My MIG beads aren't the prettiest. I like to weld without rod when I can … just an O/A torch and a hammer and dolly.
New Welding Cart / Table
- Thread starter Mike_H
- Start date
OP
OK, if I compare your weld
to one of mine...
I see that the bumps in mine (I assume its the front edge of the puddle cooling) are not as defined and the pattern is not as consistent. So, technique wise, I need to pause at the edges more? Note, I am pushing my beads...
Also, if I go a little cooler, the puddle won't flow out so much, correct? Should I turn it down a little?
The reason I haven't commented on your welds is everyone else has given the same advice I would have.
You have a bit too much tip movement side to side. Beginners should learn to weld without patterns, C, cursive e's, S's, or any other letter of the alphabet until they get very consistent with heat and speed.
For your inside corners, hold the gun at a 45 degree angle to the weld surface and if you are pushing, lay it back at the same angle. For the one in the pic, move towards the left a tiny bit more so the weld starts down on the other weld and work on the tie in. As you get to the end of the weld on the right, pause the gun for a fraction and let the crater at the end fill.
You are running a tiny bit hot and laying down a lot of material. You could keep the same settings and move a bit faster, (hard to do consistently) or, turn the voltage down just a bit.
As you get more practice and learn what welds look like by what you did, you'll pick up small movements to make the puddle do what you need to improve them in certain situations. If you start with movements trying to make the weld mimic something else, then that will always be a crutch you depend on rather than good welding technique.
For now, concentrate on consistent speed, steady platform and brace the gun so you can move the full length of the weld without having to reposition your hands, concentrate on consistent tip angle, and just move through the weld watching the deposition rate to build the width of the weld with a constant distance away from the surface to control electrode stick-out.
OP
Thanks. Its interesting to hear different things from different people, or even the same thing said a different way, so I appreciate the feedback.
There is a caveat to learning to weld first without tip movement other than direction and speed. If you are doing a longer weld, it is easier to maintain a more consistent width and direction of travel along the joint if you are manipulating the tip some. Think of it like drawing a straight line with a pencil along another straight line and trying to follow it. It is far easier to write on a straight line and stay very consistent with the spacing on the line that it is to draw one parallel to it.
OP
Tried cooling the weld a bit tonight and moving in a straight line vs the cursive "e" that I was doing. I got some nice welds out of it.
I also got some pretty crappy ones... Lots of material, that was very peaky in the middle of the bead. To me, I'd say it's a cold weld, but I tried turning the heat back up and it was still doing it... So that wasn't it.
I think it's related to my own inconsistency in torch travel speed and position, too slow or too far away...but what say the peanut gallery?
I also got some pretty crappy ones... Lots of material, that was very peaky in the middle of the bead. To me, I'd say it's a cold weld, but I tried turning the heat back up and it was still doing it... So that wasn't it.
I think it's related to my own inconsistency in torch travel speed and position, too slow or too far away...but what say the peanut gallery?
You have plenty of heat. The crappy looking vertical ones are from moving too fast with too much heat. Turn the heat down, angle the tip a bit more up, move in a bit closer to the joint. Try several like that and post up pics of them on some scrap.
OP
Played around on some scrap tonight. Kinda feel like I dialed in a bit...I'm set way down from the midpoints of the "auto" settings
but my welds seemed to come out pretty nice. Standard Lap welds...
I filled a big radius here, along the back side of the angle iron. Looks like I should have focused on the bottom tube a bit more.
My frame is nearly complete. Its on its wheels now and I test fit the toolbox.
I need to cut my bottom shelf to fit around the tubes, install some drawer slides and build the slide out shelf for my welder. I'll also need to add some "nicety's," like a place to hang my grinder, Push Handle, torch holder, etc. Its turning out pretty good, I think. Its definitely not perfect...the bottom isn't quite flat so it wobbles just a hair.
I also ordered a tabletop. I looked for a scrap piece of steel and called anyone I knew that might have something laying around. Nada...So I had a piece of secondary Steel (like a drop) quoted...they wanted 150 bucks for 1/2" plate. I didn't think that was too terrible, but thought I'd keep looking. I found these guys.
WELD TABLES DOT COM
They sell DIY Table tops and blocks with fixture holes predrilled. I dropped the 300 bucks on one. I hope it works out...should be pretty good for what I need. The top itself is 3/16 thick but it also has a 2" thick steel framework underneath it. I ordered the 2' x 4' size.
but my welds seemed to come out pretty nice. Standard Lap welds...
I filled a big radius here, along the back side of the angle iron. Looks like I should have focused on the bottom tube a bit more.
My frame is nearly complete. Its on its wheels now and I test fit the toolbox.
I need to cut my bottom shelf to fit around the tubes, install some drawer slides and build the slide out shelf for my welder. I'll also need to add some "nicety's," like a place to hang my grinder, Push Handle, torch holder, etc. Its turning out pretty good, I think. Its definitely not perfect...the bottom isn't quite flat so it wobbles just a hair.
I also ordered a tabletop. I looked for a scrap piece of steel and called anyone I knew that might have something laying around. Nada...So I had a piece of secondary Steel (like a drop) quoted...they wanted 150 bucks for 1/2" plate. I didn't think that was too terrible, but thought I'd keep looking. I found these guys.
WELD TABLES DOT COM
They sell DIY Table tops and blocks with fixture holes predrilled. I dropped the 300 bucks on one. I hope it works out...should be pretty good for what I need. The top itself is 3/16 thick but it also has a 2" thick steel framework underneath it. I ordered the 2' x 4' size.
OP
It's almost complete. I did final assembly tonight, loaded my toolbox. Waiting on my table top, which should be delivered Wednesday. I have a few modification to make to that, but I should be able to get this project done this weekend.
And my too box is already filling up!
Clamps
My torches
Finally, all the welding gear
My next project is already in the planning phases. I need a new machine base for my table saw. Something with an out feed table. On Jimmy Diresta's YouTube channel, he showed this cool flip top work bench, that I'm going to put my own spin on.
And my too box is already filling up!
Clamps
My torches
Finally, all the welding gear
My next project is already in the planning phases. I need a new machine base for my table saw. Something with an out feed table. On Jimmy Diresta's YouTube channel, he showed this cool flip top work bench, that I'm going to put my own spin on.
