Mig break test.

Puddles · Jun 30, 2011

Well this is shocking, 29-blows to break the plate! And then I had to put it in the vice and beat it back the other direction to completely break it off.
.035 Lincoln's L-56 wire. No need in asking the amps and volts, I'm a one man band, and I can't weld and read the gauges at the same time. The wife took the grandkids for a long weekend, so she can't read them for me either.

I'll try to do the Tig test tomorrow!

Anonymous-0 · Jun 30, 2011

Maybe welding right to left makes it stronger? LoL

Puddles · Jun 30, 2011

Or maybe those weren't real honest blows of the hammer? I didn't get a good night sleep last night. :lol:
But I could tell on the first blow she was going to be tough! Once I passed 18 I couldn't believe it! :shock:

Anonymous-0 · Jun 30, 2011

When you broke your initial 7018, were you getting mad at it and hitting harder? It's interesting that the MIG doesn't break in a straight line down the middle like stick does.

Inno · Jun 30, 2011

That is the trouble with these tests, your hammer blows are an unmeasured factor. Maybe those 29 blows would be equivalent to 25 of mine or 40 of trucker's.......... :lol:

Puddles · Jun 30, 2011

Believe it or not, when I got to 18 blows I remember saying to my self, you got to be kidding, so I started hitting it harder. I've been using L-56 for about 5 or 6 years now, I was always impressed with how strong little tacks were, but I never dreamed it was this strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've had this little Linde VI-206 Mig welder for 10-years now, I have all the dials marked for what size, and type of wire I'm running. With this weld I didn't quite have that sweet sound, and I was looking for it by changing the arc length, but ran out of plate before I found it. But once I looked at the weld I thought good enough for this little test. When I remember with Mig I'll push, but I have way more experience with FCAW-SS so it's natural for me to drag.

Puddles · Jun 30, 2011

Inno back in the day I was pretty good with a sledge hammer. I remember one time working under the main terminal of the San Fransisco airport the saw cutter didn't cut the holes in the concrete floor big enough, I got elected to chip them out to the proper size, company / foreman was to cheap to rent a compressor and rivet buster, I had to do it with a 20-pound sledge hammer! But that was a many a moon ago! :lol:

rlp in Co. · Jun 30, 2011

20 pound sledge! I have never even seen one that big. I have a 12 pound and it is too big; I can hit harder with a 10 pound because I can swing it harder. But who knows where it disappeared to. ha.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 30, 2011

I remember jumping the luggage coveyors, hanging out on the skydeck observation area, and general hooliganisms in HotRod electric wheelchairs when I think SFO

smallercrawler · Jun 30, 2011

Thanks Puddles for the welding education, I really have enjoyed your information and effort. An old welder friend of mine (now deceased) once joked that a "really good" welder could weld wood using dowel rod, I believe you could. Thanks again!

Inno · Jun 30, 2011

I've never been that good with a sledge.......hope I never have to be! I have an 8lb (I think) and it's plenty big for what I use it for.......a little too big for some things. Completely unrelated but this reminded me of a sign I saw as a child that was hanging in a glass shop, it said "cut it too big and hammer it into place".

trucker 40 · Jun 30, 2011

Wow!I know I had a time beating my angle iron until that weld broke,but not 29 hits! Maybe 15,with a 10 pound sledge.Good looking weld too.

Lanse · Jun 30, 2011

Now thats a good looking mig weld!! I wish mine were
that pretty...

tiresntracks · Jul 1, 2011

All of these tests are pretty interesting. Thanks for posting them, Puddles.
I hope that some of the people, that think MIG welds aren't as strong as stick welds, see this one.
What gas were you using? I'd guess 90/10 by looking at the weld, but I'm not sure.

Puddles · Jul 1, 2011

75% / 25% = 75% Argon / 25% Co2.

