Look at my welds!!

[lowmk1]

Hi there, im doing a night - 1 day a week welding course at the minuite at my local college. I must say im kinda finding it a little hard at the minuite..

Im being put off by looking at other peoples welds and seeing that there alot better than mine.


This is the first week we've actualy started welding. the tutor said im going abit fast and need to let the weld build up on the joints. Just trying to get used to all the settings. Its not as thought there helping much, ideally i need someone to lay a few welds join so i can see where im going wrong.

its pretty much

"this is a welder...mess about with the settings and away you go..."

anyway here are my welds...

any hints and tips?

Im finding it hard to keep a steady hand!!!! im trying to support my arm but the more i do the worse it gets...

 

[Wozzaaah]

Wayyyyy too hot on that lap weld, you have a lot of undercut but the rest look very good. You have more spatter than I'd expect with beads that are that neat though. Try tweaking your settings a bit and see how the weld appearance and the amount of spatter are affected. Also, use an anti-spatter spray, the spatter will just brush off.
You're heading the right way though, well done .

Regarding supporting your arm, hold the torch in your dominant hand and just rest the swan-neck on your other hand.

For reference, what machine, wire size, steel thickness, power settings and gas type are you using, it will all help diagnose any problems.

 

[migmag]

I'd say less amps wire speed and arm speed........

Looking good though

 

[Archie]

As the song goes (and as Woz has already pointed out) 'It's too darn hot'! At least on the joins, anyway. The rest are looking all right, really, though there is quite a bit of spatter. Too much wire feed maybe? Turn down the power and play with the speed. Don't knock the 'Here you go. Have a play' approach too much. I've never had any formal tuition. Playing is the best way to learn and, importantly, develop a technique that works for you. Plus, you'll learn more about what makes it go wrong which means you'll be better at correcting yourself in the future. Good luck.

 

[lowmk1]

Thanks for the comments!!

See this is the thing, the tutor has not told me i need to be adjusting the amps on the lap welds. Fukin useless!! I'll be doing test peices in a couple of weeks and with nobody telling me where im going wrong how am i going to get a certificate and pass!!

Im not too sure of what mig im using, will have to get that information next week.

The metal is 5mm think

Power? - is that amps? im using 1 . 4? ie first knob set at 1 second set at 4? sorry im very new to welding...again theres no studying at all they dont tell you anything, they should realise that people have no clue what so ever.....just purely come and weld...£300 too!!! lol

 

[Archie]

Power is amps (at least for these purposes!). I'm afraid 1.4 means nothing without knowing a) the max amps of the welder you're using and b) the number of settings on each switch.

 

[runnach]

As already stated, amps too high ect, heavy spatter area is a good indicator of this. Also try to keep a constant arc length, to much arc length affects amps (amps drop) thus effecting weld quality.

On a different note, are you really paying £300.00 for this course? if so, how many weeks, is this a college, or private training establishment? no matter college or private, I suggest you have a word in tutor/instructors ear, remind him who contributes to his wages, jeeezzzz these guys receive money for nothing!! Joking apart, are you not given demonstrations, good/bad welding parametors, effects of not keeping a constant arc length, given handout on MIG process, better still, a good training video or CD on various aspects of process prior to commencing practical side of course?????

Questions need to be asked if you want to succeed!!

Cheers..........

 

[lowmk1]

argh right..lol i will find out next monday.

 

[lowmk1]

runnach,

To asnwer your q's about the course...nope!!

The course is for 18 weeks and im already into my third week. The first week was a health and saftey, in stuff which is irrevelent to welding. I suppose health and saftey is important, but...We dont need to know how all the cutters work etc as were not even allowed to cut our own steel!!! we have to get scrap out the scrap bin...i understand using new steel on unexperianced people can be a waste esp when you see some of the practice welds...but...i am paying for it! trying to lay down welds on other peoples test welds is rediculas

Second week was showing us again more health and saftey and showing us the welders...not into much detail i must add!!

third week(where i am now) we were allowed to try out some welds...

I have no idea what arc legnth is, im just guessing that mean how far you are from the steel?

Im lucky im working next to a guy who used to weld many many many years ago so he gave me the basics..hes not even the tutor!!haha

It would be nice to come home with somthing to read up on though...

lol rant over

On yea the course...£295

 

[arkangel06]

wow nice beads really neat

shiney lol but i dont know how you got soo much splatter try turning down your power settings abit , your doing really good though for your first time

you have alot of overlap on your joints there aswell

 

[Jackel]

Lowmk1 I start my Stick welding tonight and my mig on thursday but mine is a 30 week course at £315 per unit so in total £630 but the dole is paying mine

 

[Toltec]

The course I am doing is £400 and 28 weeks, that includes one C&G exam for one process at £50. You can do more than one process over the course at no extra cost, however each exam costs another £50, that is not the college but the fee charged by C&G.

I want to have a go at tig, along with several other chaps, so they started us on O/A to get the feel of creating a travelling weld pool then adding filler rod to build up a weld.

The induction was a separate evening not part of the course weeks btw.

 

[runnach]

runnach,

To answer your q's about the course...nope!!

On yea the course...£295

I'd certainly be asking questions if you have basically been told to work out how this process works using your own devices. To have to get by on the help of another class member is shocking!! Certainly not the way I approach teaching any process, sure if you are fiddling about at home/garage with a single phase unit, picking up how things work will take time sussing out using your own trial and error methods, but to part with £295 and given lip service, is again shocking!!

