Welding advice
- Thread starter Chasitek
- Start date
Another problem people have is not realizing they are getting older and can't see up close anymore. I noticed this in the last year or so, and bought a 2x magnifier lenses for the inside of my helmet. I use it when I am tig welding and doing up close mig. If you are in awkward positions the magnifier lenses doesnt work so well, due to the focal length being wrong.
Another thing that is useful when learning/ practicing is to cut the welded joint on a bandsaw 90 degrees to the weld and actually see the penetration. Some nice looking welds people do are really not doing shit
I've never replaced it, but last time I had the welder out, I did remove and clean it. Its scratch free and clear. This particular helmet (from Miller, and pretty entry level) has never really afforded me a good picture of the puddle. I don't know if how I hold the torch is obscuring the puddle or what. I've never struggled to see the puddle when TIG welding...but I've never TIG welded with this helmet either.
If you can see the Tig puddle, the Mig should be just as easy. Does that hood have the 3-4 modes you can switch between, welding, cutting, and X for Tig?
I try to avoid anything to do with that for new folk. I promise someone will always take that to mean that welds that look like crap can be strong and good looking welds are weak. Never said by anyone that knows how to weld but comes up in practically any weld discussion.
Fact is, when you get the basics down for producing a fundamentally good weld, the appearance will fall in line and be more than acceptable.
No. Just an adjustable shade and sensitivity. Its a miller classic series, if that means anything to you.
No. I mean, I try to look for the puddle, and before I start welding, I look at the start point and look at the wire. As soon as I pull the trigger, I go blind. I might be moving my head, moving the torch, maybe I don't have my hood set up right. All possible things. The last couple times I've welded, its been better, but I still don't see a nice, defined puddle when I'm MIG welding.
get a cheater lens for your hood, and get a bright light behind you. without sufficient background lighting all your gonna see is that arc and about a 1/2 around it.
cheater lens is a magnifier like reading lasses for your hood.
It has been decades since I had a hood where I couldn't see the puddle and I don't have those hoods any longer to see if I can figure out what you are doing. All I know is if you can't, your welds are not going to be as good as you'd like.
I've never used a cheater lens in my helmets but I have been using inexpensive reading glasses for years and it helps ... a lot!
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if your welding forward your gonna see the stinger and the arc it's lighting, the bead forms just behind your movement. what your watching is the fill rate at the point of contact (or puddle). you move at a pace that allows the contact point to swell/puddle to the bead you desire. your not gonna see much of your bead, your watching that contact puddle, right at the stinger. like blaine says, if your not seeing that, your nozzle is in the way or your not looking at the point of contact.
a bright light won't help much for that, but it will illuminate the path so you can see out in front of the arc a bit more.
wire speed is critical, you want the machine to push wire at the rate you move.......not you trying to move as fast as the machines pushin wire.
yes any old reading glasses will work. but i put my glasses and hood on and off so much during a day they are always sitting in diff spots. the cheater is always in the hood.
a bright light won't help much for that, but it will illuminate the path so you can see out in front of the arc a bit more.
wire speed is critical, you want the machine to push wire at the rate you move.......not you trying to move as fast as the machines pushin wire.
yes any old reading glasses will work. but i put my glasses and hood on and off so much during a day they are always sitting in diff spots. the cheater is always in the hood.
The new guy is going to have a hard time with a push weld. You know that they are harder to do because you depend more on sound, muscle memory, and lots of practice to lay one in nicely since you can't see the puddle as easily. A pull is easier for him to learn with.
The problem with new welders is they look for shit to build since they know how to weld. Fabricators know how to weld as part of the skill set to build shit. Knowing how to weld does not make you a fabricator. Welding is just a tool that helps you get done. But, there is nothing wrong with learning.
Interesting this thread came up, I've been wanting to learn this craft also and have been viewing some youtube videos on the subject.
Used to play with an old stick welder many years ago, guess its time to learn something new.
Used to play with an old stick welder many years ago, guess its time to learn something new.
Fetch up a good hood and swing by some day. I'll have you dribbling along with the basics in about an hour.
Thank you, just may do that, getting cabin fever lately. Can I practice on Chris's jeep...??
You have any advice on welding thick and thin steel together? For instance a 1” thick JJ tower to a passenger side Dana 30 control arm bracket? I understand you’ll have to direct more heat at the thick steel. Do you still use a straight pull and just kiss the thin stuff?