How accurate are the Miller Calculators?

[redlineracer]

When used with my T/A 185? The smaw calc works pretty good with my lincoln 225 but haven't yet tried the tig calc out yet. Are they good for just about all types of welding or should I forget about it and just go by feel for my TIG and whatever MIG I plan on getting?

[vipermanz]

get some practice metal and chart your own best settings, that's what i'm doing:)

[Jerry]

I've never used anybody's charts for setting my machines, but not that there's anything wrong with it if you need it. In tig you'll know the heat needed in mig listen for a nice crackling sound.

[Junk]

Redline,
I only used the calc's with my T/A 185. In my experience, which is very limited, I found the settings to be a bit on the hot side. Don't know if it could be due to me using 1.5% Lanthanated tungstens or not, but it just seemed hot.

In your manual, there are recommended settings. Just remember these are for reference and you may need to slightly adjust for you own specific situation.

[Franz]

All the calculators are just a starting point, and nothing more.
There is way too much reliance on these factory recommended settings by guys who lack experience. A calculator cannot factor in input voltage or length of welding cables, and probabky a few other variables, so just use it as a general guideline and develope your own experience.

[BillC]

redlineracer,

I have all three Miller calculators, and I think that the MIG calculator is the most valuable of the three. I agree with Franz that an experienced weldor doesn't need them because he has already memorized them...

When I set up my machines in school using the calculator settings I was always very close to the correct setting with only minor changes in feed speed. My equally inexperienced classmates used scribe marks on the volts dial, changed WFS until it ran as smoothly as possible, then went to town welding. Unfortunately, the scribe marks were way cold and their welds were equally cold. Even worse, they were learning to hear the sound of a cold weld, thinking it was good. They couldn't understand why their welds failed bend testing...

[fla jim]

I got the set of three calculators with the Nifty Miller student package. I looked at them, compared with what I do. Since then they've been sitting in th box with the other stuff. But the GMAW book is worth the 25 bucks alone. The GTAW book (thats "TIG" for you arcdawg) is also good.

[arcdawg]

hey jim your pretty funny. GAS TUNGSTON ARC WELDING ? maybe someday i can be as cool as you are

[bluesman2a]

Originally posted by arcdawg
hey jim your pretty funny. GAS TUNGSTON ARC WELDING ? maybe someday i can be as cool as you are

You know, I've seen Jim's work, and read a lot of his posts. Conversly, I've seen your general line of questioning. If you're LUCKY, one day you MIGHT be as cool as Jim is... It scares me that people with your general level of knowledge get paid to weld.

[arcdawg]

OH GREAT THERE MULTIPLYING

[JMB]

Originally posted by fla jim
The GTAW book (thats "TIG" for you arcdawg) is also good.

LMAO :gunsfirin