First Bead!

[bczygan]

Just got up the gumption to try out the Lincoln 3200HD that's been sitting in the garage.

Haven't welded, except in a shop class many years ago.

Tried a couple of beads.

Noticed that the machine seemed to hesitate, like a lawnmower with a carb problem.

Managed to get a variety of beads.......some of them on purpose!

Fun!!!

Now I need more metal!

Bill

 

[JohnDeere1]

My step dad is a pipe welder and was in the naval sea bees and taught me a little but my eyes are so bad I can't see through the welding helmet even the auto adjust but only used cheap ones.

 

[bczygan]

Photos:

 

[mbshop]

More, much more practice !

 

[4 FN 27]

Did you use a Welding Helmet? Or Eyes closed...as mentioned above more practice.

If you were closer I would give you all the free metal you want to practice on.

Current Status: Gobfather...sorry had to do it.

You will get there...practice. I have been welding for 40 years and still practice.

 

[FlushingDIYer]

Current Status: Gobfather...sorry had to do it.

What comes after gobfather status?

I'm so fascinated by welding, especially after watching ChuckE2009 on Youtube. Seems like a lot of work. Seems like you really need to have space to weld correctly, something most folks don't have here in NYC.

 

[bczygan]

What comes after gobfather status?

I'm so fascinated by welding, especially after watching ChuckE2009 on Youtube. Seems like a lot of work. Seems like you really need to have space to weld correctly, something most folks don't have here in NYC.

Space?

Doing it in front of the garage door.

Using an old fixed window helmet. Auto darkening would be handier.

Wire came loose on the spool and I re-wrappped it. Could be causing jerkiness.

Got to dial myself in.

No metal is safe around here now!

Bill

 

[MikeF2316]

I'm not much of a welder either, but one thing I know is electrical currents are high and connections need to be good. Something that's been sitting around your garage might have a tiny bit of corrosion here and there. Make sure your ground clamp and all the cables are clean where connections are made.

 

[lowpro64]

Thats really not a bead, but a ***********. Turn the heat up and let it eat man. You need a bead 3-6" long bead to get going. Thats looks like a tack.
Zim
Autodark shields are for libs. You're good with what ya got...lol.

 

[bczygan]

I'll practice in the morning.

Watching some videos now.

Bill

 

[lowpro64]

I'll practice in the morning.

Watching some videos now.

Bill

Welding tips and tricks is a good YT channel. You'll do fine. Make sure you can see. If your old I know you can't. Don't be like 90% of the guys out there and lie about seeing good. Be a man, **** it up and get some glasses. Even if you have to go to walmart. No one on the planet can weld without seeing the puddle. If you're a young guy, I hate ya.
LMAO, kidding.
Zim

 

[bobcatdan]

What comes after gobfather status?

Chicken *******.

 

[bczygan]

Welding tips and tricks is a good YT channel. You'll do fine. Make sure you can see. If your old I know you can't. Don't be like 90% of the guys out there and lie about seeing good. Be a man, **** it up and get some glasses. Even if you have to go to walmart. No one on the planet can weld without seeing the puddle. If you're a young guy, I hate ya.
LMAO, kidding.
Zim

Recently had cataract surgery, so I need close up glasses. Just 1.5 diopter. Wear dollar ones behind the helmet.

Can actually see real well.

Bill

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Can't see your photos.

 

[MushCreek]

I get lazy about prep. I've stuck together filthy, rusty steel, but it ain't pretty, and it's nothing I'd want to trust my life with. I have an old Lincoln mig, and I love it. Now I want to go out and build something...

 

[sberry]

The machine will do this on a little thinner steel.

 

[Shop Dad]

Hey, you got started which is most important. Now it's practice. I just took a week off to work with my 14 year old son teaching ourselves to stick and TIG weld. We filled each side of several bar stock pieces like that with beads, first the short width to get the start and stop down, then across the length on top of the short welds. Still need practice but much better than those first beads (if they could be called that!)

 

[Ohmthis]

Bill, I will say this; you've got guts to post your bead pictures. Most guys would be scared of the **** that could be given. Like most have said practice, practice, practice. I've taken a class or two in the past and I try and weld (sometimes for work) every week or so. Keep up the progress.

 

[bczygan]

Bill, I will say this; you've got guts to post your bead pictures. Most guys would be scared of the **** that could be given. Like most have said practice, practice, practice. I've taken a class or two in the past and I try and weld (sometimes for work) every week or so. Keep up the progress.

To tell the truth, I thought about that for a second. But I was so excited that I had melted some metal, that I had to post.

You see, I've been afraid to hook the machine up, ever since I got it.

Afraid I would electrocute myself, or burn myself or blind myself.

So just getting some metal to melt, even if it was just spatter, was a start.

Going to try some more.

Bill

 

[buffalobill]

Bill, I will say this; you've got guts to post your bead pictures. Most guys would be scared of the **** that could be given. Like most have said practice, practice, practice. I've taken a class or two in the past and I try and weld (sometimes for work) every week or so. Keep up the progress.

