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I am using an oxy/acetylene setup. I believe I have a nice neutral flame. Maybe I don't, but I think I do. In any case I can't get filler rod to stick to anything. I know that a thousand things could be wrong but I've been trying all day just to lay a bead and it just beads up and easily chips off the metal when cooled. I'm so frustrated. Sorry for the impossible question. Maybe someone could kind of help troubleshoot or something?
Reply:Neutral flame occurs when the bright blue "jet" or rather inner cone just barely looses all trace of feathering and becomes well defined when adding oxygen, but not real sharp and pointy.  Only a mild rasp should be heard.  No sound like a roaring jet or a high pitched squeal.Now what thickness metal and what size tip?  Your tip number should roughly match your PSI on both the Oxy and Acetylene.  Both pressures should match.You are using a welding/brazing tip, and not the cutting tip, right?The base metal must be heated until it starts to go molten and forms a keyhole.  The flame should be held close to the metal where the inner cone is just barely off the metal.  The filler should only be added when the base metal starts to become "wet" and starts to form a key hole all the way through the metal.  At that time the filler rod is introduced to the metal quickly, but long enough for a small globule from the rod to be joined to the metal and disappear, while the torch is held still at first then moves ahead following the keyhole and the filler rod is retracted just far enough out of the puddle to stop the melting.  It(the rod) needs to be held close so that the heat from the torch is keeping the rod at a medium orange color. A slight whipping motion to the rod or a quick flick can be used to evenly apply the globule to both sides of the weld.Last edited by lugweld; 11-21-2008 at 09:45 PM.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I tried again and had success making coat hanger disappear into the base metal, but not my filler rod (1/16" "mild steel"). I was going to buy RG45 but was advised that this stuff was better for practice on steel scrap.  I'm having issues with the metal flaking and blackening on the surface. Really bad. Too hot? However, when I make a more oxygenated flame I am avoiding the problem but have a louder flame that doesn't seem right. Is the metal blackening because it is a carbeurating flame? I appreciate your advice. I'm really dead-set on learning this skill. . .
Reply:I just keep trying. I get my base metal red hot, even until the point where it starts burning away and still it won't take this filler rod. It just sits on top or blows away in little balls.
Reply:Start a puddle by circling the flame tip just over the area meant to puddle. Then dip the filler and remove slightly. Continue circling to reheat the puddle moving slightly ahead and dip again, repeat and practice ad nauseam. Perhaps the filler is not compatable, try the coat hanger! City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Get a few tips 0 and 2 perhaps then continue, this way you will see if it is lack of heat not technique, you need some basic equipment, some starter tips...clean metal, filler rod...
Reply:what size metal?  What size tip?  It could remain frustrating if you don't have the correct tip for the metal?   Red isn't hot enough to weld.  There is a lot of information on o/a welding on this forum.Have fun.Good explanation Lugweld.
Reply:I started with a 3 and moved to a 7. I'm not really understanding why it turns black and flakes away? I've tried a couple different pieces of steel.
Reply:Sounds like the rod you are trying to use is not steel. If you got the coathanger to fuse with the metal you are trying to weld you should be able to do the same with the two rods normally sold for A/O welding.
Reply:I agree, it sounds like the rod you have may have been mislabled. Look for copper colored welding rods from your LWS.  These will do you best.  But if your metal is showing significant black, then it is carburizing.  But a # 5 is the best all around, up to a 1/4" thick material.  Set for 5 pounds Oxy and 5 pounds acetylene.Are you using a forehand or backhand technique?  Sometimes this makes a difference in how the rod melts.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:can you actually see a molten pool?Have we all gone mad?
Reply:I just went to LWS and asked them about the filler they recommended me and the guy there said "Oh. That's for TIG, not gas". Yeah? Well, I thought so but one of your guys insisted that this was the right thing. I'll work on balancing that flame and seeing if I can't see a little success. Thanks for all of the advice. I'm probably not out of the woods yet.
Reply:Yeah, so, I got a really good neutral flame that wasn't blackening anything. My two pieces of metal (1/4 and 3/16) were near liquid and when I added filler there were definite molten pools that I was able to blow around a little to get rid of pinholes. The filler rod ended up very smooth with the base metal where I joined two pieces but my straight beads looked absolutely horrific. After it cooled, I was easily able to snap the two pieces apart and see that zero penetration was achieved in the weld.