Years ago I failed a vertical up 1-inch thick bend test with 1/16-inch wire. The weld was beautiful! This was an update procedure test for me, I'd been working there a couple years. At the same time the company was testing for new hires, the inspector was busting guys out right and left, but he would bring them over to me and show them my vertical up plate. He would tell them when your welds look like these come back and re-test. The next day when he bent my coupons and they broke, you should have seen the look he gave me. :lol: I had to re-test, and passed, but I swore I'd never run another Mig weld the least little bit cold. 30 some years later I still burn Mig welds in as hot as I can! :wink:

Anonymous-0 · Jul 1, 2011

Other than 6013 breaking easy, which was predictable, there must be a lot more to it than what a break test shows. TIG is considered the strongest and toughest weld and it broke easier than some other methods in a fillet test. Puddles, were you in spray/globular transfer mode? That could make a big difference over short circuiting transfer. Apparently you can't get full spray arc with C-25 gas but get a modified spray arc that's close. You can't do out of position in spray arc transfer either. Most of the people on here would be in short circuiting transfer because their machines aren't big enough or they're not used to cranking the volts up in the mid 20's and higher.

Puddles · Jul 1, 2011

No I ran this in short circuit transfer. I think my machine would just barely do spray, it will put out 26-volts. I've never done any spray arc, seen it done tho.
Far as the Tig welds breaking easy, must be operator error. I'm no Tig weldor by any means, I'm about two steps ahead of Lanse! :lol:

Lanse · Jul 1, 2011

"I'm no Tig weldor by any means, I'm about two steps
ahead of Lanse! :lol: "

Im gonna take that as a back-handed compliment, lol

Anonymous-0 · Jul 1, 2011

Quite interesting results. So here's another question. If you wanted something really strong, would you still choose 7018 over MIG or did your tests change your mind? I'd still choose 7018 but I think there must some other type of test that would show why? Most experienced welders would also choose 7018. Maybe there's some kind of fatigue or cyclic test that favors 7018?

tiresntracks · Jul 2, 2011

With 90/10, I know that you can do spray transfer at 23.5 volts. I've never really tried to see how low you can go.

trucker 40 · Jul 2, 2011

If you want something strong,it depends on if it needs to flex or not.7018 is more flexible,MIG is rigid.Maybe you need to ask for part of your money back since they seem to not have taught you that at school?
Its kind of like everything else,a lot depends on what it costs.If its cheaper to weld something with MIG,and it doesnt have to be flexible,they will weld it with MIG.If it has to be strong and flexible they probably will want it welded with 7018 or something like it.
Just your saying that you think 7018 is stronger doesnt have any authority on the situation whatsoever.MIG is stronger,but its rigid.7018 can be stronger when it has the bending stress because it has some give,and also is closer to what the actual steel was to start with.For something that just sets there without any bending stress its probably better to weld with MIG.There are other considerations.Ive found from my own experience that MIG will take more vibration than 7018,but I dont weld stuff with heated 7018 either.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 2, 2011

It would sure be nice if you had some idea what you're talking about. Most of the time you're guessing and it's certainly not an educated guess. Pressure vessels are welded with 7018, nuclear plants are welded with 7018, heavy equipment repairs are done with 7018, etc., etc. but MIG takes more vibration and is stronger? You should change your name to Grimm and write fairy tales.

trucker 40 · Jul 2, 2011

Well there you go again! I told you the truth,but you have to get snotty about it.Turns out maybe you missed that day at school? Or maybe the teacher told you but you didnt believe him?

trucker 40 · Jul 2, 2011

What did I just say? I suggest you read it again.If it needs to flex 7018 is a better choice than MIG because its more flexible.MIG is more rigid.From my own experience Ive welded stuff with non heated 7018 rod that broke,fixed it with MIG and it didnt break.There are all kinds of different vibrations.
Why are cars MIG welded?Why is anything MIG welded?If MIG is so weak and worthless like you try and say,why is it even used.
I can weld with both,but I prefer MIG on most things like brackets and stuff like that.Im not going to set here and argue with you though.I know what experience taught me.
Better yet go do your own break test and see what you find out.Running your mouth means exactly nothing.You are already in to this way over your head anyway.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 3, 2011

Perhaps you should take a course on static and dynamic loading (and perhaps cyclic loading). Until you understand what those terms mean, It's pointless trying to tell you anything. As far as the break test, at least I know how to do it. Even after Puddles posted several examples of how to do a fillet weld break test, you did it wrong. Whats' up with that, you even had pictures!

Mig break test.

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