OK, My Pix

admin

I was welding this morning, some .070 tube and every time I'd end a bead, a little dot would appear. It's not porous but rather sits on the surface and looks like a small dot of gloss varnish. Anyone know what this is? And feel free to tell me how the welds look. To me they're better than the bird-doo I was creating but now it's about tuning for heat, penetration, speed and all of that. I think they look good but they're probably not so I need to know how they're not good so I can understand why and adjust accordingly. Thanks as always folks.
Reply:I believe it is silicone that floats out of the wire, its like little bits of glass on the weld. Picture one looks a little cold, pictures two and three look like you had too fast of travel speed. Also need to work on keeping a straight line, or follow a joint/groove.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:I believe those are tiny globs of impurities and/or silicon/manganese that floats up to the surface of the molten puddle, which then solidifies kinda like flux. 1st on WeldingWeb to have a scrolling sig! HTP Invertig 400HTP Invertig 221HTP ProPulse 300HTP ProPulse 200 x2HTP ProPulse 220MTSHTP Inverarc 200TLP HTP Microcut 875SC
Reply:Yeah, that straight line thing is the bane of my existence. And the sad this is, I was following a join of two pieces of tube butt-joined end-to-end!!! Thankfully, most of it is vision. I have to get a helmet I can see through better and turn the AD down to let me better see the joint and puddle. I'm tryin'!!! One foot in front of the other.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesYeah, that straight line thing is the bane of my existence. And the sad this is, I was following a join of two pieces of tube butt-joined end-to-end!!! Thankfully, most of it is vision. I have to get a helmet I can see through better and turn the AD down to let me better see the joint and puddle. I'm tryin'!!! One foot in front of the other.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesYeah, that straight line thing is the bane of my existence. And the sad this is, I was following a join of two pieces of tube butt-joined end-to-end!!! Thankfully, most of it is vision. I have to get a helmet I can see through better and turn the AD down to let me better see the joint and puddle. I'm tryin'!!! One foot in front of the other.
Reply:Terry gave me a classic Huntsman and it's great but I just love the AD. I'm using a Lincoln I bought for $120 and I have it set to 9 and can finally see the ares and the puddle better dialed up to 9-10 but I'm thinking of changing to a new Jackson. Also, more light on the subject seems to help so I'll probably attach an LED to it to focus on the workspace. As for the groove thing, I think it's just a matter as I said of ambient light on the workspace. We'll see what happens
Reply:You may need a cheater, or reading glasses. 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:Got one. 2.0 and it really helps. Thanks.
Reply:If you've got the cash, you might think about one of these: Jackson-BalderHere's some video from inside the hood:Disclaimer: I am not in any way connected to CyberWeld or Jackson-Balder, I just think it's a pretty good deal. I would own one if I didn't already have a Miller.
Reply:Looks really good. I'll be headed down to the LWS to see if they have one on Monday. Thanks.
Reply:Ditto on the gold lens.  I've got a decent autodark from northern tool that set me back about 130 bucks...since I switched to gold lens in shade 10 I never touch the thing.  I dunno how much u see yourself welding "in the field" but a dead battery can really kill the groove of things.  Not to mention make a guys look pretty silly if he's forced to use a passive lens and only used AD before.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesLooks really good. I'll be headed down to the LWS to see if they have one on Monday. Thanks.
Reply:OK. Now that the animals are fed and but to bed, I'm headed over to Cyberweld. I've been welding forever with the shade on 13 not knowing that 9 or 10 is sufficient and doesn't harm my eyes and my neighbor let me use his SpeedGlass super 9million quadruple XXXXXXX or whatever they're called, top of the line, that he got and what a difference. I'm finally starting to see things and not worrying about my eyesight. So it's time to get a pro-quality helmet even though I'm no pro-quality welder!!!As an aside, I had to go to harbor freight or horror fright or whatever it is. Anyway, always good for consumables that wear out anyway like their grinding disks/flap wheel packs of 10 for my 4.5" grinders which actually hold up pretty well. But every time I go there, I walk out with my purchases, less 20% of course, and tape measures. So I counted them today when I threw the 2 new ones I got today and the count is up to 14 so if anyone wants a tape measure, PM me. The shipping may not make it worth it in which case they'll be hand-outs for the next Weld-o-Rama.
Reply:Just saw the Jackson. For $258, I must have it. Thank you so much for the lead.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesJust saw the Jackson. For $258, I must have it. Thank you so much for the lead.
Reply:It looks like a snake eye to me.
Reply:Kinda does, doesn't it?
