First Time Weld

[Allen1988]

First time welding today.

What you guys think?

Any advice?

Used a R TECH 250 amp invertor mig.

Want to learn so I can help at work with the mezzanine floors.

View media item 9022View media item 9021

 

[Welderpaul]

Welcome to the forum, lets try again!

The welds are not bad, but a few pointers... The welds look cold - the box section and base plate are sucking out a lot of heat so you need to up the power quite a bit.
Stop starts wouldn't normally be on the corners as these are stress raisers - for what you have there (feet for mezz columns?) it won't matter too much. The heat trace underneath doesn't tell much, but you can see how it trails off on the corners - shows there is less heat gone in, and, probably, less penetration.
A bit more heat might reduce the spatter a bit.

 

[Allen1988]

I think I had it on 5 so loads more I'll up the power.

Should I try and do It in 2 parts then not stopping on the corners?

 

[Welderpaul]

I think I had it on 5 so loads more I'll up the power.

Should I try and do It in 2 parts then not stopping on the corners?

Yeah, whack the power up.

If it was something mega critical you would start half way along one side of the box, weld to the corner, go round it and stop half way along the next side.
I'd only worry about that on heavily loaded structures, digger buckets etc. On a lot of smaller stuff i stop/start on the corners, but make sure the welds are tied in properly.

As an idea of weld size, something like that would normally be specified as a 6mm fillet weld. Have a measure of the leg length of the welds you have done and it will give you an idea of what sizes you are getting.

 

[Allen1988]

Yep I've got you.

I'll have another go on Monday,

Would it be bad practise to flap disc over the welds to tidy them up would that make the weld strength less?

 

[Allen1988]

Forgot to mention I'm using 1m wire on a 12 % argon mix not sure if that makes any difference

 

[Welderpaul]

Yep I've got you.

I'll have another go on Monday,

Would it be bad practise to flap disc over the welds to tidy them up would that make the weld strength less?

I personally don't like to see welds that have been messed about with a grinder. It makes me suspicious that it's a bad weld made to look ok. A good structural weld shouldn't need any dressing off.

I'd use 1.2mm wire, but 1.0mm will be ok.

12% Argon? Do you mean 12% C02? Compositions for BOC gases as below..

 

[Allen1988]

Yep 12 oxygen

 

[Welderpaul]

It will be 12% carbon dioxide. Don't think you have a gas issue.

Look forward to seeing your next round of pictures

 

[defender dan]

Agree with everything Welderpaul has said. For a first go they are pretty good welds

 

[Allen1988]

Have taken the advice and upped the amps.

What do you guys think?

Still need to profext my technique for a neater weld but I think it looks better

 

[Welderpaul]

Getting there.

Probably still a bit cold - will it go up any higher?

Best off to grind the millscale of the baseplate - judging by the thickness of the scale and the way the plasma has struggled to cut its a 20mm ish thick plate? Big machines don't usually have a problem blasting through this millscale, but a smaller machine can struggle a bit.
Weld profile is a bit pointy, that's probably a lack of heat, but try adjusting your torch angle to get rid of that. Your looking for a flat or slightly concave bead shape.

Coming on alright

 

[backpurge]

Welcome back, wondered where you had gone, I had just finished typing a lengthy response and you post disappeared!!! Paul has just about covered everything, your welds are looking a lot better, the weld is still a bit convex for my liking so I would be tempted to up the power a wee bit. The spatter seems to have just about vanished now and that is a good sign that your power settings, angles and travel speed are in the right ball park, need to concentrate on keeping everything consistent, it's all going to be about practise, practise, practise, then when you've got it cracked, practise a bit more. Keep at it your nearly there

 

[Allen1988]

Thanks guys feel a bit more confident with the welder now no it was on 8 goes up too 10. Will try it higher tomorrow

 

[backpurge]

Thanks guys feel a bit more confident with the welder now no it was on 8 goes up too 10. Will try it higher tomorrow

Dont be frightened to give it some welly

 

[Welderpaul]

A good (rough idea) test on how well your welds are penetrating is to put two plates together (10mm?), leaving a 2mm ish gap between them. Grind a small bevel to the top faces first.
Weld the joint from one side only then put it in a vice and bend the test piece over towards the weld by smacking it with a hammer.
If you have got proper penetration the weld won't snap and you will be able to bend it right over in a U shape.

Just an idea.

 

[Allen1988]

It’s been a few years now they look slightly better what do you think?

 

[Allen1988]

Sorry for the late reply

 

[Onthespotwelding]

Sorry for the late reply

6 years later….. welcome back! The welds look great btw.

 

[Allen1988]

6 years later….. welcome back! The welds look great btw.

Lol went away for a few years to learn