Critique my first welds please!

[benham]

Hi all,
Apart from a few hours spent about seven years ago playing with a SIP gasless model I ended up selling again, this is my first attempt at welding.

I need to be able to weld up my old MG, so this is 1mm sheet steel (new) using 0.8mm wire (waiting for the 0.6mm tips to arrive by post so I can use my 0.6mm wire) and CO2.

A couple of them are "chicken $hit" but I played around with the settings of the machine and found I could get what appear to me to be better welds.

Nothing has blown through.... Comments and criticism please!

Regards,
Andy

 

[Wozzaaah]

Not bad at all for a first attempt, fairly consistent width but some look a bit cold, what power setting were you on?

When you post more attempts it would help to use better photos, it's difficult to comment when the welds look so tiny.

 

[benham]

Thanks Woz,

I'm going to do a few more, I'll get much better pics this time!

Cheers,
Andy

 

[benham]

Here we go:

Machine settings:

That's the underside!

Hope this photographs are better!

Regards,
Andy

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hehe, much better pics Andy, they look a bit wide now though!
Your torch control looks good so it's just fine-tuning the machine settings by the look of it, try 1 max and see how they look.

 

[atomant48]

I find it easier with argon mix.

 

[benham]

Cheers guys,

Done some more this afternoon, and by my own reckoning they look 'alright' I've joined quite a few bits of 1mm to 1mm steel using butt welds and they've been strong and fairly straight and clean. I've but the bits in a vice and the hole lot bends when whacked with a hammer rather than breaking the weld.

Now, where is the best place to get some 1mm steel sheets? I need enough to make some sill sections, and bits of sill out of?

Regards,
Andy

 

[steveo3002]

what are you working on

im local to you ...intrested to hear if theres anywhere local for supplies

 

[benham]

Sorry mate I'm no longer a Haverhillian (I escaped!) Miss it though, moved a year ago! Sure you appreciate why I escaped Haverhood!

I now live in Bedfordshire just haven't updated by profile! Where do you live? Didn't know Cambridge folk came to Haverhill lol

Regards,
Andy

 

[steveo3002]

village just outside...i try to avoid the place but rent a garage there to store my cars

what car are you fixing up

 

[benham]

The weld on the left is what I'm consistently managing now, I've got a decent HobbyWeld 5% argon cylinder now, (was ripping through disposables practicing!) and I must say the addition of argon seems to make a massive difference.

Would the weld that I've done be good enough to start putting bits in to my car with, or do I need to have more practice or adjust something? What is the little brown dot I'm getting at the end of all of my welds?

That's before I've wire brushed the weld by the way!

Thanks in advance,
Andy

 

[benham]

Any advice guys?

Regards,
Andy

 

[Llama]

The little brown bit is just copper from the shielding wire, nothing to worry about. It should come off once cool easily enough and should probably be removed before any painting happens (along with smoothing down the weld etc).

Weld looks pretty good (although I'm no expert). Just remember you will have to vary your speed as the work heats up, as the start of your welds look proud, whereas the end is flush.

Work looks quite sooty too, did you clean the metal of grease etc beforehand? maybe turn the gas rate up or adjust the nozzle

 

[mike 109444]

Remember the cars metal that you will be welding new metal to will not be all nice, new and rust free so if you can cut a piece from car with some good (not just rust) that you are going to be replacing then weld some of your new steel to it.
Remember to turn off the gas bottle when not welding for some time ie lunch or fabricating a new section or when done for the day cos Ar/CO2 will be at high pressure in bottle and the smallest leak will loose you gas (guess how I know...). Less of a problem with just CO2 which I use for my resto