All things welding

Based on that picture it looks like the angle of your gun is off.
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This spatter is all going in the same direction &
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this soot are both indicators that your MIG gun was facing the direction you were moving way too much. Ideally you want the gun pointed directly into the middle of the weld puddle.

Based on the profile of the weld, your setting seem to be good and your travel speed is also good
 
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Good info--appreciate it! I've been working on my gun angle. Then got a new gun that feels way different so it took a while to get used to it
 
NashvilleTJ said:
I learned to weld on a Lincoln buzz-box AC stick welder (The Tombstone).
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That's the same machine I learned on in High School. Ran several miles of completely craptastic beads before I settled down and was able to weld fairly decently. Last time I ran a bead was in 1988 to repair a windshield wiper part on a Yugo - that went well enough, but I'd have to start all over from scratch now.
 
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Here's the quick and dirty on reading the weld profile. there can be other factors but this is simplified.

1704503588660.png


Also I forgot to mention that you need to keep the habit of grinding down whatever you want to weld to clean shiny metal. That will probably make the biggest difference when trying to improve your weld quality.
 
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Zorba said:
That's the same machine I learned on in High School. Ran several miles of completely craptastic beads before I settled down and was able to weld fairly decently. Last time I ran a bead was in 1988 to repair a windshield wiper part on a Yugo - that went well enough, but I'd have to start all over from scratch now.
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Had Lincoln’s like that on the farm and in our ag class. Also had a several thousand dollar miller to learn on.

Have a Hobart and Miller now.
 
Zorba said:
That's the same machine I learned on in High School. Ran several miles of completely craptastic beads before I settled down and was able to weld fairly decently. Last time I ran a bead was in 1988 to repair a windshield wiper part on a Yugo - that went well enough, but I'd have to start all over from scratch now.
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I still weld with a AC/DC version of the tombstone from time to time mostly on rusty farm implements, old timer taught me long ago if it has slag remember to drag. I have a 200 amp multi tap gas/wire machine for everything else. It is a AIRCO Dip Pack 200
 
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AirborneTexasRanger said:
Here's the quick and dirty on reading the weld profile. there can be other factors but this is simplified.

View attachment 488737

Also I forgot to mention that you need to keep the habit of grinding down whatever you want to weld to clean shiny metal. That will probably make the biggest difference when trying to improve your weld quality.
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I pretty much always start at convex and have to fiddle. I've seen this graphic or something similar before so I've tried the suggested fixes...usually increasing my travel speed just thins it out but still convex. My cheap welder only has 2 voltage settings so wire speed is about all I have to adjust and it seems to be a pretty narrow window before it goes too far and starts popping and spitting from burning up the wire.

Dammit I need a better machine.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
I pretty much always start at convex and have to fiddle. I've seen this graphic or something similar before so I've tried the suggested fixes...usually increasing my travel speed just thins it out but still convex. My cheap welder only has 2 voltage settings so wire speed is about all I have to adjust and it seems to be a pretty narrow window before it goes too far and starts popping and spitting from burning up the wire.

Dammit I need a better machine.
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I'm in the same boat, fortunately my neighbor has a Millermatic 170(?) that I can use. I need to practice way more.
 
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What are your guys’ thoughts on the Hobart Handler 140 for a complete beginner who needs to do some body patching and things like welding a track bar bracket on the Jeep? Seems to be available for around $600 and looks to have the desirable features and capabilities of a 120v unit. But I have a newb’s eye
 
Granite said:
What are your guys’ thoughts on the Hobart Handler 140 for a complete beginner who needs to do some body patching and things like welding a track bar bracket on the Jeep? Seems to be available for around $600 and looks to have the desirable features and capabilities of a 120v unit. But I have a newb’s eye
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Should be fine for body patching. From what I've gathered around here though you need the amps you can only get from a 220V to get enough heat into larger, thicker things like the frame. My experience with flux core tends to agree...I believe it can't provide the current necessary on that heavier stuff and therefore the voltage is dropping.
 
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Granite said:
What are your guys’ thoughts on the Hobart Handler 140 for a complete beginner who needs to do some body patching and things like welding a track bar bracket on the Jeep? Seems to be available for around $600 and looks to have the desirable features and capabilities of a 120v unit. But I have a newb’s eye
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Been using my 140 for close to 20 years now in my shop and coming from a welding background I highly recommend for your intended use. It will max out at 1/4' material with proper work prep and setup.
 
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I agree, it seems like it would fit your needs. Keep in mind you will still need to get a hood, gloves & a bottle of shielding gas. There's a lot of choices out there. For newbies if this seems overwhelming, reach out and I'm more than happy to walk you through the whole process.

Edit: if you are only doing flux core, then you will not need a bottle
 
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Couple of my favorite videos with Chris Razor

11yr old video

10day old video by Steve Morris at Chris' shop
 
AirborneTexasRanger said:
I agree, it seems like it would fit your needs. Keep in mind you will still need to get a hood, gloves & a bottle of shielding gas. There's a lot of choices out there. For newbies if this seems overwhelming, reach out and I'm more than happy to walk you through the whole process.

Edit: if you are only doing flux core, then you will not need a bottle
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We both need to make sure we encourage them to buy a good welding hood no matter how much the budget is for everything else. Nothing helps beginners more than being able to see what they are doing.
 
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mrblaine said:
We both need to make sure we encourage them to buy a good welding hood no matter how much the budget is for everything else. Nothing helps beginners more than being able to see what they are doing.
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That's true. A hood is not something to cheap out on. Lincoln makes excellent hoods in the $100 - $200 range that will work for most diy welders.

Also changing out the clear lenses periodically will be important as well.

I use an esab sentinel but it used specific lenses that aren't cheap.

What hood do you prefer @mrblaine?
 
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AirborneTexasRanger said:
Short answer: no

You're protecting your eyes from an electric arc that is extremely bright. It also emits very harmful UV rays that can burn your eyes and skin in a second

Grab a Lincoln hood from home Depot and you won't regret it

View attachment 488966
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One more tip on a hood, buy something that uses the standard clear lens so you don’t have to buy special ones. You are more apt to change it if you have a stack in your toolbox. Cheater lens on the inside for us older blind guys. I have been amazed how much better I weld when i put a new lens or change the tip in the welder.
When looking at welders a few tips. Look at the wire spool size can you use the large spool or just the small spool of wire. How much will you use it? Nice to have options. At work the crane shops would pull the spools and put inside to avoid contamination of the wire due to being on the waterfront with all the salt air.
 
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