Started new course!

[cb1rocket]

I have recently started a level 2 welding course after having done a very small amount of welding. However should of really started at level 1!

The college uses a Murex Transmig 253, which after much frustration finally got down to what are the power controls, and wire speed. However I get some good welds and then the next they can be really crap welds.

I'm really trying to find a picture of some weld beads, to show what I'm trying to acheive but I'm not having much luck

Is there a gallery somewhere where I can pick up a picture to show you all what I'm on about?

Currently doing vertical welds, ie root weld, grind back and cap weld. The tutor make it look so damn easy!

However I'm struggling to follow the concept

 

[Country Joe]

Hi there, cb1rocket & welcome to the forum!
I guess the difference between the levels is that on the Level 1 course, you'd have started off with downhand (horizontal, or "on the flat" - if you like) welding, which is a good place to start.
Having said that, I'm guessing that you're able to run reasonably decent beads of weld downhand already, and it's the verticals that are causing you be inconsistent.
The Murex that you mention, is quite a well thought of machine, and I'm guessing that if it's consistent while welding downhand, then everything is working fine.

I wouldn't worry too much about putting up a photo of what you're trying to achieve, as it'll be far more instructive for you to put up a photo of the "problem welds", which will make it much easier for the fine folk on here to see what could be going wrong. It's not that easy to put up all your worst welds on a newly-joined forum, but I can pretty much guarantee they wont be the worst welds posted, and luckily almost all the members on here seem to be the most polite, tactful & constructive welders on the net!

Do you have a welder at home too, so that you can get in a bit of practice during the time in-between classes - as at the start, a week can be a long time between practice sessions?

Also, the fact that your results alternate between good & bad, most likely means that you've already grasped the basic concept, and the only missing part is the practice.
I suspect that within a surprisingly short amount of time, you'll find the consistency rises from the 50/50ish stage that you're at now, and that you'll soon be wondering why it didn't work every time "way back at the start", like it does now.
Just by "sticking at it", you'll suddenly find it just all falls into place - welding could well be described as a series of "Eureka Moments", and I predict you'll have a few of those over the next few days/weeks!
And don't forget the pictures - even William Shakespeare would be hard pressed to sit and describe welds, well enough to give pointers on, and if he'd had a digital camera/cell-phone camera, he could have substituted his long-winded descriptions for photographs!
All the Best,
CJ

 

[cb1rocket]

Thanks for that, I'll get some photos up next time off the phone, but really my welds is not really up to standard either flat or vertical!. Quite embarrassing!

I have a clarke gasless welder at home, and to be honest its no match to the Murex welder.

I can make my clarke gasless but I need the gas, where is the cheapest place to get CO2?

 

[BrokenBiker]

find yourself a pub type co2 bottle on the bay, and refills should be quite cheap, there is a fire extinguisher place localish to me that will fill a pub bottle with co2 for 13 quid, but i dunno what pressure they fill to.

i discovered them the other day, and its prompted me to go to gas from my gasless

 

[Engineer1964]

I have recently started a level 2 welding course after having done a very small amount of welding. However should of really started at level 1!

The college uses a Murex Transmig 253, which after much frustration finally got down to what are the power controls, and wire speed. However I get some good welds and then the next they can be really crap welds.

I'm really trying to find a picture of some weld beads, to show what I'm trying to acheive but I'm not having much luck

Is there a gallery somewhere where I can pick up a picture to show you all what I'm on about?

Currently doing vertical welds, ie root weld, grind back and cap weld. The tutor make it look so damn easy!

However I'm struggling to follow the concept

You tube have some good videos on learning to weld and what to do, have you looked there ??

 

[cb1rocket]

great thanks, will take a look at some of them. Just looked on the bay for a gas bottle so fairly straight forward but would need a regulator. I assume you can get a flow regulator and pressure regualtor in one?

I just found my dad's empty o2 bottle, can I get that refilled with co2? Cheeky its NHS but been in the garage for the past 6 years!

 

[BrokenBiker]

i think they are only suitable for o2, my grandfather relies on them for breathing, and some of his have a big red sticker that says, only to be filled with oxygen(o2) by a registered nhs supplier.

 

[cb1rocket]

My company uses SPA welding supplies, and porobably BOC Edwards for their gas. Any good places in the Brighton area that anyone knows of for refilling the cylinders other than the ones i mentioned?

Hear some people get their co2 refilled for about a tenner!

 

[octo0072000]

try the gas list on here

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/wiki/Gas_Suppliers

 

[cb1rocket]

right everyone, here are the pictures of my welding on week 2 of 10 of the level 2 course doing vertical uphill welds.

Comments/suggestions welcome. Photos are from doing crap to better. The very last one, the tutor said he was pleased. I now have to do that 3 hours solid and consistently !

 

[robertbruce]

i like how you have picked up the edge on that plate, looks good

 

[octo0072000]

keep up the good work last one looks good more pictures please