Weld check...

CThurmond

CThurmond

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Location
china grove nc
Got a new welder and got it dialed in to how I am liking it.

Here is a few welds from a set of stools I'm making for my porch, any advice on how to make the welds better would be appreciated.

Using a lincoln 180 with .030 wire with gas.
I pulled all the welds on these.


Thanks,
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Send it to Chris at marsfab. He can make the welds better. :fuck-you:

Looks good to me for what you're working on. Welding tube takes a lot of practice to keep a nice continuous bead going.
 
Is that plate big enough to support the side loads imposed when leaning being that your attaching to deck board? From my hobby welding experience, looks good. There was a inclusion on the one weld, maybe a breeze came along?
 
The legs look a little uneven on the first two pictures (more weld on the tube than plate). Other than that looks decent. Glad to see you put some time into material prep. I'd say all you need now is a little more time under the hood.
 
Welds look better than mine. Looks like plates are over a floor joist. I would run a large screw through deck board into joist on either side of plate
 
0% penetration on the plate, [mounting surface]
YMMV. There's a reason i stay out of these threads.
 
Paul said:
0% penetration on the plate, [mounting surface]
YMMV. There's a reason i stay out of these threads.
Click to expand...
I'm a hobby welder at best and I saw the lack of penetration on the plate also. But the welds looked smooth and fairly consistent. Seeing how you are mounting them I would run a continuous plate on the underside that grabs them all. That's a lot of leverage from the top of those stools.
 
I agree, I would have made those plates significantly larger to reduce the tension on whatever fastener is holding them to the deck. Or sister a small section of joist at those areas so you can directly bolt into a joist edge at all screw locations.
 
Each one is directly over a joist, I guess I may need to tie into it from under. We will see after I get them mounted.

As for plate penetration I guess I needed to pause longer on that side of material?

I don't know if it matters but this is after i flap disc'd the splatter away.

I didn't notice lack of penetration so any tips would help Thanks.

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Yes spend more time on the thicker material or equal time on the same thickness material and also clean the material prior to welding, that makes a huge difference. Torch angle plays in as well.
 
You should always push with MIG so the gas stays where you are welding.
 
grapehead said:
You should always push with MIG so the gas stays where you are welding.
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No,

Pushing with short circuit mig (less than 24v) decreases penetration. You should always drag short circuit mig. This ensures gas coverage over the puddle and behind the puddle.

Helps prevent porosity and increase penetration.

The only time you push short circuit mig is on thinner materials with larger diameter wire and higher current settings.


Biggest thing with short circuit mig is to keep the arc on the front edge of the puddle.
 
First pic. Too much wire stick out to arc.
Second pic.shows the high side on tube. More weld up top then on plate. Angle issue and travel speed. We call it the weld toes. The toes tell no lies!
Third pic. Actually not horrible. Smooth transition to weld toes. No "crunchy edges or lack of fusion.
Forth and fith. Higher weld toes less smooth transition. Most likely to slow of travel and too much wire stick out.

.030 should yeld a fairly small bead profile. Pratice on plate til the travel speed and heat produced a good uniform bead. Next practice a basic t joint or fillet. Small manipulation is fine, not doodles. Your not drawing. Its not a paint brush. If it piles and gets ropey. Get closer and or speed up.

Multiple passes or stringers are better than big ol beads.
I personally would never stretch .030 into a bead bigger than 1/4 inch. Unless it's a weave cap........also risky and easily fubared.


As for penetration. Mig just doesn't produce great amounts in short circuit. 1/16 of pure pure weld metal to base fusion would be expected and sufficient for what your doing.

The weld edges or the toes are the real tell.
 
CThurmond said:
@WARRIORWELDING on the last pic I just posted does it look like it is piling up to high?

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Click to expand...
Looks much better. See how the edges transition smooth into the material. No hard edges or raised material to catch a fingernail on. This is fusion. Fusion is welding. It's rare to get a good "wet" edge and zero penetration. Just be sure as @Mac5005 has said in other post.....trace the leading edge of what is being welded with the arc. That's statement is so true I use it in my classes. It's the only place fusion is happening into the base metal. Pentration. Everything else is reinforcement.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
First pic. Too much wire stick out to arc.
Second pic.shows the high side on tube. More weld up top then on plate. Angle issue and travel speed. We call it the weld toes. The toes tell no lies!
Third pic. Actually not horrible. Smooth transition to weld toes. No "crunchy edges or lack of fusion.
Forth and fith. Higher weld toes less smooth transition. Most likely to slow of travel and too much wire stick out.

.030 should yeld a fairly small bead profile. Pratice on plate til the travel speed and heat produced a good uniform bead. Next practice a basic t joint or fillet. Small manipulation is fine, not doodles. Your not drawing. Its not a paint brush. If it piles and gets ropey. Get closer and or speed up.

Multiple passes or stringers are better than big ol beads.
I personally would never stretch .030 into a bead bigger than 1/4 inch. Unless it's a weave cap........also risky and easily fubared.


As for penetration. Mig just doesn't produce great amounts in short circuit. 1/16 of pure pure weld metal to base fusion would be expected and sufficient for what your doing.

The weld edges or the toes are the real tell.
Click to expand...

^^^^
Ba Zing!
Well said Sir.
 
CThurmond said:
Thanks that all helps a ton I'll practice this week

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Click to expand...

Look in your weld machine manual. See if there is a slop adjustment you can do on the transformer. If so, make the adjustment to "wet" your puddle..
 
Working on a bed rack for my mini truck. Here are a few welds let me know how they are looking, been trying to weld atleast 10 hours a week

Last picture had about a 3/16 gap I had to fill I notched it on the wrong plane....

Notching by hand is also something I am practicing a lot on to prep for my practice welds.

Thanks for any feedback,



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Looks good to me
 
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