Check my welds? (1 Viewer)

[Mace]

Thanks Mace,
How can you tell that I need to either speed up, or slow down? Is it because the weld is sitting so high above the material?
Ill try the "C" movement on Sunday, cuz Im wheeling tomorrow!

Ill have to go to a different shop for thicker material!!!
They had some thicker gauge stuff, but they were good useable pieces for the fab shop, and I didnt want to take stuff they could still use, even though the guy was nice and offered it to me.
For now, Im just screwing around trying to learn before I start on the princess with my SOA!

Keith

When the weld sits high like it is in that pic your weld is either not geting the penetration or you are giving it too much wire. With the weld that I see I believe that you are getting the penetration that you need, you just need to weld faster. Keep the welds flatter and deeper. With a small machine you typically need to slow down the wire speed to get the penetration and just burn it in..

Make sense?

 

[Cube Dweller]

Pushing the puddle rather than pulling it will also tend to lay flatter beads.

Like Mace mentioned, looks can be deceiving. You can bump the trigger on a mig and make the weld look like a stack of dimes pushed flat. It won't have chit for penetration and will be worthless for anything other than sheetmetal. Look at Cruiserdrew's 2m radio mount. It was like 16 gauge, so I bumped it, looks like a tig. On anything structural, I wouldn't trust it.

You can also cut the weld across the cross section to see how much penetration you have. Basically, it comes down to practice.

 

[450 DUDE]

HEY HEY looking beter .



how close are you holding the tip?
try for about 1/8 1/4 in .
for a gauge crank that thing up HOT run a bead as normal and see if you burn through, if not your probally good if you burn through dial it down ect.......
It might help to see where the limit is.


good luck. - -- ken

 

[2badfjs]

definitly looking better
nice change in a dayz time

Q:mace.Also, on the welds that Bad did on that bumper thread. Most specifically on the outer spindle hub, I would really prefer to see a slightly larger bead. But that is me, and I am not an expert by any means, ask anyone that has had to help me weld my rig back together on the trail


i'll definitly agree on you there jason, (like i ever disagree with you)
i seem to tend to make smaller circles sometimes, the spindle is solid and i should have turned the heat up a notch and increased my wire speed a notch also.

what i have learned to do when you weld, say, a solid piece like the spindle to 1/4" plate.
i will slow down when i'm on the spindle more than when i'm on the plate(follow me?) the spindle can take soooo much more heat than the plate, so it lets me slow down for better penetration,or even penetration.
i just drag the wire over the thicker material just a bit.

keep it up chicago, it looks like your getting the hang of it pretty quick.
all i had was a little direction from my wifes uncle, and the rest is my oun teqniq.

your corner welds are looking real good
are you beveling your edges?
even on a 90 degree or a T weld, knock the edge off a bit, still better penetration.

MACE. how well does that anti splatter clean up?what do you use to clean it off your work?
i've used,but quit using silicone spray, pain in the butt to clean up for painting.

for now i'll just flap disc sand my splatter.

 

[2badfjs]

oh by the way chicago........................













































your garage looks to clean

 

[450 DUDE]

I also use the anti spatter when using a crappy welder or wnen being anal.
Works great, just douse in spirts or simlar for clean up for paint.

ken

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Might be a second post as I had no time to read through, butttt there is a new gas that helps heat up the puddle some more with smaller machines making for better pentration....

 

[fj40forlife]

Kick up the speed to 3 and hotter. What is anti splatter anyway ??

 

[Mace]

Anti splatter is the s*** for flux core. I use the hell out of it.

But honestly, for a HH180 (I have a 175 with argon/co2 mix) go with the gas..

And for what you are doing, there should not really be a need to do the circle thing. That is mostly for lesser powered machines to really make sure that you are actually burning the weld in.
Your 180 should handle that spindle with ease...
Also, when you are trying to weld a thicker piece ot a thinner piece, put the heat intot he thicker piece, then move into the thinner piece, you will be able to see the weld penetrate the thinner piece and still have the penetration into the thicker.

As for gaps... in the pipe world a gap is a necessary thing. It allows the weld to have full penetration to the inside of the metal. and in our world of fab work they are not a crime. Just make sure that you are not trying to fill a huge hole with rod. It makes it harder with thinner metals if you ae trying to fill in a gap. You will get more penetration at the end of a piece of metal than in the middle. Bevels help considerably.

One thing about welding, you will get a lot better if you practice. Get to know the machine you are using. It makes a HUGE difference. I can lay a very nice bead with my 110, but am not used to the power of the 175 and still screw up welds sometimes..

 

[Mace]

splatter is the little balls of weld that stick to the joint.

