Noobie welding - advice/pointers/criticism please

[stee1e]

A mate and myself have purchased a Clark 90Pro second hand to teach ourselves welding. We have been reading the forums, watching videos etc. and have been trying various techniques.

Would you all be kind enough to look at the photos below and let us know what we are doing right/wrong and what we should spend time practicing.

The pics below are just us practicing pushing, pulling, straight lines, c-movements and up-down movements. We are doing this on 3mm sheet with 5/95% mix.

me:

Mozart (the mate):

We got a couple of boxes of mix scrap to work on like the pic below. What would you recommend practicing with this scrap. Thanks in advance, Colin

 

[Richard.]

Kent will be pleased. This looks like the start of a bead pad.
Looking good fellas keep it up

 

[stee1e]

bead pad?

 

[cumbriasteve]

Your 3mm is probably on the limit of the machine, that makes it a little more difficult to keep the heat in the runs and judge penetration, some 2mm may be better and that may be by the looks of them the scrap bit's of box section you have.

You also appear to have some significant brown soot around the welds, usually caused by lack of gas coverage, either simply not enough flow (should be around 10lpm), wrong torch angle or a draft dispersing the gas from the weld area.

Apart from that you are doing good with the runs, very good considering you are total beginners.

Don't bother with all the fancy weaving etc, it's not needed until you come to weld 2 different thicknesses where you may have to control where the heat is going to.

 

[stee1e]

Thanks steve, the machine is definitely at it's limits on 3mm. We are going to order some 2mm sheet once we've got through this box of scrap.

We'll check the gas coverage. What angle would you say the torch needs to be? I have it about 60 degrees from the table and lean my head a little so I can see the puddle. Is that right?

What would you recommend we do to practice.

Cheers

 

[cumbriasteve]

Your angle is about the norm so should be ok at that.

Practice? well what are you intending to weld in the future or are you just wanting to learn general welding skills?

 

[stee1e]

A bit of automotive and furniture. Nothing structural.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Just the normal then, start on 2mm and work down to 1mm for the auto work, butt and lap joints, drill some holes the size of spot welds and try filling them.

For the furniture you will probably be using most types of welds, make a T piece up with the box section you have, also cut two at 45 degrees and weld up the mitre joint.

Basically any practice is good practice.

 

[stee1e]

Thanks for your help steve

 

[Kent]

Yes, very pleased your on the bead pad! ( I have a pet hate of trying to teach themself to weld by doing joints) Fill it up totally with weld going left right, then right left etc. Put the beads close together and keep them good and straight starting at the outside edges and working in and then do it again. What I do notice is speed of travel seems to vary and looks a little jumpy either you have not got your eyes clearly focused on the leading edge of the puddle (the very front of the weld as it forms, forget what is behind, you can do little about it once its there) Or perhaps you haven't fully thought out were your going and the movement you will need to be able to make with your hand to get there (if its the latter have a dry run without power) reach as far as you can to the right with the torch then come across to the furthest extent you can to the left using the same prop, practice sliding your hand (all the time thinking move your head so you don't obscure your view of the puddle (you cant weld what you cant see). Not planning leads to panic during a weld and a stuttery bead as seen in some of the examples

Ok I say this one a lot also (because it works) but learn to sign your names in weld, its sort of fun and teaches you so much once your off the pad

 

[stee1e]

thanks Kent I'll try the name writting

 

[Richard.]

I think it is nice that these fellas are using gas and have invested that little bit more to help themselves out and improve quality. I've read too many posts with people asking why the run looks bad and burning through and they don't wanna pay the extra and reap the benefit of a solid wire and shielding gas. Nice one guys.

 

[Monkey Harris]

nice first tries ....

looks like your welders already ...

 

[stee1e]

Thanks richard, we thought we should spend the money and get the hobbyweld bottle. If we want to learn we better start with the right stuff and between us the cost isn't prohibitive

 

[stee1e]

Took your advice Kent and continued with the bead pad and writing names. Here is the finished product, the gas finished as I was writing the last name

I think my hand is getting steadier and I can see the puddle better now. My try to weld some joints now

Cheers

 

[Kent]

Improving, keep at it! Not up to speed with LIL bottles but I guess you don't get much in them. Its the actual signature that's the real test BTW but it will take more than a few days to get there. Your beads are already improved a lot you see, do it some more

 

[stee1e]

Stupidly we had the gas on full for a few days so wasted lots of gas. So you're saying do a signature. All in one go or should it be stop and start? Thanks

 

[Richard.]

Try going round a bolt head with as few stops as you can but maintaining the same stick out and torch angle.

 

[Kent]

Stupidly we had the gas on full for a few days so wasted lots of gas. So you're saying do a signature. All in one go or should it be stop and start? Thanks

The idea is all in one go, your thinking about a proper signature and the torch must go were you think rather than plan. Just like doing it by pen we don't think just do. You wont crack it short term, I think you have more to do yet but work towards it

 

[marlinspike]

You might want to look into the BOC Volkszone deal if you are planning a big project. It works out the cheapest in the long run if you are going to need a fair bit of gas.