Im sorry for another rate my beads thread

[Craig-S]

So im learning to weld with my daughter, she is getting a bit more help but im just following the tig guide and some youtube instruction. one thing i noticed on the amp chart, it only shows 1-1.6mm electrode, while we were told to use essentially 2.4mm for everything, im not sure how that changes the amps or not, i know its more of a starting point.

so While my daughter is melting smiley faces into steel, i have been running dry beads followed by adding filler to spice it up a bit. We have only had the welder a week and already 50bar down on the bottle!!!

So here are a few beads from today, this wasnt all i done, just what happened to be on the last piece i cut. 2.5mm mild steel, 1.6mm filler. They are only short runs, maybe 50-75mm with filler they average 4mm wide. the first 2 are dry at 75 amps, followed by 80 amps and the 2 bottom at 90 amps (one with turds as my thumb left the button a couple of times)

I added a view from the underside, if that helps.

Thanks for the critique in advance

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Not too bad at all really, on 2.5mm id be about 80a. Make sure you don’t put rod in too early, let the pool start moving before you even think about dabbing in, it will help keep the heat transfer about right and flatten the bead off.
Your consistency isn’t too bad at all, as above, if you let it burn in a bit first the bead will naturally flatten out. If it helps in with regards to dabbing, stick some ear buds in and listen to a track with a good constant drum beat, you’d be surprised how it helps.

On padding plates, as you’re doing here, don’t worry about what’s happening on the backside, it’s not going to tell you much unless you’re blowing holes in it.

 

[Craig-S]

Not too bad at all really, on 2.5mm id be about 80a. Make sure you don’t put rod in too early, let the pool start moving before you even think about dabbing in, it will help keep the heat transfer about right and flatten the bead off.
Your consistency isn’t too bad at all, as above, if you let it burn in a bit first the bead will naturally flatten out. If it helps in with regards to dabbing, stick some ear buds in and listen to a track with a good constant drum beat, you’d be surprised how it helps.

On padding plates, as you’re doing here, don’t worry about what’s happening on the backside, it’s not going to tell you much unless you’re blowing holes in it.

Thanks for the help, ill give the earbuds a go, i meant to actually take them in the garage to cut the plates but forgot :/

 

[BrokenBiker]

Not looking too bad. Slow down a bit, let the initial puddle build and then add rod as you see the puddle start to sink then move and dab. Or that's how I do it

I like the dab, move, pause, dab sort of technique, others like to keep the torch moving while dabbing. Each to the their own but you will find your own technique...that's why it's so hard to try and match someone else's welds on a repair, it's like hand writing.

On 2.5mm I'd be at 80ish amps but I use a pedal so I'd probably set it around 90-95 and then throttle it with my foot, but with a torch switch 80-85 should do.

I found it was much easier to learn on thicker stuff, I started on 5mm so I could crank the amps up and get nice big easy to see puddle and used 2.4mm rod.

This sort of thing is one of my favourites practice drills as you get 2 but joints, 2 lap joints and 2 fillets, and can also add to it for outside corners etc

I do the same set up with mig, stick and gasless as well if I'm feeling a bit out of practice, 4 bits of 100x50 and 20 mins and then I'm good to go

 

[Craig-S]

Not looking too bad. Slow down a bit, let the initial puddle build and then add rod as you see the puddle start to sink then move and dab. Or that's how I do it

I like the dab, move, pause, dab sort of technique, others like to keep the torch moving while dabbing. Each to the their own but you will find your own technique...that's why it's so hard to try and match someone else's welds on a repair, it's like hand writing.

On 2.5mm I'd be at 80ish amps but I use a pedal so I'd probably set it around 90-95 and then throttle it with my foot, but with a torch switch 80-85 should do.

I found it was much easier to learn on thicker stuff, I started on 5mm so I could crank the amps up and get nice big easy to see puddle and used 2.4mm rod.

This sort of thing is one of my favourites practice drills as you get 2 but joints, 2 lap joints and 2 fillets, and can also add to it for outside corners etc

View attachment 517741View attachment 517742

I do the same set up with mig, stick and gasless as well if I'm feeling a bit out of practice, 4 bits of 100x50 and 20 mins and then I'm good to go

Thanks for the advice,

I have tried both dab and pause as well as keepign the torch moving while dabbing, I havent decided on a method yet. Thinking about getting a foot pedal because i keep relaxing off the button halfway through or maybe try 4T and see if that helps before i spend yet more money.

I went with 2.5mm as I got a 2m x 1m sheet of it from brundles, thicker stuff starts getting a bit pricey.

Well im done with practice today, but ill cut some more tomorrow and start with a few butt joints before i attempt laps and fillets, crawling before walking etc.

Heres a thing though, what the hell do you do with all this steel used for practice? grind it all off and use it again?

 

[BrokenBiker]

Look at 50mm flat bar, either 3 or 5mm thick.

A 7.5m length gets you 75x 100mm coupons.

As for what to do afterwards, cut them up and keep using them, weld them together in weird positions, I scrap most of mine when they build up or use them to cut small pieces from for brackets or tabs etc...some get kept as paper weights, they can be used as props for your hands or to stand material against while tacking up, holding material down so it doesn't move when you stick a tungsten, I have used them as stands to 'air gap' material off the bench so you don't get the heatsink effect if the welding bench as that can greatly impact your welds so worth practicing.

