Beginner Help

[RupeyDoops]

Hey guys, pretty new welder here. After practicing a lot on metal sheets I decided to finally start on my van.

It holds together well but it looks like utter sh*t quite frankly lol just wondering if you guys had any tips on what i might be doing wrong? Cheers.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Welcome aboard, Rupey I wouldn't presume to comment on your welding [my angle grinder is my best friend ] but the tutorials [green button(s) at the top of the page ] make good starting points.

 

[RupeyDoops]

Welcome aboard, Rupey I wouldn't presume to comment on your welding [my angle grinder is my best friend ] but the tutorials [green button(s) at the top of the page ] make good starting points.

Cheers mate, I'll be sure to have a look!

 

[Shoggi]

Welcome Rupey is that a transit type step your attempting to repair

 

[RupeyDoops]

Welcome Rupey is that a transit type step your attempting to repair

Its a VW T4 its a left hand drive tho

 

[Langley91]

Im also doing a t4, albeit the other end of one. Cant offer much for actual welding as im learning. But, key thing for me was getting comfortable. Supporting torch with opposite hand to the one pulling trigger. If your doing 1ishmm steel then stich weld it with lots of spot welds elae your just making holes. Try an make sure you keep a constant distance between part and torch. To be honest I think most of mig welding is trying to be smooth and consistent and flapper discs on the grinder.

 

[Richiew]

What was your fit up like before you started welding? That is half the battle. Clean metal that lines up well. Is that gasless welding?

 

[RupeyDoops]

What was your fit up like before you started welding? That is half the battle. Clean metal that lines up well. Is that gasless welding?

Yeah it was Gasless, I struggled to ground it as well, I ended up having to take the trim off and stick it on the grooves but then that didn't work for when I tried to do the right side, luckily when it came to the angle I needed to make an L shape which connected the two pieces and allowed the current to flow (I tried to just weld the gap at first hence why it didn't work) the fit was pretty tight, but now I think I needed to take into account that the metal expands.

 

[RupeyDoops]

Im also doing a t4, albeit the other end of one. Cant offer much for actual welding as im learning. But, key thing for me was getting comfortable. Supporting torch with opposite hand to the one pulling trigger. If your doing 1ishmm steel then stich weld it with lots of spot welds elae your just making holes. Try an make sure you keep a constant distance between part and torch. To be honest I think most of mig welding is trying to be smooth and consistent and flapper discs on the grinder.

Yeahh, I have to do the back next which is corregated (that'll be fun) I started learning on stick with rly thick metal so luckily the two hand motion doesn't feel so bad, but mig welding on 0.4mm metal is a different kettle of fish

 

[Richiew]

Any pictures of your practice pieces? I am just curious to see what your welding on the bench is like. I appreciate welding gasless, out of position on a rusty old van is very hard. Do your welds on the bench look reasonable? If they don't you probably just need more practice.

On the van you could always weld a metal tab on somewhere to ground to and then grind it off at the end.

If you can get access to the back of the weld use a copper strip as a backing piece. Squashed copper 22mm water pipe will do. It will help prevent material burning away or you blowing through quite so much.

 

[RupeyDoops]

Any pictures of your practice pieces? I am just curious to see what your welding on the bench is like. I appreciate welding gasless, out of position on a rusty old van is very hard. Do your welds on the bench look reasonable? If they don't you probably just need more practice.

On the van you could always weld a metal tab on somewhere to ground to and then grind it off at the end.

If you can get access to the back of the weld use a copper strip as a backing piece. Squashed copper 22mm water pipe will do. It will help prevent material burning away or you blowing through quite so much.

That metal tab is actually a rly good idea thanks. As for my beginner welds these are some of my early practices to get an idea of how I fiddled around with settings, angles, sped and the like. Again they look ugly af and pretty bad generally tbh but I defo know how I can change certain things to make it better, given practice makes perfect (although I'm far off haha) I was practicing on thin pieces (0.4mm)

 

[Richiew]

You need a lot more practice if you dont mind me saying so.

