This was my first free weekend in the month since I bought my welder, and I have been dying to play with it.

My first project will be making a rotisserie for my car, but right now I am just playing. I bought a piece of 1/2 inch hollow square tube and have been practicing cutting it apart and butt welding it back together again (and the grinding and such that goes with it. Just doing flux core right now, as when I build the rotisserie that is what I will have to use with my welder (lincoln 140).

After just making beads for an hour or so, I tried welding the two bits together. Then broke them apart easily. Doh. I have gotten some "pretty" welds that broke easy, and some ugly welds that broke hard.

After a couple hours of playing, I have gotten to the point where I can get 2 good welds, but still 2 sides of the square are crappy welds. I can still break the bar apart. But the last attempt for breaking it I have to put all my weight on the bar when I lifted, and it started lifting me before it gave. Still, only 2 of the 4 sides had descent welds on them, so I have a way to go yet. Soon as I eat some lunch, I am going to go out and arc some more.

Zach, do you have a book? Home Depot & Lowe's have a good 1st book - it costs about $17. I bought it before I took my welding class and it was a good intro. I'd recomend you get it.

Getting good penetration is critical for strength. As you have discovered, you can lay a beatiful bead down but if it didn't melt well into the metal it will just break off. Keep at it!


Like Seanery said, a good book will help. If you can get an experienced welder to spend a little time with you that will really help a lot. Sometimes it takes hours to learn on your own what a good teacher can help you through in a few minutes.

Isn't there anyone local (friend/club member) that can show you what you're supposed to do?

I tried 'n tried 'n tried myself without any (decent) results
Then a friend showed me how to adjust the machine and some other basics in about 30mins. Huge help!
(not that I'm a very good welder now, but I can manage...)

Try, increasing the voltage setting and slowing down the wire speed.
This will allow the wire to "bite", as the slower speed will force you to keep the work molten longer.

KT

QUOTE (trekkor @ Jan 28 2006, 11:35 AM)

Try, increasing the voltage setting and slowing down the wire speed. This will allow the wire to "bite", as the slower speed will force you to keep the work molten longer. KT

Also on your butt joints are you spacing them? If I remember from my class about 1 to 1 1/2 wire's width apart.

Well, I got and read the book from Loews (title escapes ne right now.) I was going to start a welding class this term, but the wedding budget ate the welding class allocation.

As to freinds in the area that weld, all my friends so far have said "Cool, when you learn could you teach me?" Actually I do have a buddy in Allentown that knows how to weld, but that is a good 2-3 hours traffic depending and he is usually really busy.

I increased wire speed and voltage. Had 2 blow outs, but it still joined the bar well enough that the end of the bar flattened when I beat it ont he ground trying to break the weld. Have not broken the weld yet. When I stood on it and pulled, I just levered myself up.

Now, if I can just do that without blowing holes in the steel.

Flux core is ugly.

Zach

QUOTE (mikelsr @ Jan 28 2006, 03:30 PM)

QUOTE (trekkor @ Jan 28 2006, 11:35 AM) Try, increasing the voltage setting and slowing down the wire speed. This will allow the wire to "bite", as the slower speed will force you to keep the work molten longer. KT Also on your butt joints are you spacing them? If I remember from my class about 1 to 1 1/2 wire's width apart.

Oh, I did not know that. I was trying to get the butts as close together as I could.

I am going to go try and do it with them spaced out and see what happens. Thanks.

Zach

Depending on the thickness of the metal you might want to try chamfering the edges too. This will allow you to get down into the base metal farther.

Hey, adding the space between the joints was what I was missing.

Did a couple passes this way, was able to get good penetration with lower voltage and a nice slow wire speed. These were the first passes I did where I did not blow out either.

Ground down the slag, and I can't destroy the joint. All I did was put a big bend in the middle of my square tube. Beat on it witha 5# hammer and could not break the weld either.

So, yeah. After about 4 hours I can weld a piece of 1/2 inch hollow square bar together so that I can't break it. But it is a start. I am going to go and cut it 45 degrees to the weld to inspect the work.

Might be time to head to Harbor Freight and Dresslers welding supply to get the parts needed to make the rotisserie.


Zach

Somebody had to say it!