Weldors wanted: critique my welds...

[84gmcjimmy]

Okay, after grinding with the cut off wheel, I have a few pieces to weld. Here are a few pictures of my welds, obvisly they aren't very good, I don't have very good lighting in there...

The weld along the seam where the 2 pieces meet is my best weld, and it still sucks. Whenever I try to weld I can't hold a steady arc, the wire will just feed out and kind of like "spat" spat" sound happens every time the wire hits the metal, it won't hold it long enough for a bead, its weird. So, tell me how I can improve my skills. I would have more but I forgot about the duty cycle and it blew the breaker /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

My little machine /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif

 

[big83chevy4x4]

if its going "spat spat spat" sounds like the wire speed is too fast. play with the wire speed. start quite low and turn it up till you get a nice stead arc.

a few looks like your getting oxidation. what CFH you running on the gas?

 

[85mudblazin]

For the spat spat try increasing the pressure on the roller that feeds the wire, It also looks like you need to slow down a little and turn up your heat. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[darkshadow]

the split splat is one of two things your wire speed first turn it down a little play with it so it smooth welding. get you tip in close, it you tip is to far your just going to burn off your wire without laying a bead.

and try suporting your hand alittle, keep your self steady use two hands, or hold it against your side, /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[84gmcjimmy]

For the CRH It's at 16ooo or at least thats what the guage says...
I will tighten the drive roll and see if that works. I will also play with my wirespeed too. I do use 2 hands to do it, but I will try to hold it against my body for extra support. I will try to hold the tip closer to the metal too. Thanks for the help... I need practice /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

One more thing, on kidjethro's welds (i know i know, his are VERY GOOD) it looks like it has a bunch of ribs to it, mines just like a straight blob. How do I get those ribs? Is that just what happens when your really good, or what? Thanks

 

[K10ANDYKHAMNIC]

draw /forums/images/graemlins/weld.gif horseshoe shapes , realy small but that comes later

 

[85mudblazin]

just slow down alot and the welds will become more ribbed and flatter.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

I find when I slow down they really build up.
But tomorrow night, or sunday when I try again, I'll slow the wirespeed down, then try to do slower, that will probably work. Thanks

 

[85mudblazin]

does your welder have a chart on the inside of the door that tells you settings for metal thickness??

 

[84gmcjimmy]

yep... I think thats what mine is set to for the thickness of the metal, but I don't know /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[85mudblazin]

my lincoln has a chart and it is pretty accurate except for thin stuff so you may not need to adjust to much just check you wire pressure and slow down, that spat spat happened to me last night when I changed from flux core to mig and it was slipping which caused the spat and I tightened down the wire pressure and it fixed it. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[84gmcjimmy]

Okay thats the first thing I will try then. Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[sled_dog]

doesn't look like enough temp to me, looks like the welds are just on top of the metal. Try grinding them down looking for holes in the weld and see how far into the metal you actually penetrated.

 

[84gmcjimmy]

What do the holes mean? I will try cranking up the heat tomorrow, or when I weld next.
/forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[Esteban86K5]

[ QUOTE ]
One more thing, on kidjethro's welds (i know i know, his are VERY GOOD) it looks like it has a bunch of ribs to it, mines just like a straight blob. How do I get those ribs? Is that just what happens when your really good, or what? Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Your probably just dragging the gun along the metal and that is why you get a "straight blob". What you should try is turning your wire speed down a little and then strike the arc. Watch the puddle grow in diameter, then move the gun so that you are starting a new puddle that will overlap the previous one by half, once the second puddle is the same size as the previous one move on. This is how you will get the series of ribs. At first they will not look like Joe's but in time you will get the hang of it. Pick up a book at your local book store or library and it will explain how to determine your speed, position, technique and how to read your welds to determine what your doing Wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[84gmcjimmy]

Okay thanks, I will try that too.
This is why I love ck5, so many smart people to ask questions /forums/images/graemlins/woot.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif /forums/images/graemlins/bow.gif

 

[Esteban86K5]

[ QUOTE ]
so many smart people

[/ QUOTE ] /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif