Saturday Weld
January 24th, 2009Problems
Wow, am I a bad welder.
I watched my MIG video again, and I got my metal ready, and I turned on the welder…and I made a disgusting mess. Spatter was all over the place. I ruined a tip right away. Then I realized I hadn’t turned the gas on.
Okay, new tip.
I started over. Not much better. I couldn’t see a thing. Very frustrating. When I stopped welding, the second tip was ruined, and there were big gloppy hunks of metal on the weld.
Evidently when I set the voltage and wire feed, I got my fractions mixed up in my head. I set it for 3/16″ instead of 1/8″, so the voltage was too high.
I turned everything down to what appeared to be the 1/8″ settings. Still couldn’t see diddly. Ruined a tip. Wandered around the joint.
Since then, I’ve been getting a lot of grinder practice. My theory: if you can grind really well, it doesn’t matter if you can weld.
Bad theory, I guess. Although adequate for a crappy mobile base.
I don’t know what’s going on. Maybe I have the helmet adjusted wrong. Maybe I read the wrong scale on the gas regulator.
I’m going to look the welder manual over, and then I’m headed to Home Depot for more nozzles and maybe even some overpriced metal to play with. The truth is out there.
More
Turns out the wire feed was too slow. Because I weld about once every eighteen months, I had forgotten how fast you’re supposed to go, and I was sure I was flying, so I slowed the wire feed down and moved the gun slowly. This caused the wire to melt back into the contact tip. This is known as “burnback.”
Bummer.
January 24th, 2009 at 2:54 PM
When you have a case of empty rolls of welding wire, then maybe you can complain about bad welds.
What you are doing now is learning.
January 24th, 2009 at 5:10 PM
I could also be the steel.
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Last year I bought some “weldable” angle iron from Menards to build a trailer-tongue mount for a firepit. I was immediately suspect about the properties of this stuff because it had a “pebbly” surface (like it was cast instead of rolled) and it wouldn’t rust.
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I suspect it was a either a high-carbon steel like 1065, or actually cast-gray iron. It would not take a bead (no matter how “hot” I made MIG setting). I didn’t try the arc welder as I haven’t setup 220VAC in the garage yet; I bow to your greatness in that respect (my back is healed now so, I can do my full range of prostrations now 🙂
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I gave up on the Menards stuff and found some rolled steel that welded up just fine.
January 24th, 2009 at 7:51 PM
“Turns out the wire feed was too slow.”
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I used to fiddle around trying to get the wire feed set right, then I took a TIG welding class at AirVenture:
http://www.airventure.org/attractions/workshops.html
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The most valuable thing I took away from that class was the instructor said to start the wire-speed at a high setting (on a piece of scrap that is similar to what your welding) and then turn the speed down until you achieve a continuous “frying egg” sound.
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I can’t say I’m a great welder, but in the area of striking and maintaining an arc, the above advice has made me pretty good. Now if I can get the bead-filling done in a nice continuous puddle/stream, I would be happy. Actually, I think my problem is with intial placement; maybe this would help?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46092
January 24th, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Hey Steve,
Off topic, I know, but Woodcraft has the Wixey digital saw fence readout on clearance. Reg $149, I just had one delivered for $74, and they threw in the angle gauge also. Seriously cool addition for the 66.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:25 PM
grind first too. shiny clean metal often welds easier. & the shiny spot also helps you find the weld.
January 25th, 2009 at 8:50 AM
JeffW: I have that helmet. I’m not sure the reaction time is fast enough or the protection dark enough. Hasn’t stopped me from using it. I can’t weld without an auto-darkening helmet. Next, I need “welding glasses” without bi-focals.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:21 PM
“Next, I need “welding glasses” without bi-focals.”
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Heck, I’m looking for the “Reading Glass Welding Helmet”!
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“I can’t weld without an auto-darkening helmet.”
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I’m finding the “flip the head to drop the Helmet” Maneuver throws my aim off and I don’t get near enough practice to perfect it. That’s why I’m looking at these…