 

[Richiew]

Just to be a little more constructive. Have a look at this video from about 3minutes in. He is using gasless to restore an old and rusty Rangerover. Gives you something to aim for. He uses a stop motion technique for filming but you can see it is welded one little tack at a time. (And neaty as well)

 

[eddie49]

What make and model of welder are you using, what brand of flux-core wire, and have you set the torch polarity to negative for gasless?
Starting out on 0.4mm is going to be tough, if not impossible - especially with hot spattery smoky gasless wire. Better to practice on some 2mm first.

 

[RupeyDoops]

Just to be a little more constructive. Have a look at this video from about 3minutes in. He is using gasless to restore an old and rusty Rangerover. Gives you something to aim for. He uses a stop motion technique for filming but you can see it is welded one little tack at a time. (And neaty as well)

Cheers bud, will defo check this out. And to reply to your other message, I definitely do! Lol. I was just looking for something that holds together strong enough, not so much looks, but obvs that is the goal. Lol

Edit: I am aware that a proper weld is still stronger ofc

 

[RupeyDoops]

What make and model of welder are you using, what brand of flux-core wire, and have you set the torch polarity to negative for gasless?
Starting out on 0.4mm is going to be tough, if not impossible - especially with hot spattery smoky gasless wire. Better to practice on some 2mm first.

Yhhh I've defo changed it to negative, I'm using a Clarke 145t, I am not sure on the flux core I'm using as I just used the one that came with the welder. It defo is difficult to say the least, but next time I'm just going to take my time and tack it, see how that turns out

 

[eddie49]

I am not sure on the flux core I'm using as I just used the one that came with the welder

Are you sure it is flux core wire? Tends to be silver colour ( solid wire generally copper colour ), melts with a very bright arc, and leaves a yellow powdery deposit after welding.
Are you using an automatic ( self-darkening ) welding helmet? If not, I would recommend you get one, even a £15 eBay special makes a world of difference compared to the hand-held mask supplied with most hobby machines.

 

[gaz1]

Hey guys, pretty new welder here. After practicing a lot on metal sheets I decided to finally start on my van.
View attachment 282229
It holds together well but it looks like utter sh*t quite frankly lol just wondering if you guys had any tips on what i might be doing wrong? Cheers.

Im going to be a little blunt here so take it as advice

your fit up is really poor this is why you have really struggled with your welding

steps are one of the worst places for thin crappy metal in the first place

the front edge and also the right welding side is so gappy you was in for a hiding to weld it anyway

a few pointers for you

make your shapes that you need

clean it properly that includes underneath ( which you havent done )

use a spare jack or wood to hold it in place while you weld it

 

[RupeyDoops]

Are you sure it is flux core wire? Tends to be silver colour ( solid wire generally copper colour ), melts with a very bright arc, and leaves a yellow powdery deposit after welding.
Are you using an automatic ( self-darkening ) welding helmet? If not, I would recommend you get one, even a £15 eBay special makes a world of difference compared to the hand-held mask supplied with most hobby machines.

Yhhh, I made sure to buy an auto dim helmet. Yh definitely flux core, welds rly bright and is silver, I thought you might be able to see the powder on the big but perhaps I already scraped it away.

 

[RupeyDoops]

Im going to be a little blunt here so take it as advice

your fit up is really poor this is why you have really struggled with your welding

steps are one of the worst places for thin crappy metal in the first place

the front edge and also the right welding side is so gappy you was in for a hiding to weld it anyway

a few pointers for you

make your shapes that you need

clean it properly that includes underneath ( which you havent done )

use a spare jack or wood to hold it in place while you weld it

Yh my fit up was definitely rly ****, when cutting the fit up do I need to make it slightly smaller given the metal expands? Yh I use welding magnets so I can tack the piece in place