First welds, awesome

[Kram]

hurrah, we had some sun yesterday and I could use the welder! rain is pouring down right now

Im practising on some 1" steel tube. walls about 1.5-2mm thick.

These are my first trys, learning how to chose the settings

these are getting better, but not pretty:

the above is the right weld

back side of the left - penetration is poor, should I try to do this type from both sides, or go hotter from the front? (weaving for more heat?)

Im using SIF branded gassless wire. I think its quite good, certinally useable, and a lot cheaper than gas.

The last few welds I was getting the frying sound - its quite nice, you can see the wire spraying into the pool!

I really need to get some scrap to practise on. thin sheet and tube. I want to make a luggage rack and box for my motorbike

where can I get some cheap 0.8mm sheet? Im thinking car breakers, a bonnet or something?

 

[philsmin]

if you are not getting enough penetration then you need to use more power

3rd picture down looks pretty good

When I was taught to weld (back at the tender age of 14 :lol the guy who showed us got us to weld 2 pieces of 3mm flat bar together so it made a 'T' , once welded they'd get a good smack with a sledgehammer to see if they were any good, if he could part the 'T' then the welds were no good, simple.

 

[Omniata]

That looks like a lot of splatter on the bits of metal you've welded which would to me be an indication of too higher wire speed...

Try turning the wire speed down a bit and turning the power up...

The frying sound should in theory be like bacon "sizzling" in a pan, seems like your almost there

 

[Kram]

the first was one 1/10, lowest power (1/min)

then I turned it upto 3/10 wire speed, max power (2/max) becuase I assume 2mm thick is about the limit of this machine.


I tryed power first, but found the wire explodes into splatter, if theres to much power in it.


so I think ive nearly got the settings for this thickness, then I just need to learn the technique of how to move it

thanks

 

[philsmin]

my old clarke 90EN would burn holes in 2mm quite easily

you do get a lot of spatter gasless

 

[the snooper]

gasless is way more expensive then getting a pub bottle

 

[octo0072000]

gas gas

as snooper said get a pub gas bottle much cheaper than gasless wire you will struggle with gasless on thin steel like 1mm or less

 

[Kram]

I think I can do sheet, I just need to find some! I have plenty of galvinised. Its quite annoying how much stuff they plate! I cant find any!


Is pub gas is cheaper. How many spools does a bottle empty?
I would need a £25 regulator, £20 for it to be delivered and collected empty, £10 deposit, £10 filling... :O
Id prefer to use argon, but thats a lot more. Plan is to get used to gasless.

today I went out and got another 50meter spool of flex so I can work away from house. But if we get any sudden rain I will have to run 100meters of cable indoors!

Im not sure as I have two motorbikes, would fuel vapour be a problem?

 

[philsmin]

I have plenty of galvinised.

be careful welding galvy, the fumes it creates are nasty