What's wrong with my welding??

Unlikely Hero · 07-23-2005

As you can see my welding is crap. I've gotten alittle bit better but they're still fairly thin welds, not the nice thick ones I see other places. What's wrong? I'm trying to teach myself and really I don't know how to start.
Thanks
=Jason-

TheBlizzard · 07-23-2005

Holy shit! Looks to me like you didn't have the gas on or didn't have enough. What was your welder set at and what kind is it.

Unlikely Hero · 07-23-2005

Well I'm using flux wire so I was under the impression you don't need gas then? Its a mig/tig welder I think 135 amp, theres only 4 settings and its on low low.
=Jason-

**JET** · 07-23-2005

Damn dude! You are definately not even close on your settings. Flux core wire sucks for one thing. Another thing, start on scrap metal, not a project! Put your heat on #2 and the wire feed about 1/3 of the way up. That should get you in the ballpark. What size of wire are you running?

Getting a decent welder really pays too. The one I have is great for a hobby person, but it will be upgraded soon. It is a Hobart Handler 140. You aren't going to get a decent welder for under $400 new. Add a gas tank on there, some decent wire and you are over $500, probably close to $600.

Unlikely Hero · 07-23-2005

I'll check what welder it is tommarrow. If I put the feed that high I get too much wire and she jumps even more. I think off hand I'm using .32 flux but I'm not sure, I'll check everything tommarrow.
=Jason-

IndiEP · 07-23-2005

LOL. Yeah flux core sucks. Your welder should have recomended settings for metal/filler thickness to start you off.
Post some pics of this 135 mig/tig unit.
I also like your whitey bends, I cut up a buch today.

A//// Guy · 07-23-2005

Is it just me or couldnt you finr a nice 90 degree peice of pipe and make one cut and weld it right to the flange?

I have the hobart 140 like Jet and I havent mastered it yet but I built my catback this past spring- first welding project I completed. Welds arent the greatest but they dont look like yours hehe.

I think gas welding really cleans up the welds, flux core is going to look like that but it could look better.

Read all of this and it will help you out on the settings and what happens with too much or too little heat, speed, etc.

http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/MIG_handbook/592mig1_1.htm

fusion · 07-24-2005

Hey JET, shoot me an email if you want to sell the Hobart when you upgrade.

chops1320@hotmail.com

Joe

**Halon** · 07-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by EclipseTurbo

Is it just me or couldnt you finr a nice 90 degree peice of pipe and make one cut and weld it right to the flange?

I have the hobart 140 like Jet and I havent mastered it yet but I built my catback this past spring- first welding project I completed. Welds arent the greatest but they dont look like yours hehe.

I think gas welding really cleans up the welds, flux core is going to look like that but it could look better.

Read all of this and it will help you out on the settings and what happens with too much or too little heat, speed, etc.

http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/MIG_handbook/592mig1_1.htm

Hey don't knock the whitey bends!!!! But ya looks like you need some gas. Get rid of that flux core wire and get some gas. That'll get rid of your splatter atleast

TheBlizzard · 07-24-2005

Yeah I have forgot to turn on the gas here at work before. And as soon as I start the first weld I can tell its not on because the weld looks just like yours does.

Unlikely Hero · 07-24-2005

Crap ok ok I need to get the gas kit for it, I'll do that this week. Sure will beat having to grind down every weld. I'm going to my garage later today and see exactly what welder it is. As for the bend, I couldn't find anything that's 1.5" thats bent that tight.
=Jason-

**JET** · 07-24-2005

No, that doesn't look like a weld without the gas on. If you forget to turn the gas on you get a ton of porosity in the welds. That is little air pockets all over so you welds look like swiss cheese. His welds aren't like that, just a ton of splatter.

Fusion, I will toss you an email when I upgrade. It will probably be about 2-3 months.

Matt D. · 07-24-2005

Some advice for starting out... When I learned to weld in high school we had to first learn out to weld a bead. We started with stick welding, both AC and DC. Once we were good at that we had to weld a 2"x2" pad of beads next to eachother, one layer going one way and the next layer going perpendicular. 3 or 4 layers, then the teacher took the pad to the chop saw and cut it up to see how many pockets were in it. We had to do the same for MIG as well.

Just get yourself a flag piece of metal and start running beads. Once you're good with that, tack another piece at a 90 degree angle and learn to run beads along that. From there, learn to do a butt weld, putting the straight edges of two pieces together and running a bead along the seam to join them. From there just try joining pieces of metal in any way possible. But remember, being able to run a good bead is the foundation of all of your welding. If you can't do that on a flat piece of metal, you're not going to be able to weld anything else properly.

Pushit2.0 · 07-26-2005

looks good, I wish I could weld like that...

niterydr · 07-26-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushit2.0

looks good, I wish I could weld like that...

your an asshole!

Like mentioned lots of splatter, and I would also suggest practicing on scrap metal.
Where the hell is Raptor on this one?
I am by no means a welding expert, but I do know practice does make perfect when it comes to welding (or the more you do it, the better chances of you getting better, unless you are doing something fundamentally wrong).

Jakey · 07-26-2005

Definitely make sure you don't have a fan blowing on you when you weld either. I was welding at work the other day and couldn't figure out why the hell I couldn't get any decent beads to lay. Sure enough, I totally blanked out and forgot I had a barn fan blowing straight on me.

Unlikely Hero · 07-27-2005

Yea I know about the wind. Did some welding today much better. I'll post some pics of it when I ever remember to bring my camera. They are much better, I find if I keep my hand on something my beads are much straighter and nicer. I'll post a pic later and tell me what else I need work on.
=Jason-