06-26-2015, 09:15 PM
(06-26-2015, 03:21 PM)stevec Wrote:(06-26-2015, 10:45 AM)zmotorsports Wrote: Snip the wire at an angle prior to starting a new puddle to give the current a chance to start the process quicker and will better penetration.
Mike.
Mike,I don't understand the "snip the wire at an angle" part at all.
Could you explain what an angled point on a .025 or .030 wire would accomplish ?
Steve
By snipping the wire at an angle it creates a smaller "point" at the end of the wire. Even for a .030" wire creating a smaller point at the end it will require less current to establish a puddle at the start of the weld.
Many times when welding and releasing the trigger, a small ball or radius will form on the end of the wire. I have seen these balls on the end of a .030" wire being over .050". Also as the trigger is released as the end of the wire cools it attracks contaminents from the atmosphere which when restarting the weld will be re-introduced right into the molten puddle.
For small work it makes quite a difference, but for larger weldments using higher voltage and wire speeds the benefits are diminished. I keep an inexpensive pair of diagonal cutters on my MIG welder for this purpose.
Also when welding 4130 or 4140 chromoly using the TIG process, I do the same thing even though on TIG I have my post flow timer set to flow gas for a few seconds to protect the weld as it cools and solidified but I have a tendency to pull the wire out of the gas stream and the contaminents can collect on the TIG wire. Many people don't go to quite that extent but on chassis used for racing the smallest details can be of benefit. You don't have to snip an inch at a time, just a 1/8" is all that is needed, just above the end of the wire.
Mike.