Critique my welds?
- Thread starter Sonreir
- Start date
lockard666
Keep 'er 'tween tha ditches!
i'm no expert, but i've welded a few things... the top one, penetration looks decent, but could possibly go just a tiny bit deeper... i might bump the heat up just a little, or maybe just move a little slower... try to be steady, brace your hand or elbow against something when you can & move as smooth as possible, while paying attention to where you are on your metal, how hot the base metal is getting around your weld & not missing any spots... also, was it a bit breezy where you were welding?... i see what looks like may be a few small bubbles, commonly caused by a breeze blowing the sheilding gas out from under the nozzel... i'll assume that the vertical weld is a factory weld from whatever frame this used to be... overall, a fine starting point.
that thing looks like a hood emblem... cool.
the bottom one looks pretty damned good.
there's lots of tutorials online which will help, but in the end, practice makes perfect... and if you have a friend that uses a similar setup, wear your mask & observe him... have him tell you what & why he's doing, while he's doing it.
just remember, when that hood goes down, "BE the weld".
that thing looks like a hood emblem... cool.
the bottom one looks pretty damned good.
there's lots of tutorials online which will help, but in the end, practice makes perfect... and if you have a friend that uses a similar setup, wear your mask & observe him... have him tell you what & why he's doing, while he's doing it.
just remember, when that hood goes down, "BE the weld".
lockard666
Keep 'er 'tween tha ditches!
Sonreir said:
i dunno if breezes affect flux core much or not... anyway,
blake is right, use both hands when possible, one to steady the other.
if you're welding & it looks like the puddle is sinking kinda deep, move a little faster or turn your heat down, or you're gonna blow out.
if the puddle is just sitting on top, slow down a bit & let the heat work, or turn the heat up.
if you feel the gun pushing your hand back repeatedly, the wire isn't melting off fast enough, use more heat, slower wire speed, or smaller wire, depending on what you're welding.
if it's popping & spattering everywhere, the metal might be dirty, or you might have too much heat for the wire & it's melting off before it even gets to the puddle, so either turn down the heat, speed up your wire, or use thicker wire.
also, see what your machine will do... grab some scrap, different thicknesses... turn the heat & wire speed way down & see how it reacts & then just play with it... take a thicker piece, crank up the heat & speed & intentionally blow a big hole in it... it's fun & it's practice, sort of.
like i said, i'm no expert, this is just how i do it, but i think it's a decent set of guidelines to start with.
a lot of it is that you just have to get a feel for it & relax, you'll get it... BE the weld.
blake57
"Against All Odds".
trust me...practice helps. A LOT.LOCKARD666 said:
just do lines....
4inch lines... on a big square piece....try diff settings like Lock said..
Try to weld at different settings and:
If always found that if you throw the wire that goes to the welding gun OVER your shoulder of that hand it makes manuevering the gun ALOT easier because its not weighed down by the weight of the wire.
Swapmeet Louie
Put some metal in yer eye....
I'd ride'm!
First one is a bit bubbly. Since you said you were using (gasless) flux core the problem there is likely to be crap in trying to boil through the puddle rather than a breeze. You can weld over crap to a certain extent, but for best results you need to be welding nice clean steel.
The second one looks pretty darn good. You should tie in your corners (to the other welds) but you are certainly off to a good start.
The advice to play with the settings and practice is very sound. In the end, it really is the only way to get good at it because there is a lot of manual dexterity and a lot of learning what to look at involved. Also, in your playing, make sure to break apart a few of your pieces to see how strong they are. A weld can look good but be doing bugger all in terms of holding things together. You want to see that the weld is actually digging into the steel and not just sitting on the surface.
The second one looks pretty darn good. You should tie in your corners (to the other welds) but you are certainly off to a good start.
The advice to play with the settings and practice is very sound. In the end, it really is the only way to get good at it because there is a lot of manual dexterity and a lot of learning what to look at involved. Also, in your playing, make sure to break apart a few of your pieces to see how strong they are. A weld can look good but be doing bugger all in terms of holding things together. You want to see that the weld is actually digging into the steel and not just sitting on the surface.
reelinfeele
Been Around the Block
the bottom photo dont look too bad. the top screams more practice. it takes time. I have learned to hold my breath, it helps.
iagsxr
frmly IAGSXR
Top one's too cold, more heat or less wire speed
Keep in mind that on pieces like that even though you cleaned the weld surface you're going to pull contaminants from the inside of the tube. (Looky to me like it's an old scuzzy swingarm or sumsuch)
Hit it with a grinder, look for porosity
Hit it with a hammer, see where it breaks. Looks like you favored the bottom side, but that could just be the pic.
Flux core doesn't care about a breeze.
Keep in mind that on pieces like that even though you cleaned the weld surface you're going to pull contaminants from the inside of the tube. (Looky to me like it's an old scuzzy swingarm or sumsuch)
Hit it with a grinder, look for porosity
Hit it with a hammer, see where it breaks. Looks like you favored the bottom side, but that could just be the pic.
Flux core doesn't care about a breeze.
top one is a bit cold, as said.
either way, very good welds for flux core mig.
gas gets you a WAY nicer, more consistant weld.
but in the end, practice makes perfect. ive seen guys lay down welds using an ancient design arc welder that ill seldom replicate even i were to be provided a top of the line MIG setup.
either way, very good welds for flux core mig.
gas gets you a WAY nicer, more consistant weld.
but in the end, practice makes perfect. ive seen guys lay down welds using an ancient design arc welder that ill seldom replicate even i were to be provided a top of the line MIG setup.
