Latest welds - don't laugh :-)

[Dunny]

Thse are my latest efforts.

Anything obvious in terms of where I am going wrong?

It isn't sounding great - a bit machine gunny at at times.

Some of the efforts have been deliberately done at too high / low wire speed.

 

[octo0072000]

you need to clean the metal up for starters mig doesn't like dirty or rusty metal

what is the mig what settings etc are you using a auto mask ?

 

[cumbriasteve]

Some of that plate looks like it has a protective coating on it, that should be ground off if it has, or even better get some plain mild steel.

The dark sooty deposits suggest you are not getting sufficient gas coverage, it could be the dirty steel but I think the gas.

There are a couple of tidy runs there but until you get some clean metal to play with you will struggle to get where you hope to with the standard of finish.

Don't bother trying to join plates until you can put a very tidy run down on a single sheet of metal.

 

[Dunny]

Some of that plate looks like it has a protective coating on it, that should be ground off if it has, or even better get some plain mild steel.

The dark sooty deposits suggest you are not getting sufficient gas coverage, it could be the dirty steel but I think the gas.

There are a couple of tidy runs there but until you get some clean metal to play with you will struggle to get where you hope to with the standard of finish.

Don't bother trying to join plates until you can put a very tidy run down on a single sheet of metal.

Thanks Steve.....some of it was a bit dirty so I cleaned some up for the plug welds.

Hand isnt steady as I would like at the moment!!

D

 

[cumbriasteve]

Rest one arm across the other is usually the best way, draw a chalk line on the steel and practice moving along it without the machine switched on, it will help you find a comfortable position and also prove what position does not work for you.

 

[Dunny]

Good tip.

D

 

[Kent]

In the main I should suspect your too much wire

Stick to bead padding on a single plate. Just fill it up with full length welds
Start squaring the corners and work inwards

Here is the easiest way I know of teach yourself mig settings

Power full wire full and turn the wire back without touching the power settings ( sorry nobody used amps and volts when I learnt)
Unless you plant is realy powerful on thin wire or realy puny this is what is likely going to happen
As the wire speed diminishes it will in your works " machine gun" less and work it's way towards a hiss ( this is spray transfer) useful for some stuff but that's the lowest point you can effectively make use of
Now increase the speed bit by bit till you get wire smoothly into your pool without jabbing ( I think this is what you call the m aching gun) with tiny adjustment up or down you will find minimum.spatter and smoothest run while still maintaining a crackle only a very smooth even and less aggressive one ( people call this bacon frying but I have never had bacon make the noise personally)

Now work back on the power and do the same

Write down your settings for the spray and bacon settings at each step

Spray will only come in at higher settings unless you have thinner wire and or a powerful set and if you hence have thicker wire or a small set might not happen

Go back to far on the wire and the wire will burn back up the tip. Change the tip if this happens
Don't try and run a bead with a melted blob on the end of your wire or a mass of stick out

 

[Dunny]

Thanks Kent. May get chance to try this tomorrow.

D

 

[Dunny]

you need to clean the metal up for starters mig doesn't like dirty or rusty metal

what is the mig what settings etc are you using a auto mask ?

Hi octo. I am using an automask and the settings I am using have varied as the steel sheets are slightly different thicknesses. In the very first photo I tried to tack the plates together but they just came apart. On my machine there are only 2 different settings (other than the wire speed). 1 and 2 plus MIN and MAX. I turned he settings up and then at least got a join.

Hopefully will be able to have another go tomorrow and just do some beads as people have suggested.

Thanks

D

 

[Dunny]

So a bit more of a practice today. A couple of things have improved so far. I can now see the pool forming, I am a bit steadier than I was, and most of the welds tonight had a good sound to them. I found I could vary the distance of the tip from the job and control the weld better. Still lots to learn pf course but how do these welds look?

 

[pondy]

Much better

 

[Dunny]

I started a bit of a mini project tonight. Refurbishing a motorbike seat base. The old ones (it's a Honda cx500) rot along the lip on the base. Anyway been grinding and welding for a few hours and although it ain't pretty (but isnt seen anyway) I have managed to weld it and it now has the strength back in it. Blew quite a few holes in it as its thin rusty steel but at least it's better than it was. Probably not the easiest thing for a first project though!,

D