Welding question....

[Muggzy]

Get a narrow tight bead. If it's cold it starts too slow and we get back to a big ole fat bead.

"starts slow" definitely answers a few questions. May even help with the pinholes in getting at the start of my beads when I use the Hobart rods. I'll try 75 and see how it goes now that I've got better control. The reason the beads are so wide on my practice stuff above, is because I was watching and working on controlling the edges of my puddle, so I was making bigger circles with the tip of my rod than I would otherwise. When go to thinner metal I'll probably run a straight stringer bead with no zig zag or circles.

Near the end of the bead on the one you did at 75 is better. You should have to hurry. The big bead at 65 really took as much heat cause it was slow, but the edges are not well fused.

These are the beads that Dr_Clyde did for me as an emple and is pretty much the same thing he said about them. Since I can't just go up 5 amps on my machine, it's 65 or 75. For the material I'll be working with, 70 looks to be optimal, but I don't have that option.

Thanks for the help, especially about starting slow at low current. I'll try higher.


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[sberry]

No circles or side to side but straight stringers. Side to side or circles without a pause to let it fill is what causes undercut. On light sheet ideal is a bead just wider than the wire in the rod.

 

[Muggzy]

No circles or side to side but straight stringers. Side to side or circles without a pause to let it fill is what causes undercut. On light sheet ideal is a bead just wider than the wire in the rod.

Wow! This addresses another issue I'd been having. THANK YOU

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[joe49]

A what some call a hack is to measure the length of the critical weld, then mark that distance on similar material and run a pass. When done cut down your rods to a 1 1/2'' longer than you used. This get's rid of the longer than needed rod and gives better control.

 

[joe49]

To add start on and run off to sacrificial tabs. These can be tacked or clamped to the weldment adjacent to the weld. This let's you get your rod going and stopped off of the weld. Second it, on stringers only on thin material.

 

[Muggzy]

A what some call a hack is to measure the length of the critical weld, then mark that distance on similar material and run a pass. When done cut down your rods to a 1 1/2'' longer than you used. This get's rid of the longer than needed rod and gives better control.

Thanks Joe. I plan on using half rods when I get to the point where I'm ready to try. Thanks for the idea, but I think I'll need some additional length to reach and see what I'm doing. It'll be like working in the wheel well of a car, only a little tighter 'cause it's the wheel well of my atv.

The cheater tabs are also a great idea for future use, but they won't work here since the gussets will be in 90* corners with at least one of the "walls" only 1 1/2" long.


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