 

[chicago]

WOW, I go away wheelin for the day, and there is a whole lesson plan that I missed!!!?
This is some awsome info here fellas!
Mace...I think I get what youre saying regarding the heaping of the weld metal above the material. When I did these welds, I turned the piece over to see if if there was a "hot spot" (Like 450dude said)...there was. I was moving rather slow and deliberate, focusing on what was happening to the metal as I was doing it, so I suspect that I was keeping it there a bit longer than necessary, resulting in build up of the weld. Also, im glad that you mentioned the width of the weld...I was trying to keep it pin pointed as much as I could at the tip, not knowing that theory trying to keep it "pretty". Ill go and get some thicker scrap this week and try some of that to see how it comes out.
Roger on the anti-spatter...they sell it at Home Depot.
Ken,
Im keeping the tip about 1/2 in away, maybe 5/8...If Im any closer, Im getting spatter that is clogging the tip.
2BAD,
its funny you mentioned my garage being clean...I just cleaned it a couple of weeks ago and though it looks clean now, it was a DISASTER before that. I got some cabinets for FREE, so I re organized and re structured my work space so I know where things are at when I need them. Before that, you couldnt even see my work bench top, not to mention being able to find my tools.
Im really JAZZED about this welding thing. Not only is it fun and challenging, but its very in-expensive to keep my occupied for a while. Our property taxes just went up (as a result, so did our mortgage), so the rig is in neutral for a while and I need a cheap alternative. I HATE TAXES!

Chicago

 

[chicago]

Pushing the puddle rather than pulling it will also tend to lay flatter beads.

Like Mace mentioned, looks can be deceiving. You can bump the trigger on a mig and make the weld look like a stack of dimes pushed flat. It won't have chit for penetration and will be worthless for anything other than sheetmetal. Look at Cruiserdrew's 2m radio mount. It was like 16 gauge, so I bumped it, looks like a tig. On anything structural, I wouldn't trust it.

You can also cut the weld across the cross section to see how much penetration you have. Basically, it comes down to practice.

Hey Tony,
This is a good idea. Ive been pulling the weld. Ill have to try this tomorrow.

Keith

 

[sleeoffroad]

Here is a couple from our tire carriers. Pulse Mig. The guys that put this stuff together does this kind of welding day in day out. Hobart Pulse Mig welder. Amazing the difference between that and normal mig. Pulse welding is now available in the smaller Lincoln 350 MP machine.

 

[Tigerstripe40]

Here is a couple from our tire carriers. Pulse Mig. The guys that put this stuff together does this kind of welding day in day out. Hobart Pulse Mig welder. Amazing the difference between that and normal mig. Pulse welding is now available in the smaller Lincoln 350 MP machine.

Pulsed mig is awesome.

I played with a Lincoln pulsed mig machine (mp350) a few years ago. They set it up to weld alumium. I was laying down good welds (and good LOOKING welds) in alumminum with that unit, and I didn't have much experience welding (still don't).

Then I found out the cash outlay for that machine.

$10,000 for the machine and necessary accessories.


A little overkill for the home shop, but if you have a shop where you do nothing but weld day in and day out, the initial investment would be money in the bank in no time.

 

[sleeoffroad]

The Lincoln 350mp is much cheaper these days. Still not cheap, but a kick ass welder since it does tig and mig. However I do not believe you can leave both guns attached. Which in the shop will be a pita, but for home use would rule. But then I have always believed in buying commercial equipment for home use. They never wear out.

 

[2badfjs]

Here is a couple from our tire carriers. Pulse Mig. The guys that put this stuff together does this kind of welding day in day out. Hobart Pulse Mig welder. Amazing the difference between that and normal mig. Pulse welding is now available in the smaller Lincoln 350 MP machine.

your making me christo

those are some bad a$$ welds...........aaaaaaaaaaa someday

thanx for the nuts on friday, that was very cool of you.
did you know they were for me?

looks like the outer piece of your spindle can take some heat.

thank you sir.

jim

 

[sleeoffroad]

Hey, leave my nuts out of this. Yes, next time, don't loose them

 

[2badfjs]

Hey, leave my nuts out of this. Yes, next time, don't loose them

are you having another swap meet this year, or was it incorporated in the ralley?

 

[chicago]

Here is a couple from our tire carriers. Pulse Mig. The guys that put this stuff together does this kind of welding day in day out. Hobart Pulse Mig welder. Amazing the difference between that and normal mig. Pulse welding is now available in the smaller Lincoln 350 MP machine.

WOW,
Those are indeed very pretty.
Im kind of a cheap bastard though. Ill be happy if my welds look OK/ good and they will hold up under abuse. I have to be at least, somewhat, practical about my curiser addiction.
Thanks for posting those Christo.
I was feeling pretty good about my progress till I saw those...Oh well, Ive only been at it for 2 days, what can I expect...I have a lot to learn.

Chicago

Chicago

 

[sleeoffroad]

are you having another swap meet this year, or was it incorporated in the ralley?

The rally was the clubs swap meet.