Newbie welder

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I'm looking for some advice on my welds. I bought a Harbor Freight 240v 170a flux-core welder and I've been trying to weld for a week or so. I'm using Hobart E71T-11 .035 wire. The metal in the attached photo is 3/16". I noticed the metal turned blue. Does that mean my weld was too hot? Does the discoloration affect the metal negatively? Any words of advice on my weld in general? Thanks
Reply:That weld doesn't look all that bad considering what you have to try and weld with. Consistency needs work and you were moving a bit too fast in some spots, but overall for just starting, not bad. Last inch on the right side looks the nicest of every thing I see theer.Color comes from the metal getting hot. Nothing else. The colors come from the steel oxidizing as it cools. On mild steel it won't hurt anything. In fact some guys use a torch to heat the steel to cause the colors you got as a finish look..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:There are people here that know way more about wire feeders than me. For your first week, the bead look ok. Work on your consistency and technique some more to have the weld more uniform all the way down your bead. The discoloration wont affect the metal negatively unless you weld so hot you change the base structure of the metal and cool it rapidly. This will turn your metal in a martensitic structure which is very hard and brittle. The blue color has something to do with oxidization.Dang DSW beat me to the punch haha
Reply:Are you left handed? Anything that produces slag you want to drag.Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Using any welding process with a CV (constant voltage) power source, you want consistency in all your techniques. i.e; electrode extension, travel speed & angle, and work angle. Use a slight drag with flux core and stay at the leading edge of the puddle...... Color comes from the metal reacting with atmospheric oxygen at elevated temperatures and will not adversely effect mild steel in any way as it's chemical composition does not contain any elements that are heat treatable. Other metals, however, the heat input could/would effect the structural integrity greatly.-Hillbilly
Reply:Welcome to the forum.Lincoln A/C 225Everlast P/A 200