Reply:That little dot you asked about in your first post is just called a crater, and then the silicon solidifies in it. You can get rid of it by giving the trigger a little "squirt" after you finished the weld, while it's still pretty hot. But you probably don't need to worry about it too much, it's just good practice.Give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire.
Reply:The little glassy-looking dot thing is a little glassy dot of silicon called a "silicon island".  It is from the silicon in the MIG wire, and the silicon is in the MIG wire as a deoxidizer.The silicon (from the wire) combines with any oxides on (or in) the steel you are welding and forms silicon dioxide, aka "glass".http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GlassAs to the welds, not horrible but keep on practicing.    You were wiggly and inconsistent in your travel speed.  And I can't really tell (from just a few pics over the Net) if you got the puddle to actually melt into the base/parent material or if the weld bead is just piled up on top of the base/parent material (the bane of a short-circuit transfer mode MIG weld).  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesYeah, that straight line thing is the bane of my existence. And the sad this is, I was following a join of two pieces of tube butt-joined end-to-end!!! Thankfully, most of it is vision. I have to get a helmet I can see through better and turn the AD down to let me better see the joint and puddle. I'm tryin'!!! One foot in front of the other.
Reply:Hey Jonathan, I clamp a bright light about a foot from where I'm welding. It's the only way I can see clearly for mig, even with a shade 9 and 2.0 cheater lens.If it's bright enough to kinda see through a fixed shade, it's perfect Stick welding I don't need it.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:13 :0  No wonder you can't see :}Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli113 :0  No wonder you can't see :}
Reply:Yeah, it really has been live-and-learn for me. I'll shoot some welds today and post them up. And yes, 13 was a bit extreme on the shader but I make, or made my living with my eyes so I was really careful all the time. I guess I still do to an extent bit it's not a critical now as it was then. Before I was looking at color variation pixel-by-pixel. Now, if I can see a coyote or cougar at 100yds I'm good. So it took me a bit to even try the lower settings but 9 seems to be fine for me. And thanks for the straight edge idea. The problem is all my "practicing" is real-world welding on mostly round pipe corral in the field corrals and pens that's been quite neglected by the previous owner and I'm maybe not worried about how it looks as I should be.  And I know that a straight, even weld is a contributing factor to the weld quality so I'll just have to starting to concentrate harder on the alignment. I'm rebuilding a trailer that I haven't touched in the barn in months because I need to be secure in my welding before I tackled it. It's square tubing so straight, equal base melt and depositation will be important. And it's a 500lb, small, tag-along farm trailer so we're not talking NASCAR safety roll cages or frames. I'll never be ready for that but in replacing sides on a hay wagon, I'm pretty sure I'll be OK.Hey Dave. Thanks. I grabbed a $4 LED, stick,-on light from HF yesterday and it really helps. I taped it for now to the front of my helmet and it directs light right at the weld. Quite helpful. And as for the silicon, great to know. I'd never seen that before. Actually quite cool looking under a magnifying glass!
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesTerry gave me a classic Huntsman and it's great but I just love the AD.
Reply:OK, I trust you. It's what "opened my eyes" (did he really say that!!!) to lighter shades. I couldn't find my Lincoln and hadn't used the Huntsman since I learned to see the puddle. Big difference but the Lincoln's less bulky so I tried the new shade on it and it's helped.I just got dad back home so I'd like to head home and miss some traffic plus my rear hurts from sitting in those God-awful waiting room chairs. Can I come down mid-week to talk with you. Any day better than another?
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesOK, I trust you. It's what "opened my eyes" (did he really say that!!!) to lighter shades. I couldn't find my Lincoln and hadn't used the Huntsman since I learned to see the puddle. Big difference but the Lincoln's less bulky so I tried the new shade on it and it's helped.I just got dad back home so I'd like to head home and miss some traffic plus my rear hurts from sitting in those God-awful waiting room chairs. Can I come down mid-week to talk with you. Any day better than another?
Reply:It's hard. Months of producing Fireline in my "retirement" (yeah, right!) and building the ranch work and retirement's hard enough but add caring for an elderly parent and the sleep time goes to about zero, even though we only live 40 minutes from each other. Thank heaven for in-home care and some really great people.  Mom passed last November and her invalid care lasted about 18 months. Dad's doing well compared to mom though. Thank you so much for your messages and care.
Reply:Oh Jeeze, I thought this was on PM! I'm sorry. But thank you anyway.
Reply:Originally Posted by jlamesCan I come down mid-week to talk with you. Any day better than another?