weld critique Options

[obscurity]

Just trying to improve my welding before I tackle the car and I had a few questions.

1. what do you think? I know it is pretty messy but it is a world apart from where I started.
2. Once you have blown a hole in the metal how do you go about filling it? I have tried "stitching" across the hole but all I seem to do is move the hole around (fill one area and make more hole in another. It seems this will become a critical skill when I get to the car and the new piece doesn't fit perfectly. I'll need to fill some gaps
3. What are the little pock morks on the top of each weld? Is it to be expected from metal shrinking or should I adjust my technique.

this is both sides of the same weld.



I should mention that I am using a Lincoln Electric (HD special) Mig welder with 75%Ar/25%CO2 gas

Thanks for any pointers,
John

[IronHillRestorations]

It's all about developing your technique.

More practice! About three more hours, at least. Until you can make better looking welds, you don't need to touch your car with it. You want better looking welds with good penetration, but not too much to grind off.

It looks to me like you've got the wire feed speed too high, which makes for a bigger bead. This will help prevent blowing through, but aslo alot of grinding, and less penetration. You want to melt the two pieces of metal together with as little bead as possible, with the least amount of warpage. Simple right? That's why the three hours of practice.

When I took a TIG welding class, all I did for the first twelve hours was make surface beads. That's it for twelve hours. I'm pretty good with a MIG too.

You are using a real MIG with gas right? No gas, it's not MIG.

[obscurity]

It's all about developing your technique.

More practice! About three more hours, at least. Until you can make better looking welds, you don't need to touch your car with it. You want better looking welds with good penetration, but not too much to grind off.

It looks to me like you've got the wire feed speed too high, which makes for a bigger bead. This will help prevent blowing through, but aslo alot of grinding, and less penetration. You want to melt the two pieces of metal together with as little bead as possible, with the least amount of warpage. Simple right? That's why the three hours of practice.

When I took a TIG welding class, all I did for the first twelve hours was make surface beads. That's it for twelve hours. I'm pretty good with a MIG too.

You are using a real MIG with gas right? No gas, it's not MIG.

Yes it is MIG with Argon/CO2 mix

I was pretty happy with this section. I thought the penetration was pretty good. You don't think so huh?



The rest is definitely crap and is the result of burning through and then trying to fix it without grinding the high spots off first. I suppose I should try moving the amperage down to "A" and slowing the wire speed down a little more. I don't think I can turn the wire speed down at the higher amp setting and not burn through every time. I suppose I am just getting impatient.

Thanks for the input,
John

[IronHillRestorations]

It's all about developing your technique.

More practice! About three more hours, at least. Until you can make better looking welds, you don't need to touch your car with it. You want better looking welds with good penetration, but not too much to grind off.

It looks to me like you've got the wire feed speed too high, which makes for a bigger bead. This will help prevent blowing through, but aslo alot of grinding, and less penetration. You want to melt the two pieces of metal together with as little bead as possible, with the least amount of warpage. Simple right? That's why the three hours of practice.

When I took a TIG welding class, all I did for the first twelve hours was make surface beads. That's it for twelve hours. I'm pretty good with a MIG too.

You are using a real MIG with gas right? No gas, it's not MIG.

Yes it is MIG with Argon/CO2 mix

I was pretty happy with this section. I thought the penetration was pretty good. You don't think so huh?



The rest is definitely crap and is the result of burning through and then trying to fix it without grinding the high spots off first. I suppose I should try moving the amperage down to "A" and slowing the wire speed down a little more. I don't think I can turn the wire speed down at the higher amp setting and not burn through every time. I suppose I am just getting impatient.

Thanks for the input,
John

John,

The highlighted section is pretty close! This is what I mean by practice. When 95% of your beads look like what you've done here, then go for it. Tune up and down from where you are now, and be sure to take notes on your settings. See how smooth you can get the beads before blow through. Rich's advice is right on.

Just remember one thing, if you put welds on a car like Spoke, DON'T SHOW PHOTOS!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (all in good fun Spoke!)