With a 75%Ar / 25%CO2, you will be either in dip transfer or globular transfer, as this mix has too much CO2 to allow you to weld in spray transfer.
Dip transfer does not give a great deal of spatter, but globular transfer does. Spray transfer will probably give you the lowest spatter, but I think that the plate thickness is a bit on the low side for spray. You are likely to burn a hole through material.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Niekie Jooste
Aprox. 190-210 Amps is required to achieve spray (035 wire with >80Ar/balance 10-20% CO2 shield mix)
Doubtfull Miller 185 can attain practical spray under any circumstance
with smaller # wire and/or Argon rich shield gas it may be possible but may push system to limits of it's output and duty cycle; related issues may arise
Sufficient parameters may (perhaps) be achieved with Ar (100%) if you can get hold of some to test; burn through is a danger but I believe it can be readily controlled at the much lower power levels... dont go out and buy a tank of Ar just to find out.
If you know your weld parameters are below globular transfer a mask would allow you to avoid spraying down the piece with oil (anti-spatter)that will compromise the adhesion of organic finishes you use.
Regards
D
If you want to use a .030 wire and 75% Ar, 25% CO2 with your miller 185 you might consider using an E71T-1 wire. Most manufacturers make one or two that have minimal splatter, and you can achieve spray transfer at a lower curernt level than with solid wires. The downside is, they cost more, and you have to clean off the slag. (although, with some wires, the slag falls off by itself)
For the operation you are doing I believe your gas and equip. are great. In the short arc mode you will have some weld splatter, nature of the mode. You said a small production? It may be complete before you spend too much time trying something else. If not there is a paste you should be able to get from a good welding supply co. I can not think of any brand names at this time (senior moment). Again you may be complete before you spend too much time trying other things. Spray and flux core I would think is too hot. A simple mask out of sheet metal might work.
Gary
Gary
I'm behind Niekie and suspect globular transfer by the nature of Tom's complaint, implying excessive spatter. Small amounts of light spatter I encounter are usually able to be removed by chisel with almost no effort (perhaps it's the mill scale protecting the weldment; typically I only clean the weld area- the rest is done separately prior to any finishing, which may be another thought)
I am unfamiliar with his equipment but trust it's being used for similar work by hundreds if not thousands of welders. I wish I could advise him or verify where to set his voltage and feed to assure he was in short arc; I don't believe it provides either voltage or wire feed meters. I fear quoting transfer parameters would be of little value to him. I failed to make that point sufficiently in my previous post. Perhaps someone else with a Miller 185 can contribute.
The anti spatter paste you suggest is nice to know about. It dont sound like vaselene; thank you for the introduction.
Regards
D
To start with ,, you are talking about Spatter ,, not Splatter,, just get ya a few cans of anti spatter ,and spray it on the surrounding metal that you are welding on ,no bb`s will stick ,, WD-40 WILL WORK TOO !!
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