His welds look like the boogers I burned onto some rotten pipe, with an ancient p&h arc welder, with wet old 7018 and a mystery amperage setting. But it held.

Keep yoing, welding gets easier and better, and even bad welding is fun!

 

[rlitman]

Recently had cataract surgery, so I need close up glasses. Just 1.5 diopter. Wear dollar ones behind the helmet.

Can actually see real well.

Bill

You might have an even better view of the puddle if you replace the rear protective lens in your welding helmet with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PSFQKG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

instead of using the reading glasses. Having a pair of glasses in there adds to places where light can reflect and make things harder to see.

 

[bczygan]

OK,

Figured out how come the machine was hesitating over and over.

I had the wire spool too tight.

Now things are much better.

Also turned the heat up and set the wire feed speed to match.

Much fatter beads and continuous ones.

See here:

 

[AA/FC]

OK,

Figured out how come the machine was hesitating over and over.

I had the wire spool too tight.

Now things are much better.

Also turned the heat up and set the wire feed speed to match.

Much fatter beads and continuous ones.

See here:

Are you welding without shielding gas?

 

[bczygan]

More:

 

[bczygan]

Are you welding without shielding gas?

Yes!...

.30 Flux core.

Bill

 

[bczygan]

You might have an even better view of the puddle if you replace the rear protective lens in your welding helmet with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PSFQKG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

instead of using the reading glasses. Having a pair of glasses in there adds to places where light can reflect and make things harder to see.

It wouldn't fit this helmet:

Need a 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 magnifying welding lens. Know where to get?

 

[bczygan]

Other tools.

HF MIG pliers.

Gloves.

 

[AA/FC]

Yes!...

.30 Flux core.

Bill

So, you're using flux core wire WITH shielding gas?

Do you have a tank of gas connected to your welder?

 

[bczygan]

So, you're using flux core wire WITH shielding gas?

Do you have a tank of gas connected to your welder?

No gas. Just flux core wire.

Are beads getting better? I think so.

 

[AA/FC]

No gas. Just flux core wire.

Are beads getting better? I think so.

So your answer to my original question should have been "no"........ instead of "Yes!....."

Flux core wire takes the place of shielding gas, but it is not considered "shielding gas". Real shielding gas comes pressurized in a tank.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Even the best welders out there once had ****** welds. With that said, you still need more practice before someone will give you a genuine compliment on your beads. Dont get discouraged though.... it can take weeks, months, or years of constant welding before someone can perfect their welding skills. Dont be surprised if your welds dont get much better after only a day or two. Keep up the practice and you'll be fine.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Are you welding without shielding gas?

Yes!...

So your answer to my original question should have been "no"........ instead of "Yes!....."

A double negative would not have answered correctly in the affirmative.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Even the best welders out there once had ****** welds. With that said, you still need more practice before someone will give you a genuine compliment on your beads.

There's always the weld police online. And the grammar police.

 

[bczygan]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.

It has given me the impetus to start and continue with this fun activity.

Bill

 

[sberry]

I agree that you are already improving.

 

[Craptain]

I agree that you are already improving.

Indeed. The later pictures actually had beads, albeit crappy ones, but better than the ************. I have only just reached that stage after a couple of years. Maybe I should plug in the welder and give it another shot.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Richard Cranium]

After I clean my garage the next time maybe I will have the room to get out one of my welders and play again. Thanks Bill, keep It up you will get better. Richard

 

[Thumper68]

Like the others said practice, practice, practice.

 

[Ohmthis]

Bill, are you pushing the weld or pulling it? What brand wire are you using? That can make a difference on weld quality. You've gotten better in a short time, keep it up!

 

[slip knot]

every great welder started out as a ****** welder. practice will make better welds. and remember pretty welds aren't always good welds. MIG can be a bit deceiving. keep practicing.

If you really want to have some fun go over to the weldingweb and post those pics. Some of those guys will have a coronary. its kinda fun to troll them up.

 

[ovrrdrive]

Go through the roll of flux to get the hang of it then get a bottle of 75/25 and some solid core. You'll progress really quickly then. The only way to improve is to run beads. When I started a few years ago I found out that Lincoln Foundation sells welding practice coupons from their website really cheap. To save shipping I think I got like 5 or 10 boxes at once. I still have a bunch left over I use to piece stuff together with now. Nice clean metal in a few different gauges.

I used to go out every night after work and burn. It's very relaxing.

See if this link works.

http://www.jflf.org/SearchResults.asp?Cat=79

 

[pepi]

Bill, I will say this; you've got guts to post your bead pictures. Most guys would be scared of the **** that could be given. Like most have said practice, practice, practice. I've taken a class or two in the past and I try and weld (sometimes for work) every week or so. Keep up the progress.

That's not true, some guys have the ability to observe, think using logic as a guide to solve problems.

I can tell ya this, someone that thinks things thru, will have a shorter, stronger learning curve. The knowledge gained sticks with them, improves along the way. Loads of educated fools out in the world, book smart dumb as a rock.

greg