How's my welds look????

[Beezil]

Oh also I am using .030 wire and it's a copper color and don't know if you noticed in the welds there is a bit of copper looking spots on those welds

the rust-colored soot is not from the copper electro-plate.

 

[BornAgainXJer]

i am concerned a bit with looks of the welds but more importantly I want them to be strong. I had a friend that "supposively knows how to weld" do my long arm brackets to the unibody and the welds look like crap but so far they have held up for 3 years.

How much am I looking at for a good welder?

Also I am going to go at it again tomorrow and try some of the things we have discussed and I will get you a picture of the backside so you can get your penatration. Thanks

 

[jeepguy97]

I would like to see the reverse side of the substrate in order to study your heat and penetration

It's always about penetration with you isn't it. :laugh2:

 

[Matt]

Are you using straight CO2 or a mix? - mastermix or another argon mix helps with splatter control - they can also affect the amount of penetration a smaller welder gets in thicker material

As noted dependable electical in feed is a big help - depending on where you were working the power grid can have a large amount of variation in voltage throughout the day - it is pretty amazing to take readings over a few days time several time a day...

Cleaning the base metal make a huge difference in repeatable strong welds - the sheilding gas can only do so much...

As for the technique problems I see a few - A. you have a cold start problem at the beginning of the uppermost weld (first pic) - B. also as you were driving along you seem to have lost track of the seam or stopped for some reason - starting with a gap and the quickly doubling back to alloy the cold weld material can help there...

At the bottom weld in the first picture it looks like either your stickout (distance from contact tip to workpiece) is slammed to the deck by the way the splatter is arranged or you have a shallow angle to the left and the splatter is kind of skipping out - the inside fillet weld is much easier to follow huh! - no issues with tracking there...

There is a small crater at the finish but not to much of a big deal - in aluminum that would be a bigger concern as it would be a stress riser - doubling back as you end the weld eliminates the problem (that brassy/tan material is actually molten silicon that has solidified)

The good thing is I don't see any under cutting (hard with such a small machine but still do-able) - The profile looks ok - not too peaked but not concave either - unfortunately as Beez said you need to see the back to see the temper zones to judge penetration

As for machine my favorite small machine is the miller 175 - it is about 650$ the prefered machine would be a miller 250 with a digital display - add a spool gun for Alum. and you are in the 1600 - 2000$ range...

The lincoln's are nice I have just never abused one like the millers...

Just my 2ct's uke:

Matt

 

[vintagespeed]

I dunno hinkley, he's using a 130 amp welder....

IMHO, he needs all the heat he can get.

I routinely weld 3/16" with my little 100 amp wire feed & gas. You need all the heat you can get, turn down the speed and watch the pool.

It does look like your going a litle fast & not working the pool at all. You're also overlapping way more than necessary which doesn't give you any more strength, just more cleanup work.

It's hard to tell in the pic but you should have more heat marking on the material where it's welded, I usually have about 3/4" of blueing around my beads on 3/16".

When you get it right you wont have to weld the backside, your bead will penetrate deep enough that it'll go nearly all the way through the joint.

Overall it ain't bad.

-jb (Smart enough NOT to post pics of my welds....)

 

[BornAgainXJer]

I routinely weld 3/16" with my little 100 amp wire feed & gas. You need all the heat you can get, turn down the speed and watch the pool.

It does look like your going a litle fast & not working the pool at all. You're also overlapping way more than necessary which doesn't give you any more strength, just more cleanup work.

It's hard to tell in the pic but you should have more heat marking on the material where it's welded, I usually have about 3/4" of blueing around my beads on 3/16".

When you get it right you wont have to weld the backside, your bead will penetrate deep enough that it'll go nearly all the way through the joint.

Overall it ain't bad.

-jb (Smart enough NOT to post pics of my welds....)

Thanks for the input

 

[BornAgainXJer]

Are you using straight CO2 or a mix? - mastermix or another argon mix helps with splatter control - they can also affect the amount of penetration a smaller welder gets in thicker material

As noted dependable electical in feed is a big help - depending on where you were working the power grid can have a large amount of variation in voltage throughout the day - it is pretty amazing to take readings over a few days time several time a day...

Cleaning the base metal make a huge difference in repeatable strong welds - the sheilding gas can only do so much...

As for the technique problems I see a few - A. you have a cold start problem at the beginning of the uppermost weld (first pic) - B. also as you were driving along you seem to have lost track of the seam or stopped for some reason - starting with a gap and the quickly doubling back to alloy the cold weld material can help there...

At the bottom weld in the first picture it looks like either your stickout (distance from contact tip to workpiece) is slammed to the deck by the way the splatter is arranged or you have a shallow angle to the left and the splatter is kind of skipping out - the inside fillet weld is much easier to follow huh! - no issues with tracking there...

