I did get a nice sizzle. But a very ugly looking weld. It did hold the two small pieces together but man it was ugly really really ugly. I could see my torch speed was all over the place, to fast to slow to I was trying the like back and forth or side to side. I am just going to practice a few runs on some metal not trying to fuse anything just getting more familier.

But again i was in a very undomfertalbe position, I used a stand for a table saw that I have and it was to low I was all bent over and it just felt wrong. SO i will try to clear up some of them problems. Also by the time i got everything set up lifting the welder up on to a stationary stand, moving the 125 cu ft tank getting the tools ready etc etc in fact I was sweaty and had to cool off a bit before i could even fire the machine up.

BUt I will get some pics of my next practice job. ASAP!


Thanks again,

I would feel defeated without these boards!

Pat M

[elvis]

When people are learning around me I always stress comfort, comfort, comfort! You have plenty of time to weld in weird, contorted ways. Get good at welding in a comfortable position. I've been using up the rest of some HTP er70s6 that came with my 251. It seems fine. A lot of people seem to like L-56 from lincoln. you could buy a couple small 2# spools and see what works best then start buying it in 10# spools.

The settings on the panel of the machine are usually a good starting point. I've got one of those MIG sliding calculators from Miller and it seems to work great. But my machine will tell me actual welding volts and WFS with relative accuracy. I don't have the mystery knobs that you do. I have used the 175's with mystery knobs and after a day or two I didn't even read the chart. I would adjust and go and was usually in the ballpark making only minor adjustments. That will come with time!

[pmac]

When people are learning around me I always stress comfort, comfort, comfort! You have plenty of time to weld in weird, contorted ways. Get good at welding in a comfortable position. I've been using up the rest of some HTP er70s6 that came with my 251. It seems fine. A lot of people seem to like L-56 from lincoln. you could buy a couple small 2# spools and see what works best then start buying it in 10# spools.

The settings on the panel of the machine are usually a good starting point. I've got one of those MIG sliding calculators from Miller and it seems to work great. But my machine will tell me actual welding volts and WFS with relative accuracy. I don't have the mystery knobs that you do. I have used the 175's with mystery knobs and after a day or two I didn't even read the chart. I would adjust and go and was usually in the ballpark making only minor adjustments. That will come with time!

Ya your right it might be best for me to purchase the smaller spools to start. I am so knew I cant even say what i like or dont like. I think the millermatic came with the .30 and .35 electode or whatever its called. So i need to get some different sizes. Do you think it would be better to get some smaller diamiter wire, and another roller for inside the machine i think its only the 30 on one side and .0035 other side. I know I am saying the number wrong 30 thousands and 35. So maybe I should also get the wheel for inside for some smaller wire and some tips and some different wires. What about the flux core? I know i would have to kinda weld outside cuase of the extra fumes and right now its to cold but for the spring? And I will do that when the weather warms.

I guess i just need to start using what i have trying the other size the machine is able for as well and start getting a feel for them two sizes ETC ETC.


I really appreciate it! Like I said I would have felt defeated withot these forums.

I need to get alot of consumables. And like one poster said not sure of the name but maybe I will just get a cheap harbor frieght stand its really diffacult the way i have it set up now. There is no comfert, I have to do so much stuff just to fire the machine up, I am sweating and out of breath by the time I start.
Pat M

[STRENGTH AND POWER]

20cfm seems to be a bit much unless you are welding in the wind/outside etc. You dont want to have air blowing across your work area as it blows away the shielding gas. If you are outside, you can position your body and arms to act as a wind break. In my shop, I typically wear shorts in the summer and have my fans set to blow across my legs to keep me cool

Miller has a very reasonably priced set of instruction manuals for mig, tig, stick, around $35 or so. Definitely worth it.

If you were in Dallas, I'd tell you to come over and bring your helmet, gloves and a 12 pack, a case if you are a slow learner. I'm not a pro but I get by

are you using the reference chart to establish your baseline settings?

Post up some pics, everybody was new at some point and the pics will let the pros tell you what you are doing right and wrong

[Cgotto6]

Your 211 should run .030 great. No need to try a different wire, especially on 1/8. Just keep practicing. My advice is to really keep an eye on your stick out. I made leaps of improvements after I got that down.

[pmac]

20cfm seems to be a bit much unless you are welding in the wind/outside etc. You dont want to have air blowing across your work area as it blows away the shielding gas. If you are outside, you can position your body and arms to act as a wind break. In my shop, I typically wear shorts in the summer and have my fans set to blow across my legs to keep me cool

Miller has a very reasonably priced set of instruction manuals for mig, tig, stick, around $35 or so. Definitely worth it.

If you were in Dallas, I'd tell you to come over and bring your helmet, gloves and a 12 pack, a case if you are a slow learner. I'm not a pro but I get by

are you using the reference chart to establish your baseline settings?

Post up some pics, everybody was new at some point and the pics will let the pros tell you what you are doing right and wrong

Man I wish I was In Dallas, I would bring you a case of beer and wire even my own machine and metal, if i could get some instruction. But ya I was going right off the chart inside the machine except for the amount of gas. I used the 20 from some videos I watched on youtube. But I even turned it up a bit to like 22 or so. I was in a garage no wind at all. What is a good amount of gas with no breeze?

I will get some pics on my next welding session. I am going to make sure I am in a real comfertable position and get things set up alot better as far as comfert. Also I am going to grab one of them 1000 watt halogen light set ups so I can see better. What I am going to do is just take a piece of metal and just run beads across it. I will post them soon as I do. I need all the help I can get. I do have a nice welding book that I read its out in the truck right now with my miller manual I foget what its called but I bought it years back when I first signed up on millerweld.com. I was pondering getting into welding for several years before I decided to finally get a machine. It was a tad bit cold in the garage so I did adjust the wire speed down a little not much, and turned up the heat to the a little higher on the 6 and seemed that I was getting a nice sizzle sound from it.

My first attempts were so bad IT WAS ALL WRONG. I mean wow wrong. But I will get some pics up of my next practice.

I can't tell ya how much I appreciate all the help and input everyone has offered.

Thanks man,

Pat M

[pmac]

Your 211 should run .030 great. No need to try a different wire, especially on 1/8. Just keep practicing. My advice is to really keep an eye on your stick out. I made leaps of improvements after I got that down.

Roger that! I will keep running beads on the 1/8 metal not trying to actually weld anything together just try to get some control down. I was in such an uncomfertable position with my make shift table set up. It was way to low, I should have actually been sitting. This next session I will just run the beads on metal and upload the pics. I will run out the .030 hobart. Is that hobart wire good? If I wanted to get some more .030 and some .035 should I stay with the hobart wire that came with the Miller welder? Is there a better wire to go with, or is that good enough in your opinion. Cause I have no idea what a good brand of wire is good. But I will grab another 2 lb spool of both .030 and .035. I have a good bit of thicker metal. I had a really hard time seeing what I was doing. I am definitly going to grab the halogen light setup!

Thanks for responding.

I know I keep saying it. But man everyone has been so helpful on these boards.

Thanks again,

Its really been a huge help in everything I have done so far, even in the line of what welder would be good to get. Next thing I will be asking about is what Plasma cutter? I want a plasma cutter that I wont need to upgrade. I am going to get the best one I can within reason of course. I really like the multi volt stuff.