first time migger

[Gil]

OK, so I got my 210 snap on and am just migging away. I do fairly good for awhile, then once in a while I start getting popping and sputtering. I suspect it is because I am practicing on a less than clean piece of metal and just not making good contact or ground.
Any suggestions are appreciated.

[cope]

Clean metal at the point where you clamp the ground and along the weld line are a must. It takes a lot of power to burn through dirty or rusty metal. Mill scale has the same effect as rust although maybe to a lesser degree.

[hankj]

Gil,

Cool! You're gonna love it. Let us know if cleaning up the work solves your problem. The only other thing I can think of is some problem with your gas flow, if you are using hard wire. If it's flux-core, then it's gotta be dirt that's the problem.

Be well.

hankj

[Gil]

No flux-core, HANKJ. solid wire and gas. But, I cannot tell anything about the gas flow. It does seem to affect the weld as I change the gas setting. Have no manual(benefit of ebaying), so am just guessing about heat, wire feed speed. and gas settings. Called my snap on rep, but he said a manual was not needed. Just need experience, I guess.

[hankj]

Gil,

What are you using for gas? If it's Co2 or C25, try 20cfh. I don't know that machine, but set up for a nice "bacon-frying" sound and you will like what you see.

Keep us posted - we'll help if we can.

Be well.

hankj

[Gil]

Argon & CO2,75-25%. I think I had my pressure too high, but was doing pretty good tonite, after cleaning my metals really good, until I got my best weld of the nite--unfortunately it was melting the wire to the contact tip. I am just full of errrors, but do not know how that happened. I suspect it had an incorrect insulator that was too short, but will find out tomorrow at the supply house.
Thanks for all the help---I am in need of much.