I like Cormaro But Cavette has class

With no car to tinker on I experimented with the spare subframe over the weekend, still not sure if it's a keeper but it's a good skill building exercise.
http://sieg.smugmug.com/Cars/69-Cama...IMAG2797-L.jpg

I've been fighting the new 200 amp TIG machine trying to find the machines sweet spots between guage, heat, wire and gun speed. So the reinforcing plate welds aren't what I'd like them to be but compliment the factory welds nicely. :D My little Lincoln SP135+ is not nearly as finicky as the HTP 200 at least that's my excuse for possible lack of talent. :_paranoid

Made a cardboard template from a cereal box for the cross-member plate shimmed it up an 1/8" and trace cut the 11 ga plate with the plasma it dropped into place with no grinding. Loving the plasma cutter!

Are you pushing or pulling the MIG??

I push for most stuff...

Do you have a good cheat sheet for the settings for the machine?

Thanks for asking. :thumbsup:

I prefer to push when ever possible and have two different cheat sheets, one on the machine and one in the manual that vary a little. :rolleyes:

The machine has 6 power levels, each of those levels can be adjusted 1-4 on a separate switch. Wire feed is 1-10.

I've been full power (6-4) and wire at 10, gas at 15 to 30 cfm. Push, pull, slow, fast, and tweenered. Using 10 ga. with lap joints as test. Can't get the welds to lay down like I think they should. 5-3 with wire at 4-5 and gas at 17 is delivering the best result.

I've tried with the maching input power at 208 for input current 225V and below and at 240V for current 226V and above. It appears 240V delivers better results.

It's probably excessive LOFT on the operator's behalf. Practice, practice, practice.

Slow your travel speed and oscillate side to side just a bit -- bury that wire in.... and maybe keep your gun a bit tighter to the puddle and a little more vertical.

208 is 3 phase power. If your doing this at home your working with 120/240v single phase.

Thanks, the machine came set at 208. Instructions said to measure line voltage, if 225 or lower use 208, and 226 and higher use 240 bridge setting. I just tested on both settings to see what the results would be. :rolleyes:

I'm playing the angles and hold-off and getting closer. Compared to the little Lincoln it's like another learning process. :question:

Here's another test session on 10 ga. with lap and butt joints........

Not pretty:
http://sieg.smugmug.com/Other/Weldin...IMAG2803-L.jpg

Slight improvement, splatter is excessive!:
http://sieg.smugmug.com/Other/Weldin...IMAG2802-L.jpg

Close-ups:
http://sieg.smugmug.com/Other/Weldin...IMAG2804-L.jpg

http://sieg.smugmug.com/Other/Weldin...IMAG2805-L.jpg

All those welds were done with gas at 18 cfm, varied the power between 5-1 to 5-4 and wire speed from 2.5 to 6, push and pull.

Keep commenting, I'll keep experimenting. :thumbsup:

If I was laying those down I would be inclined to either increase the amperage, or more likely slow down my travel speed and wire speed.

How does the back side heat transfer look?

Next session I'll give that a go. :thumbsup:

Getting the right sizzle sound with this machine hasn't been easy. It's overly sensitive which doesn't compliment my obvious lack of talent. :D