why is this happening?

[ned]

I'm after weaning myself off mig onto arc , and I'm enjoying it, in fact the below was fun as hell, I poured one 2.5 and then a 3.2 electrode into this

the 2.5 was somewhere around 80 amps

the 3.5 was at maybe 130 and was properly hot

- The &*%$%£" metal wont bond!!!!!!!!! ??????? ....what is happening..... I've never seen this before.

all the rods are 1603 and the metal is plain jane carbon steel

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Joint gap too big? Too hot for the steel thickness?

 

[the snooper]

Looks to me as if you have had 2 passes there 1 each side of the joint and only slag in the middle and as Dan says a huge gap on right hand side

 

[evobilly666]

Are you running positive or negative electrode?

 

[ned]

hmmm could i have hit a button the machine...

confused about the terminology regarding positive or negative electrode, i guess its negative electrode and positive ground.

i have been welding for two days now, and its been fine up to this point.

rods are 6013, sorry might have mixed up the numbers.

the huge gaps are fine, I fill them in with the weld pool, its fun. Do not know why this is happening though, will check my machine.

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Looks like your fit up is a bit off. Try a slight weave, spending more time on the solid tube, and a little time on the cut edge. Not sure if that makes sense. YouTube welding box section, some useful tips on there.

 

[Paul.]

the huge gaps are fine, I fill them in with the weld pool, its fun. Do not know why this is happening though, will check my machine.

The huge gaps are not fine though, all you have there is a mixture of slag and metal caused by the large open arc wandering about in the gap, its not a weld, with stick welding joint set up is everything, you need to practice running beads on plate and learn to hold an arc with a tight gap before moving onto joints, then when you do make them fit up properly.
An old thread here may be of use to you http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/6013-and-inside-corners.7885/#post-85275

 

[the snooper]

hmmm could i have hit a button the machine...

confused about the terminology regarding positive or negative electrode, i guess its negative electrode and positive ground.

i have been welding for two days now, and its been fine up to this point.

rods are 6013, sorry might have mixed up the numbers.

the huge gaps are fine, I fill them in with the weld pool, its fun. Do not know why this is happening though, will check my machine.

Are you knocking off all the slag ? Arc isn't great for huge gaps especially if you have only a couple of days practise

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Here's a pic of some Box I welded up. See the slight weave I used. Hope it's helpful.

View media item 9141

 

[the snooper]

Here's a pic of some Box I welded up. See the slight weave I used. Hope it's helpful.

View media item 9141

You need to alter permissions, we can't view picture

 

[Bill Edwards]

The huge gaps are not fine though, all you have there is a mixture of slag and metal caused by the large open arc wandering about in the gap, its not a weld, with stick welding joint set up is everything, you need to practice running beads on plate and learn to hold an arc with a tight gap before moving onto joints, then when you do make them fit up properly.
An old thread here may be of use to you http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/6013-and-inside-corners.7885/#post-85275

Sound advice.

And, contrary to what some suggest avoid weaving. Keep the arc focused where you want it, weaving can work but it also has a lot of potential to go wrong (something to do with excessive heat buildup I think?) and even I don't choose to do it where possible.

 

[ned]

cheers guys makes sense. will get a tighter fit and try again.

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Hope you can see the picture now. Slight weave with less time on the cut section. View media item 9142

 

[ned]

cheers Arclikeharrypotter, yes can see the pic. its the slag thats messing me up i would wager.

when you say, less focus on the cut section, your saying that because there is more material on the uncut section, right ? More material at the shoulder of the bend, so focus the heat there, rather than on the thinner wall of the cut section. I've been doing that. Buuuuuut ) - getting nowhere as neat as your pic there, not vertically anyway.

I should deff spend some time watching youtube vids. The above was a weird experience honestly. I've been using the arc for the last few weeks, and I made the table below in the last two days, and never encountered the issue above.

I have been filling in molten pools regularly cos i just really enjoy it. If its the case that I cant do that with arc, then to hell with it, I'm buying some mig gas, arc is not going to be a daily, though I like the idea that it melts stuff better. I sound like a pyromaniac.

 

[Shedendman]

Is this with that IFL 170 you bought?

 

[ned]

yes thats right.

 

[ned]

I actually put this in the beginners section cos that weld i put up was terrible, lol, and I couldnt put it in a section with professionals.

but hey-ho, whatever suits.

stalwart_hmlc regarding the IFL I tech 170 for arc welding, I can only say im happy with it. The only thing that lets it down is me ) hahahahha

I'll post something up thats reasonable when i eventually manage it. It performs without issue on arc, have no complaints.

 

[HughF]

the huge gaps are fine, I fill them in with the weld pool, its fun.

This isn't mig you know.... ^^^ That won't work for s**t, as demonstrated by that abortion you've taken a picture of...

 

[Shedendman]

stalwart_hmlc regarding the IFL I tech 170 for arc welding, I can only say im happy with it. The only thing that lets it down is me ) hahahahha

I share your pain

 

[ned]

thats why i put it in the beginners section Hugh, its a horrible looking abomination.