There is a small crater at the finish but not to much of a big deal - in aluminum that would be a bigger concern as it would be a stress riser - doubling back as you end the weld eliminates the problem (that brassy/tan material is actually molten silicon that has solidified)

The good thing is I don't see any under cutting (hard with such a small machine but still do-able) - The profile looks ok - not too peaked but not concave either - unfortunately as Beez said you need to see the back to see the temper zones to judge penetration

As for machine my favorite small machine is the miller 175 - it is about 650$ the prefered machine would be a miller 250 with a digital display - add a spool gun for Alum. and you are in the 1600 - 2000$ range...

The lincoln's are nice I have just never abused one like the millers...

Just my 2ct's uke:

Matt

Well thanks for the analysis of my welding. I am using argon also. I think this welder has see better days the reason it looks like I stopped is because did. The wire got jammed. It jams a lot making it hard to keep going. Also more power in this rental house is crazy. The garage and 1/4 of the house r all on one circuit and it's about 3,000 sq. ft. house. I think I will probably end up with some around 175 if that's adequate for 1/4" - 3/8" steel.

 

[Ramsey]

heres plenty of info on welders http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31365&highlight=kind+welder+cage

 

[XJJPR]

Yeah, all the other practicing all have done has been overlapping, I thought I would try a 90* joint. also I was pushing the weld not pulling I can see the puddle most of the time till my auto tint helmet untints for some reason and blinds me. Thanks for the input

Now let me go into photoshop and..............:laugh:

If you were really pushing then that thing really needs to be turned down.

Beezil,

Yes even on a 130. I just bought a miller 135 for working the fence line (LOL) and it welds much better even on a 100' extention cord turned down. Just need to slow the weld process down to let it do it's work. I actually like the 135 alot. I have no idea why it is bitched about so much. The only thing I can think of is everyone is trying to make it work faster than it can.

hinkley

 

[JeepinAudiophile]

What price range would he (or I) be looking at for the right welder... i've looked up the welders, looked at the specs, got really confused then left having no idea what I needed. I would like a really good machine, but another thought of mine that I'm sure is gonna cost me, is I would like to be able to weld aluminum. What is a price range without aluminum welding capabilities, and then a range with it. I am not going to get ****y about how close the prices are, just want a rough idea. (P.S.- I have a 220 socket 2' below my incoming service panel) I would like to buy a new welder partially because I want it, and partially as my fathers B-Day gift. Thanks for the help, Chad

 

[XJEEPER]

If you were really pushing then that thing really needs to be turned down.

Beezil,

Yes even on a 130. I just bought a miller 135 for working the fence line (LOL) and it welds much better even on a 100' extention cord turned down. Just need to slow the weld process down to let it do it's work. I actually like the 135 alot. I have no idea why it is bitched about so much. The only thing I can think of is everyone is trying to make it work faster than it can.

hinkley

Agreed that the 135 has it's limitations, but with my Miller 135 I've built multiple bumpers using 3/16 and 1/4 materials, sliders, LCA's/UCA's, welded brackets to axle tubes.......heck, I even fixed my buddy's snowplow with some 1/2 plate (multiple passes, of course). It may take a little longer and you have to learn how to match you heat and wire speed settings, but you can weld a lot of junk with a 135 with strong, good looking welds.

That being said, if I were to make the purchase over again, I'd probably go with a 175 for the stuff that I do, but I haven't really been able to justify an upgrade since my 135 seems to handle whatever I shoved in front of it.

 

[BornAgainXJer]

If you were really pushing then that thing really needs to be turned down.

I swear to you I was pushing the weld and not pulling

 

[XJJPR]

/_________

< pushing direction


Right??????




hinkley

 

[C-ROK]

/_________

< pushing direction


Right??????




hinkley

I thought this would be pushing.........


_______\

pushing direction >


Well, Hinkley can't have a lock on the smart ass market you know

 

[XJJPR]

I thought this would be pushing.........


_______\

pushing direction >


Well, Hinkley can't have a lock on the smart ass market you know

Sorry I'm right handed!



hinkley

 

[XJ91]

Here is a good place to get a lot of info on welders.
http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/
The only thing I foung is that they are bias and lean towards the Hobart brand.

Myself I picked up a decent 220V CLARKE 180EN for under $600. It serves its purpose, and I figure when I really get good and feel the need for more power I'll go with a Miller 250+

 

[BornAgainXJer]

/_________

< pushing direction


Right??????




hinkley

Yeah, that would be right

Finish /_______ Start

< pushing direction

 

[XJJPR]

Yeah, that would be right

Finish /_______ Start

< pushing direction

Man, those are ugly for pushing!

hinkley

Just joking!

 

[C-ROK]

Man, those are ugly for pushing!

hinkley

Just joking!

_____\
)))))))))))

Is this a little better?
I weaved that one.

_/
CCCCCCCCC

I did some dime dropping for this one.

EDIT:
Pretend there's no _'s there. I guess simple spaces don't show up.

 

[BornAgainXJer]

OK, here r some new pictures.

Too me it doesn't look like there is any penetration.