The welders thread (2 Viewers)

[hairy_apple]

My wife hates her job bad... really bad. She really hates working in an office and sitting around all day.. and we started talking about how much cooler it would be if our little company could be BOTH our full time jobs. She said she'd love to learn to weld and fab stuff... so last night we went out to the shop and I spent about 15 minutes showing her how to set up the welder (Lincoln 256) and just showing her the basics.. stickout length, angles, pattern, ect. This is what she was putting out her first 20 minutes of learning to weld.... WHAT THE HELL... it took me a long time to get anything that nice. I think she'll be able to pick this up without too much trouble.

 

[LFD2037]

I do appreciate the concept but to my untrained eye, I feel like I'm looking @ a train wreck. No?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[hairy_apple]

Not compared to where a lot of people start out.... there are a lot of stops and starts but she has a pretty damn good pattern and is not too bad considering it's a first time ever trying to weld. Most people go way too fast or way too wobbly with the pattern. She was pretty consistent and actually got alright tie in. It's not metal pigeon poo.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

No, that looks good! The "train wreck" is many stops/starts due to practicing, not welding a real work piece.

Consistent, good wire speed, good hand speed, good heat, very nice! Cut apart some of those welds and test with naval jelly for a final conclusion

 

[LFD2037]

I was looking @ it on my phone & couldn't make it out worth a flip. Now on my PC I'm thinking she's got me whooped!!!!! Damn good start.

 

[hairy_apple]

Yeah, I was blown away. I've never seen anyone start that great. I think she's going to end up better then me at yet another thing.... oh well. That's just how she is with everything... just instantly good at it. Me.. I have to struggle and practice and practice and work at everything I learn.

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi all,

GLTHFj60, what do you mean by 'and test with naval jelly' ?

Thanks,

Alan

wrote:

Consistent, good wire speed, good hand speed, good heat, very nice! Cut apart some of those welds and test with naval jelly for a final conclusion

 

[e9999]

etching with an acid to show the microstructure variations to find out the penetration depth

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi all,

Thanks for responding to my question!

So, what does this mean? How do I use this info to help with my welding skill?

Thnaks,

Alan
===================================================================

etching with an acid to show the microstructure variations to find out the penetration depth

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Hi all,

Thanks for responding to my question!

So, what does this mean? How do I use this info to help with my welding skill?

Thnaks,

Alan
===================================================================

Alan, The technical term is Macro Etching..Here is one link, but a search will bring you days worth of reading... To an extent it will show you defects in the weld. The acid high-lights the flaws for your viewing pleasure...

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/wiki/Macro_Etch

J

 

[hairy_apple]

One thing I found amazing when I started to learn how to weld, is how a nice looking weld, sometimes had very little penetration and would fail badly when forced. My first semester the teacher had us make 1" fillet welds on 10 gauge, then put them into a press and bend them over the top of the weld... it amazed me how so many of the students who had pretty "stack of dime welds" failed badly. And how mine which wasn't nearly as pretty as their's passed fine. That is something even years later I still think about a lot when building things. Welds are like icebergs.. the part you see is only a very, very small part of the whole thing.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

One thing I found amazing when I started to learn how to weld, is how a nice looking weld, sometimes had very little penetration and would fail badly when forced. My first semester the teacher had us make 1" fillet welds on 10 gauge, then put them into a press and bend them over the top of the weld... it amazed me how so many of the students who had pretty "stack of dime welds" failed badly. And how mine which wasn't nearly as pretty as their's passed fine. That is something even years later I still think about a lot when building things. Welds are like icebergs.. the part you see is only a very, very small part of the whole thing.

I have said this exact thing for years... I have seen welds rip open during a bend test. Welds that are absolutely beautiful, look machine made AND THEN look like they were peppered with buckshot under X-ray. But, then again I've seen a crappy looking weld do exactly the same...

Most guys I've taught abd talked to over the years don't understand watching the puddle, seeing how the parent metal is breaking down or seeing trash get pushed out during the process. They think that if the weld is covering the lay of the land, so to speak, its good. GMAW is the easiest process to learn, but if not properly taught or critiqued can be devastating down the road.

I think I've said this before... I don't code weld anymore but still take a weld coupon to an X-ray tech buddy of mine for testing occasionally and to have him treat it as if it was an actual field weld... He just laughs at me and tells me for a misc general/fab welder now I sure am an anal SOB!! HA!

J

 

[GLTHFJ60]

@reevesci , how would you set up a coupon bend test in, let's say, a harbor freight 20t press? Would you just put a bend in it or is there something more specific you'd recommend?

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

You can make one in many ways. I used to carry a Pyramid Engineering and Sawyer tester around with me... BIG $$$$$

BUT!! here are a few pics. I would make the plunger out of say 1.5" solid round bar and the the die gap opening 1.5" plus the material thickness (x2) plus at least another material thickness or two...

Code bending/testing is way different due to the type of material to be welded, thickness, position, code requirements...

You have a plasma cutter and can do this with a oxy torch as well... so for the die, just cut a smooth valley out of 1/4"- 1/2", stack together and weld up and smooth again.. I've also seen guys weld one end of the test strap to the table, weld in a piece of pipe/bar for the bend die and take a pipe wrench and pull it round. HOWEVER! this test must be done cold! Thicker straps need more leverage and become dangerous when bending (strap breaks off)...

THIS IS THE EASIEST ONE FOR MOST TO BUILD...

Just make sure the plunger and die are smooth.

J

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

AND of course the bigger the bend the less stress on a the weld area. 1.5" is a pretty common one for the OIL/GAS Sector.

 

[hairy_apple]

Way cool. I never thought about building my own bend tester... hum....

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Way cool. I never thought about building my own bend tester... hum....

I built one on a C-press so I could test my helpers I was teaching and myself before testing for the companies.. I always built them for worst case code scenario... Figured I'd be good for almost anything then.

J

 

[Tapage]

Thread revival ..

I've found myself welding at night more often that I would like .. but hey it is what it is, we have short days and plenty rain this time of the year, so I'm having kinda hard time, having the right illumination to do a decent weld ..

What you use ( was looking of some sort of helmet with lights ? ) when you need to weld at night .. ? or maybe under your truck with poor illumination ?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

You shouldn't need more light once the arc is started. An auto-darkening helmet and plenty of light from anything (halogen lights, portable shop lights, etc.) help verify part fitment and position the torch before you strike an arc.

 

[Tapage]

that's the thing .. I'm not good at night ( my eyes are not that good ad night with intense light ) sometimes I have hard time to find the right spot to start .. then sometimes I get loose if only have the light from the arc ..