I need your honest opinion!!!

[LFD2037]

Been practicing with an old Miller Cricket XL for a little bit. Finally got me a Hobart 140. Using flux core .030 Hobart wire with 1/8" mild steel. Need your brutally honest opinion and input on my welds. Thanks!

Curved welds are still more difficult for me.

Another angle of same weld.

Heat thru the back from the prior pictured weld.

Straight weld on same pieces.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Looks good to me overall. If I were super critical I'd say maybe a little more heat to sink the bead down into the material a little more. The straight line on the underside looks betterer. I've never had good luck with flux core, always get a lot of spatter.

 

[Tapage]

yeah I feel flux it's more difficult .. but if you wanna make sure if you are doing ok ( from a newbie in welding ) cut it and check penetration

 

[KLF]

The upper curved ones look like too slow travel to me, like you're stacking up too much filler material.

The way we check penetration in our welding classes is to do a straight weld, then stick it a big vise and pound it backwards to open it up from the back side.

 

[LFD2037]

All good info!!! I was thinking either too slow travel or needed to be turned up a notch. I was going by what the inside of the door said. I have the perfect 'bacon' sizzle sound when I do my part. I'll try to bust it & see what happens. Thanks!

 

[firestopper]

A little more heat and faster travel. Flux core is a very handy option despite the spatter.

 

[LFD2037]

I'll try that. I tried welding a few years ago & it seemed I always went too fast. Never got too good @ it so I sold my welder when I moved. Thought I'd try a bit more patience this go around, which I don't have much of, but looks like I'm using too much patience. Thanks!

 

[e9999]

no expert here but yes, the round one does seem a bit tall/thick. The H140 should have plenty of power for 1/8", especially with flux core. And the Hobart flux core 30 is well-regarded from what I read.
You can spray the surroundings with PAM etc to reduce splatter removal work. But I'll take a bit of splatter over dealing locally with bottles refilling.

 

[gregnash]

If you truly want some critical advice and guidance start with guys like Jason (@reevesci) who is a master welder. He has always been super helpful when I need welding instructions, other suggestion would be to possibly go to classes.

 

[firestopper]

If you truly want some critical advice and guidance start with guys like Jason (@reevesci) who is a master welder. He has always been super helpful when I need welding instructions, other suggestion would be to possibly go to classes.[/QUOTE

I guess theres only one man that can give advise on welding according to greenish.

Been welding for 33+ years but I would never called myself a MASTER WELDER, even when I held many certs for submarine repair. I still learn something new every day.

I'm sure Jason would agree that many folks can give sound advice on the topic of welding.

I see you have 4,5XX posts, I sure hope you have helped someone along the way and not just write crap to increase your postings.
Think about what you write and write about things you know.

"taking classes" is sound advice. (the only intelligent thing you posted)

 

[gregnash]

[quote: @firestopper]I guess theres only one man that can give advise on welding according to greenish.

Been welding for 33+ years but I would never called myself a MASTER WELDER, even when I held many certs for submarine repair. I still learn something new every day.

I'm sure Jason would agree that many folks can give sound advice on the topic of welding.

I see you have 4,5XX posts, I sure hope you have helped someone along the way and not just write crap to increase your postings.
Think about what you write and write about things you know.

"taking classes" is sound advice. (the only intelligent thing you posted)[/quote]

Sorry to have pissed in your cheerios this morning dude but not at all what I meant or said... Said if he wanted some critical advice to start with J or the GUYS LIKE HIM. And yes I called him a master welder, don't think he has ever referred to himself as one (in personal conversations or on here).

And yes, I do occasionally post drivel on here, sometimes for fun, sometimes out of lack of knowledge. Thanks for thinking my advice on enrolling in a class was something other than drivel.

 

[firestopper]

No need to apologize for my cheerios. The op has a pretty good handle on his flux core welding and simply needs to fine tune his technique/settings, as a few of us stated.

Jason is an accomplished welder/fabricator. Im sure he will offer advise as he's a helpful member of this forum.

So I ask you, would hotter setting and increase of travel help? (original post)

 

[Weber Sarge]

Take some time to do practice runs on scrap that is ground clean at the joint . Weld up a joint , cut across it at a 90* angle and polish the joint/weld area with a sanding disk or roloc disc and etch it with Naval Jelly - it will show the weld nugget . My bet is those above barely penetrated but only fused a bit at the surface . You need a lot more heat , less wire input or faster travel , bottom line . Migs get people in trouble , welds can look good but penetration is not there . The above beads are laying on top , edges show this .
Sarge

 

[LFD2037]

I turned up the voltage to the next level (#4) but to get it to lay down good I had to turn the WFS down from 45 to 42. Is it normal to turn voltage up and amperage down? I thought amperage followed voltage (ie. volts go up, amps go up). Also, is there such thing as too much penetration without blowing through? (That's what she said!!!!) I cut some of my welds, w/a chop saw, and they seem to be pretty uniform. I put a few in the vice and beat the hell out of them with a BFH and the metal broke above the weld, but not in the weld. Literally torn pieces in 2 as close as I could to the weld but the weld stayed strong (I tried to tear the weld but they weren't budging).
1) does amperage always follow voltage or vice-versa?
2) is there such a thing as too much penetration even though I'm not blowing a hole through?

Thanks!!!

 

[Weber Sarge]

Without a polish and etch you cannot see the weld nugget itself - the idea is to have full penetration in both pieces and not just at the surface . Travel speed and wire feed is a balance - when you have correct travel speed with the right wire feed rate you can keep the arc right on the leading edge of the puddle to get your needed penetration .
Sarge