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Critique my welds PART 2 New pics at bottom

MTBLAZER89

MTBLAZER89

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I haven't welded for 10 years, and that was in high school so I was never real good at it, but I am borrowing a welder while my buddy deployed. It's a Chicago Electric 151 220v mig. I believe he said it had .035 wire in it. I just was messing around on a piece of scrap. Let me know how they look. I can't tell howmuch penetration there it. I welded two pieces together, and couldn't break them apart with a 3lb sledge, but the weld wasn't pretty:D Anyway here are my practice beads.

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how are you welding? second picture the top one looks kind of like a stitch(weld spot, stop, weld spot, stop, weld spot, stop). If it were me I'd work on continuous bead welding first. Just going in a straight line, no twirl, no side to side, no circles. How about showing the welding two pieces together? Penetration is hard to tell on a face weld like that. Looking at the other side is a better indicator of penetration.
 
sled_dog said:
how are you welding? second picture the top one looks kind of like a stitch(weld spot, stop, weld spot, stop, weld spot, stop). If it were me I'd work on continuous bead welding first. Just going in a straight line, no twirl, no side to side, no circles. How about showing the welding two pieces together? Penetration is hard to tell on a face weld like that. Looking at the other side is a better indicator of penetration.
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I was just going for a continuous bead, but was going slower in that weld. I guess maybe to slow?:crazy: I will try to get some of two pieces together tomorrow.


Looks cold and not enough gas
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Not using gas. What do you mean by "cold"
 
It is extrememly difficult to diagnos a weld by just laying a flat beed down. I would have to say that you are using a mig welder without gas (core flux). If you do a weld where you are welding two plates together, it will be easy to see if you are using too much or little heat, and if your wire speed is too fast or slow. I believe that the key to good welding is using the highest heat without burning a hole into the metal. Heat is the key to good penetration. But, too much penetration can turn out to be a poor weld. Filling the penetration with enough metal is the balance you are looking for. This can be proven by how much undercut, or overcut you have by your weld.
 
the very first bead looks good but agreed not enough heat. I don't find laying a bead on a sheet of metal to serve any purpose other than showing what you can make it look like. You can tell penetration a little but welding things together is the best way to get technique down IMO.

What thickeness is that metal?
 
4wheelin4Jesus said:
I believe that the key to good welding is using the highest heat without burning a hole into the metal. Heat is the key to good penetration.
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I don't agree with that. IMO one of the keys to good welding is using the lowest heat setting you can to get full penetration. I used to just weld hot and hot and hot. I've since learned its not necessary. If you get full penetration with a weld at say 18 volts, why weld it at 23 volts even if its not undercut? The weld is only going to be as strong as the base material. Welding hotter is just going to pentrate more(I've seen plenty of beads where it penetrated so much it looked like they welded BOTH sides of the material). There is no real point to that amount of penetration.

Others may see it different, just how I see things.
 
sled_dog said:
the very first bead looks good but agreed not enough heat. I don't find laying a bead on a sheet of metal to serve any purpose other than showing what you can make it look like. You can tell penetration a little but welding things together is the best way to get technique down IMO.

What thickeness is that metal?
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OK well I will get some more scrap pieces and clean them up and start sticking stuff together:laugh: I'll turn the welder up a bit and try it then I'll post some more pictures. I believe it's 3/16's It's 1978 K20 frame..maybe 1/4"
 
I weld as hot as is practical. Crank it up and go a bit faster.

As for a bead on flat plate, you can tell plenty from that. A tall weld profile indictes not enough heat. Looking at those welds I'd turn up both the voltage and the wire speed. You'll get a flatter weld with a ton less spatter...

Rene
 
I didnt mean my comments to change your thread into a welding debate. Too many variables like thickness of metal, and the type of weld you are trying to achieve drives the heat/wire speed ratio. Also, personal welding styles effect this as well. As for the flat welds you laid down, you are showing that you are striving for a consistent weld. You have the basics down pact. Practice striving for a uniform weld while you weld two pieces of metal together. Try as hard as you can to make your weld even where the same amount of weld is touching the top of the metal as the bottom as well.
 
Nobody talks about amperage these days. If you weld for a large company that has taken the time to put out specs for welders, they will contain amperage requirements within a given range.

Keep practicing you'll get it. Don't be afraid to crank it way high and try it and then way low and try it again. Get a feel for the welder. 20 volts on your machine is way different than the next. Good luck and have fun. I love welding, not too many things I like the smell of more in the morning except maybe bacon!
 
cybrfire said:
I love welding, not too many things I like the smell of more in the morning except maybe bacon!
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You can even get them mixed by the sound sometimes :haha:Have to agree, I love to weld, plain and simple.
 
Just looked @ your pics & read your replies,some good advice,but not quite right. I agree that the best way to tell if your heat is right & you're getting good penetration is by welding to pieces of material together,but if your a novice flat plat is GREAT! Your first bead is cold & your too fast you can tell by the way the bead is "humped up".A good way to test your heat & to know if you're gonna get good penetration while practicing on flat plate is to watch the base metal(what you're welding on),watch each side of the bead around yor puddle,when the base metal starts to cavitate(consuming the base metal into the weld itself)you know you're getting good penetration.Don't be afraid of heat,of course you don't want to blow holes in your base metal so don't get over zelous,but heat assures you good penetration.Another good indicator of correct heat & speed is a nice flat bead that looks like a stack of dimes.Also watch the splater(bee bee's),when using a mig gun getting alot of splatter means you need a little more gas & work on your temp.Just relax & pratice.last of all remeber the ABC's of welding(always be comfortable)If you need any more tips hit me up on the site or e-mail me,would love to help...& I think I might be able to,been welding for 13yrs as a Journeyman Steamfitter & I am certified in several welding practices.Good luck.
 
I used to own a flux core welder and was never able to get the bead to lay down. always humped up, and splattered. heat setting didnt matter. so i got a bad taste for flux core welders, the gas however, help makes those welds nice and purdy.
 
Here are a few I tried this morning. Welding these gussets to a flat plate. I turned the heat up some, and the wire speed up a bit too.

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Are you welding with fluc core or solid wire (gas)? The first pics look like flux-core but these last few look like solid wire.
But both welds look like you are having a hard time staying steady.
Try to think of your slef as a machine, brace your self as many places as you can, I use my fingers to steady myself on the work place.
I wouldnt worry about penetraction just yet. Just get the technique down so you are laying down smooth even beads.
Then once you can do that crank the heat up and learn that.
 
I am no expert, but it looks cold. Make sure your tip is clean to allow gas flow ( try some anti-splatter spray ) . Also may want to bevel the edge of the gusset too. 45 degrees resting on my index finger helps me direct my welds better. Like said before, make yourself comfortable and allow your arms and hands to be able to move without restrictions until you finish your bead. Good luck and keep up the practice.
 
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