You can read books till you are blue in the face, yes this does give you a better under pinning knowledge of the process, but you require demonstrations/observation during class time. Some reading for you in the link below. There are other big ball park manufacturers who provide e-learning facilities too, just a case of doing a search.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowledge/training/weldcurriculum.asp

HTH and good luck

 

[snowcat]

Hang on a minute, echoing Mr Ach words, theres something wrong here, and not with your work, your asking questions about power, settings, and talking in amps.........youve done two weeks theory and know one it seems has started with the basics and teaching you to set in volts/ over amps, shown you defects IE undercut and given you pointers on setings........not teaching arc length a F***in joke

Jeusssss there something wrong here, either your tutor cannot be arsed or he's a plain cruddy welder who's just busking it.......

either way Id be starting to stomp a little by now if I was you.......

In fact if your not happy, ask for a refund.....then pays your money to someone who wants to show you how....youve made me mad now on your behalf

 

[Wozzaaah]

either your tutor cannot be arsed or he's a plain cruddy welder who's just busking it.......

either way Id be starting to stomp a little by now if I was you.......

I was thinking just that Snowy, sounds like the guy doesn't really have much of a clue.

Quote;
"we have to get scrap out the scrap bin...i understand using new steel on unexperianced people can be a waste esp when you see some of the practice welds...but...i am paying for it! trying to lay down welds on other peoples test welds is rediculas"

This is totally unacceptable in my opinion, you can't possibly judge your own welds if they're laid on top of someone elses.

"I have no idea what arc legnth is, im just guessing that mean how far you are from the steel?"

Arc length on a mig welder is commonly known as 'stickout' i.e the length if wire between the contact tip and the weld pool, this should have been one of the first things explained to you as it has a fundemental effect on the welding current and the overall weld appearance and quality.

"Im lucky im working next to a guy who used to weld many many many years ago so he gave me the basics..hes not even the tutor!!haha"

You are very lucky by the sound of it, at least you are actually learning something. Just out of interest, what do other people make of the course and tutor?
See if you can find out a bit about the tutor's background, get him chatting and see what sort of experience he really has .

 

[runnach]

I see forum natives are angry..............understandable, form a queue behind me

 

[jugs]

Hang on a minute, echoing Mr Ach words, theres something wrong here, and not with your work, your asking questions about power, settings, and talking in amps.........youve done two weeks theory and know one it seems has started with the basics and teaching you to set in volts/ over amps, shown you defects IE undercut and given you pointers on setings........not teaching arc length a F***in joke

Jeusssss there something wrong here, either your tutor cannot be arsed or he's a plain cruddy welder who's just busking it.......

either way Id be starting to stomp a little by now if I was you.......

In fact if your not happy, ask for a refund.....then pays your money to someone who wants to show you how....youve made me mad now on your behalf

Your right Snowy, sounds like the guys a tos**r & needs tossing out. he's avin a laugh, getting paid for not doing the job.

lowmk1

Do what Wozzaaah suggested find out more about him talk to the others then go to the Principle & explain your concerns (you may find that the others grumble but wont complain) but it's your hard earned cash and your future we are talking about.

 

[GeorgeB]

Im being put off by looking at other peoples welds and seeing that there alot better than mine.

Your welds look very good to me, especially for an early attempt. I'd be well pleased if I could produce welds like that, so perhaps you are learning something, despite what sounds like a poor standard of tuition.

 

[lowmk1]

Thanks for the coments. Ha the more i re-read this thread the more wound up i was getting inside. I had to let it rest for a week and take the welding course off my mind just so i could clear my thoughts and look at it as though at least i am putting some half decent welds down. Again thanks for the comments

Now i went in tonight fully prepaired and had loads of questions at the ready for my tutor, but due to not wanting to waste my money/time...ahem...forgot..hehe i went straight to the booth and started to weld again

I did however find out that he's a manager on a building site and looks after all the 'on-site' welders and on to say about how his lads come out with 800 quid a week...hmmm wow...ha i need some of that!!!

I dont want to give too much away as im sure someone could be reading this....as tonight everything went ok...fresh steel, no scrap bin...all nicely cut and layed out for us to take as and when we wanted... how good is that??

The welder im using is a kempomat 320, i've looked on the internet and it seems were using the older type but they seem pretty damn good(hey.. what do i know)

onto the pics....

still getting the hang on it, but as you can see i've took the advice pretty well me thinks...

Cheers lads! One think im stugling with is holding it, i cant get comfy, and i cant keep a steady hand, i've tried using my left hand, tried leaving on stuff.(table gets VVVERy hot!!)..just cant do it!!!

 

[Wozzaaah]

You are definitely getting the hang of it though I will still give you some constructive criticism, after all, that is what you want us to do .
The lap weld in pic 4 looks superb, well done , however, the fillet weld on the same side looks like it has no fusion to the horizontal plate on about 1/2 of it's length. This is especially obvious in the close-up pic, you can see the gap under the bead. When you run a fillet weld you need to ensure you get proper fusion on both weld legs. Maybe up the power a tad on the fillets. On the last pic it looks like you've done the opposite on the other side, the fillet looks better and the lap looks worse .
You're still getting an awful lot of spatter too, especially on the fillets, hopefully when you're more familiar with the machine, settings and techniques you will reduce that considerably.
Keep it up , you're heading the right way .