New to welding - Comments please

[Daz.]

Hi

I have been a browser on here for a while and thought it time to say hello and ask for some comments on how I am getting on.

I have a Siegen Mini Mig 130 and an using 6mm wire with CO2 gas. I have a bottle of CO2 / Argon mix to try once the CO2 runs out. I stupidly bought the Siegen without reading up on it but never mind.

My main reason for learning to weld is to repair my Sierra XR4x4 floor pan. So have been practising with 1mm sheet. I am using a pulse technique to make the welds. I am starting to get the feel of it but am not sure if I am getting enough penetration. Here are my latest attempts - comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Darren

 

[Furry Freak]

Well, it's coming along. They are definitely stuck together. I think that one of the most common pieces of advice that I see on here is 'start with some thicker metal until you get settled in' and I think that would be true here. You are attempting a fairly difficult weld to start with. But, in terms of what you have there, I would say try and clean your metal up a bit more first. preparation is key. You also seem to have quite a lot of weld standing proud. Perhaps turn your feed down a tiny bit. If you are going to spot - then spot. You have a series of little drags there. Nothing wrong with that, but by the time you've done, you could have joined them all up. If you are blowing through the sheet, try overlapping the joint rather then butt welding it.

When you come to put your repair in, you can really then just use the weld to hold the plate in place with some of the support coming from the edges. OK, thin sheet isn't my forte, but it's about time I took my turn in helping out. This place is packed full of people who never seem to tire from advising us new guys.

FF

 

[xboxjoner]

your getting penetration which is good, try different wire speeds and technique to make it look nicer, trial and error, and patience is the best advice I can give also preparation is also important as well.

 

[malcolm]

Get thee some thicker steel to practice upon!

Thin stuff (1mm) is a bodge for everyone and is not the way to get the hang of welding. As Furry Freak says get the hang of it on thicker stuff first (2mm is plenty) and then go back to thinner stuff when you have the technique. Photos show good potential.

 

[Daz.]

Thanks very much for the comments. I'll get some 2mm on order and have a go. I have had a small go with 2mm but only had a very small piece so have not learned much from it.