looking for criticism, welding

[Str8sixfan]

http://www.olderfseries.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7323

Reference the other thread I started elsewhere, but I just started goofing around with my welder, and I will take any advice I can get

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

One of the best things you could do for your welding skills is take a night school class. You may be able to use your welder at class if it's portable. The pics I saw look alright but it is hard to tell from here. Cut some plate 2"x4" and weld them together. Then put them in a vice and hammer them back and forth, bending at the weld. When it breaks;
At the weld-no good
Beside the weld- good
You want to look closely at your welds for signs of under cutting, especially when welding two pieces at right angles.
Here's a good site for welding, it has more than just mig;
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/arc-tutorial.htm

 

[4.0B2]

look into different rods... Learn the rods for the uses.

here's a thread from my local offroad club..it started as jeeps, now it's a little of everyone. regardless, there is some good info in it.

http://midsouthjeeps.com/forum/index.php?/topic/19754-stick-welding-thread/

 

[wildbill23c]

I'm not much of a welder either but the 2nd set of welds on the 2nd steel plate don't look too bad. The thing to do is go slow, you'll have to play with the settings on the welder for feed and amperage rates until you get it dialed in and get perfect welds. I let someone borrow my welder who promptly moved and took it with them luckily it was a harbor freight model LOL, still I am without a welder.

 

[Str8sixfan]

Thanks guys for all the advice.

Yea like I mentioned, this really is like day1 for me. My dad tried teaching me a little twice on two occasions in my "youth"...well one of those times I was like 19 or something (while on Christmas break from college)...but never had much opportunity to practice much. The other time I was much much younger. Point is, it was a time constraint or I think the first time being too young to grasp the concept. That and the welder was over at the family farm which we did not live on.

Anyway, yea this is day one. I have this book which seems very thorough:
http://www.amazon.com/New-Lessons-Arc-Welding-Editors/dp/9994368524/?tag=959media-20

It has some of the various exercises you guys mention that I will work my way to here in following weeks or so. \

Also I've found www.weldingtipsandtricks.com to be handy.

Now that I have an idea (through your comments and others), I'm going to cut through my welds some time soon and see if I got good enough penetration. I actually have my doubts.

I plan on getting more well versed in rod selection, but for the time being with practicing, I'm just going to work with the rod that the guy I bought the welder from included with the purchase.

Thanks again!

 

[4.0B2]

arc welding is an art.. and will lay down some STRONG welds. If you master it, it's all you'll ever want to do. Most of my bumper was made with an arc welder, but the guy that did most of the fab work on it is a master cutter/welder. He cuts with an oxy/ace torch with minimal to no cleanup needed.. with all his years experience He prefers the arc welder.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

One other thing that can help is to buy a auto-darkening helmet. I see them for sale for less than $50. The expensive ones have more sensors so that you aren't as likely to get a flash. The first one I bought for $50 had 2 sensors and was no good.....kept getting flashes. The second one has four sensors and I rarely get a flash, and it was also $50. The really good ones have six, maybe more, sensors so it's almost impossible to block all the sensors at one time. You will really notice sensor count [and flashes] when you start welding in odd positions. Such as a roll cage, or where you have to get close to see and there is obstructions in the way. If I was doing this for a living I'd be buying a $300.00 helmet, no questions.

Also make sure to cover your arms and chest and head if bald, you can get a pretty bad sunburn if you aren't careful. Use natural fiber in the clothing, as it doesn't burn easily. Man-made fibers melt very easily and it's hard to wipe off melting plastic.

Ear plugs/covers could be a good idea if working under your weld.

Richard

 

[Str8sixfan]

One other thing that can help is to buy a auto-darkening helmet.

Also make sure to cover your arms and chest and head if bald, you can get a pretty bad sunburn if you aren't careful. Use natural fiber in the clothing, as it doesn't burn easily. Man-made fibers melt very easily and it's hard to wipe off melting plastic.

Ear plugs/covers could be a good idea if working under your weld.

Richard

Woulda never thought about the ear plugs/covers, good suggestion. Though I probably won't weld a lot in that position.

Yea I lucked out yesterday being winter and my garage has no heat (plus I had the door cracked and fan going to vent fumes), so I was in my carhart jacket. I'm still looking for a denim shirt to cut up for sleeves, but otherwise I bought heavy welding gloves that go about 6" up my forearms long ago before I got started, along with a wire brush and chipping hammer.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[FritzTKatt]

Pick up some lincoln 5P+ rods. They are E6010, and weld amazing. Top quality, superb rod. Weld any which direction you want upside down spitting wooden nickels on a thursday.

I worked at a refinery tank shop that ran 5p downhill for xray, and even with my lack of experience was still producing superb welds (given a bit more practice I'd have been doing so myself). The 5p will do anything you need it to on carbon steel. It's especially good when you can't clean the rust or paint off the material for a non-critical weld (don't half-ass a critical weld... ever.)

You will get better with practice, I see a lot of potential with what you took pictures of. 7014 is a drag-rod that doesn't get oscillation. Point it back at the start (nominally 60* angle or so), and drag in a smooth, slow, straight line. The weld shouldn't be more than 2-3x wider than the diameter of the rod (not including the flux coating). Just let it burn itself and keep pushing it into the weld pool. You will get a lot of spatter and have defects if the arc length gets too long.

You know when 7014/7024 is welding right when you can set the stinger down on a plate, and the rod will burn itself into a damn good weld, then a few minutes later the slag will peel off in one big chunk.

 

[Str8sixfan]

^^wow, awesome descriptions^^

Learning, learning, learning. I love it!!!

Good to start getting acclimated with different purposes of the rods.

 

[Thed]

You know when 7014/7024 is welding right when you can set the stinger down on a plate, and the rod will burn itself into a damn good weld, then a few minutes later the slag will peel off in one big chunk.

This is why I loved using 7014 rods. I loved just being able to drag them and there is no better feeling than when that slag starts to peel itself off a perfectly-laid weld.

 

[Snoranger]

You know when 7014/7024 is welding right when you can set the stinger down on a plate, and the rod will burn itself into a damn good weld, then a few minutes later the slag will peel off in one big chunk.

^ That is exactly what happened here:

 

[FritzTKatt]

I used to impress people in school doing that. Little trick i found on the internet. Also, if you buy 7024 for whatever reason, tge 2 means it is a flat-only rod. It CAN be ran downhill (i've done it) but the welds dont penetrate. For a 70k rod, you'll find better use of 7018. But... they must be kept sealed, or in an oven. They can be ran uphill, and get oscillated. I prefer a CCCC motion.

You'll do fine, just keep burning.

 

[Str8sixfan]

Practiced some more today. I think I'll get butt welds down alright, but have a long way to go on the filet welds. Haven't tried lap welds either which I'll need soon, but want to feel good about it first. Gotta weld flange spacers on to my wj knuckles.

 

[Thed]

One step at a time man. Just keep chuggin away and the results will come.