Full Product Manual

welds should not exceed 1/4” even with the heaviest wire the

welder is capable of handling. A thick pass may also begin

to cool before contaminates and gas pockets have the time to

float out to the surface. It’s far better to make multiple small-

er passes to complete a plate weld for a higher quality result.

For best results, this requires that most joints 1/4” and over

be prepared with a grinder to accept multiple weld passes.

The weldment edges should be ground to form a V, U or J

shaped groove to create a recess where the welds can be

welded one on top of another. Though thicker welds are

technically possible, when welding with .035” wire and un-

der, create a bead no thicker than 3/16” in a single pass, no

more than 1/8” with .030” wire, and with .025”wire and

smaller no more than 3/32 for best results. This will help

maintain proper fluidity of the weld and prevent gas from

being trapped in the weld and give time for any minor con-

taminates to float out of the weld. It will also help to main-

tain reasonable forward travel speeds. Too slow of travel

speeds will create excess build up and can tend to create

cold lap at the weld toes resulting in poor tie in. One issue

created with a weaving technique even if the metal deposited

is the correct thickness s that it can slow the forward pro-

gress down. If weaving is too wide, one side of the puddle

will cool and oxidize before the torch is brought back across

to that side. This is a point where porosity and inclusions

can be introduced.

MIG OPERATION AND THEORY

Section 3 Basic Theory and Function