I would say 90% of my welding is just messing about with coupons trying new things and then occasionally making something

 

[eddie49]

Heres a thing though, what the hell do you do with all this steel used for practice? grind it all off and use it again?

Reminds me that during a period of unemployment I used my UB40 status to sign up for a series of classes - bricklaying, rendering, welding, and woodwork. When I came back from the woodwork classes my wife said "At least now we can use your samples for firewood".

 

[Craig-S]

Look at 50mm flat bar, either 3 or 5mm thick.

A 7.5m length gets you 75x 100mm coupons.

As for what to do afterwards, cut them up and keep using them, weld them together in weird positions, I scrap most of mine when they build up or use them to cut small pieces from for brackets or tabs etc...some get kept as paper weights, they can be used as props for your hands or to stand material against while tacking up, holding material down so it doesn't move when you stick a tungsten, I have used them as stands to 'air gap' material off the bench so you don't get the heatsink effect if the welding bench as that can greatly impact your welds so worth practicing.

I would say 90% of my welding is just messing about with coupons trying new things and then occasionally making something

Good shout, I guess there are tons of uses I didnt even think of. I'll definitely get some flat bar next time i make and order, first thing i need some bar to knock up a torch holder.

 

[Craig-S]

Reminds me that during a period of unemployment I used my UB40 status to sign up for a series of classes - bricklaying, rendering, welding, and woodwork. When I came back from the woodwork classes my wife said "At least now we can use your samples for firewood".

Oh ive burnt plenty of hardwood in the firepit from woodworking, im guessing metal is much better in that regard as @BrokenBiker says.

 

[BrokenBiker]

Good shout, I guess there are tons of uses I didnt even think of. I'll definitely get some flat bar next time i make and order, first thing i need some bar to knock up a torch holder.

i made one from a bit of ally strip, just bent a 90 degree on 1 end, a 45 on the other then drilled a 20mm (i think) hole in the 45 degree part but be warned, its fine for normal ceramics, but stubby gas lens ceramics dont it so needs to be opened up...i just use a pony clamp to hold it to the bench wherever its needed. works for the mig torch too

 

[harveyp6]

I go to a community workshop to improve my mig welding, and I pick out all the weldable bits from the scrap bins, and weld them all together in random shapes. I normally run practice weld beads along every available surface. Then they go back in the bin.
Imagine my surprise when I came in one week and found that someone had dragged my efforts out of the bin, and used it as a stand for their own metal sculpture.
Now, I'm an artist!!!!

 

[Craig-S]

i made one from a bit of ally strip, just bent a 90 degree on 1 end, a 45 on the other then drilled a 20mm (i think) hole in the 45 degree part but be warned, its fine for normal ceramics, but stubby gas lens ceramics dont it so needs to be opened up...i just use a pony clamp to hold it to the bench wherever its needed. works for the mig torch too

I havent got any ally, but i do have a few 20mm holes in my bench that have dogs with M8 threads, i could use a bit of threaded rod with some bent top doo dads to fabricobble something up.

 

[Craig-S]

I go to a community workshop to improve my mig welding, and I pick out all the weldable bits from the scrap bins, and weld them all together in random shapes. I normally run practice weld beads along every available surface. Then they go back in the bin.
Imagine my surprise when I came in one week and found that someone had dragged my efforts out of the bin, and used it as a stand for their own metal sculpture.
Now, I'm an artist!!!!

saves filling up your own place with scrapt though.....or has it inspired you to dabble with your creative side in your own space?

 

[harveyp6]

saves filling up your own place with scrapt though.....or has it inspired you to dabble with your creative side in your own space?

I'm not artistic really, I used to think people were saying that I was, but then I realised that what they were actually saying is that I'm autistic.....
I admire people that are, I just can't do that myself. All I want to be is competent enough with my welding that I can have faith in it's structural integrity.
And make nice neat welds on demand.

 

[Craig-S]

I'm not artistic really, I used to think people were saying that I was, but then I realised that what they were actually saying is that I'm autistic.....
I admire people that are, I just can't do that myself. All I want to be is competent enough with my welding that I can have faith in it's structural integrity.
And make nice neat welds on demand.

I have always had a small interest in welding as a skill and my daughter was told that if she learnt tig or at least a greater understanding than college provides it will giver her an edge as she is studying engineering with an eye on aerospace.....which puting 2 and 5 together means she can learn and so can i

 

[Tinbasherdan]

I have always had a small interest in welding as a skill and my daughter was told that if she learnt tig or at least a greater understanding than college provides it will giver her an edge as she is studying engineering with an eye on aerospace.....which puting 2 and 5 together means she can learn and so can i

There certainly is money in aerospace welding. It’s something I’ve looked at but never got round to doing for one reason or another

 

[Craig-S]

There certainly is money in aerospace welding. It’s something I’ve looked at but never got round to doing for one reason or another

im not convinced she is going to be an aerospace welder, probably end up trying to save dolphins, but while the interest is there ill do my bit, and I get to learn myself so win win

 

[chrismac]

definetly get your machine set to 4T, then you only need to press the button at the beginning and end, you'll soon learn you can then move your hand around the torch while keeping an idea where the button is ready for the slope down press.

 

[Craig-S]

Well heres todays update. I did do a butt weld but forgot to take a pic, however when i turned it over the gap was still visible.

Still a LOOOONG way to go, the left side on the second photo i had to go over to smooth out. These were all at 90 amps.

 

[BrokenBiker]

not looking too bad, arc length might be a tad long in places but overall looks like you are making progress