Reply:It can't be near liquid.  IT has TO  BE LIQUID!  That's what welding is.  Its heating metals to a molten state then making the pieces to flow together.  This isn't soldering.  You will actually have a "keyhole" that develops in front of the flame.  It will quiver kind of like that thing that hangs down in the back of your throat.  Around the keyhole, there will be a molten puddle of steel.  It will be anywhere between bright orange to yellow.TIG Rods are absolutely fine.  Coated rods weld much better due to the copper coat and other ingredients act as deoxidizers for the metal. In fact, they weld better and are higher quality steel.   Make sure your metal is shiny before you start.  Grind the sucker if you have to to get fresh steel before you start.  Got any pics?  They would help.  Start with 3/16 max, better yet 1/8 untill you figure it out.  1/4 is for the pros.Make sure you have a gap between the two plates the width of the rod or slightly larger.  Tack the plate at both ends before you start.When you think you got it welded,put it in a vise with the weld running paralell to the jaws of the vise.  Whack the top of the metal til it bends back on top of the vise.  Straighten it out then bend it the other way.  If it holds and does not crack... you pass.  Nothing less is acceptable.Last edited by lugweld; 11-22-2008 at 07:50 PM.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Dont expect a keyhole on 1/4 or 3/16 plate unless its beveled or your using a really big torch tip.Start at 1/8 sheet, none of this 1/4 or 3/16 stuff.  Your learning so start easy  I would suggest using a 1-3 tip, tip size isnt very critical its largly a matter or preference and technique, being a beginner you have none of those yet so dont be afraid to try a bunch.I wouldnt start with a gap either, hell I wouldnt even start in a join.  Just run beads on flat plate until you can make a pretty consistent bead and then start trying to work on controlling the puddle.  Once your getting the heng of it move onto joints with no gaps, then once your ready try stuff with a gap.Dont be frustrated if your not getting good results right away, from what your telling me you jumped right into a joint that requires some experience.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:1/4" steel is really too much for O/A. Can it be done, sure. But you're going to be needing a big tip and burning a lot of gas. And the flame will sound like a 747, not soft and quiet. 3/16" steel is the practical limit for O/A (and it's what we used for bend tests in class), but O/A shines on 1/8" and less.1/16" filler is for sheet metal. For 3/16" steel use 1/8" filler.If you need to weld much 1/4" stuff, a stick welder or 220v mig would be better suited. And, NO, a 110v mig won't do 1/4" steel any better than O/A.Edit: sn0border88 beat me posting.Last edited by Craig in Denver; 11-22-2008 at 10:48 PM.9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:My welding test on OA was on 1/4".  Bent both ways completely, no failure.  No problem, just patience.  If you want to learn,  it is best not to cheat and develop bad habits just to get a result.  Technique is important, gaps are important.  Yes you can achieve a keyhole with 1/4" plate providing you have the right size tip. Only a SLIGHT bevel may be needed if you  have the right gap.   Again a number 5 is a easy place to start.  The only way a flame will sound like a roaring jet is if it is oxidizing, or you are using too small of a tip for the metal and really have the gas turned up and stretching the capacity of the tip. But yes again, use the 1/8" plate .Welding like this is very doable, even in thicker plates. Done correctly, the welds can rivial TIG in appearance, and the process is very similar.  It is a throwback when they had Acetylene generators and used them to weld pipe and even join plate in shipyards.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I I just tried again, going for a better molten pool. I tacked either side of the two pieces. Then, I warmed the metal up in a circular fashion, going in a series of strokes across the 4 or so inch length to be welded until it was pretty evenly red, and then began trying to get both sides evenly liquid. With side A (the side where the 1/4 and 3/16 sides mismatched in heights) bent about 10° and cracked all along the weld when cooled. I went on to weld side B, outside the bend, and it went seemingly well. I feel like I penetrated the gap very well as i spaced it 1/16th of an inch or so (ended up larger though, due to the bend). and here is a picture of how it looks now. Pretty uneven in appearance but I think effective? When it's totally cooled I will give it a little stress test with a boot heel. . .I appreciate all of these pointers. I would be playing around with smaller stuff but at the local metal place all I could find were these thick pieces of plate. I can't find small scraps ANYWHERE. I'm in Seattle, btw, if you have any recommendations. . .This time I used the 3/32 "mild steel" TIG rod that I couldn't get to work before. I will admit that I had the idea that this was more like soldering before. Now that I realize the metal needs to be totally liquid I am having much less trouble getting that old larger to flow.  These pictures are all of the non-cracked side. I welded this side shortly after the previous side so there wasn't much time to cool off. Attached Images
Reply:Also, it would be helpful to know what a decent straight O/A bead looks like. I'm familiar with what a high quality TIG weld looks like but not so much what a high quality O/A is supposed to look like. Does anyone have a photo? How wide is the bead supposed to be? How smooth or high is it? What is the HAZ size?
Reply:Originally Posted by cafevikingThen, I warmed the metal up in a circular fashion, going in a series of strokes across the 4 or so inch length to be welded until it was pretty evenly red, and then began trying to get both sides evenly liquid.
Reply:The pre heating is not necessary.The welding looks like bit like drool.But it is progress I suppose.Scrap may be found or bought at recycler yards, junk yards or  around an old farm. It isn't hard.  You can go to a local steel supplier and buy their dog eared stuff for almost scrap prices.  Even so a piece of 4 inch by 1/8 by 20 foot should be less than twenty feet.  The weld is supposed to look like a tig weld.  It basically is the same process except you are substituting gas for electricity.  You must wait to the puddle develops all the way through.  Keep in mind, 1) your filler rod should be kept close to the puddle and flame while you aren't using it to keep it glowing hot. 2) The torch moves v-e-r-y slow as the puddle develops. 3) The rod is only momentarily introduced to the weld to fill the area behind the key hole, then pulled back as a small glob flows from the rod smoothly into the puddle and disappears.  It is quicly with drawn again.  Keep your rod a couple of inches or less from the flame to keep it near molten but not melting.  If you see sparks off your rod constantly, you are too close.Make sure your inner cone is nearly on the metal but not on it or you will get nice little explosions of hot metal.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:less than 20 dollars I meant not less than 20 feet.  Or still you can buy some flat steel at lowes, or tractor supply co.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Preheating could be necessary depending on the size tip he's using for that large of a piece of steel.  It will make things go alot smoother and faster.  From what I can see however I still dont think your getting it hot enough.   Also post heat could be a problem, it sounds like your welds are almost brittle are you quenching them or just letting them sit in the cold air?  Do yourself a favor and get rid of that 1/4" stuff for now.  Sears or HD also has small pieces of sheet.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Cold air. Yes, they're super brittle. I'm going to go try to run a good bead and forget joining pieces just yet.
Reply:I can't get a keyhole that appears to sag. I can only get molten pools 1/2 in wide or wider. I tried with a piece of 1/8th and the 1/4th. Same story each time. Adding filler rod just makes a drooly mess, not a bead of any sort. I just tried to run a bead and it pretty much flattened out with the metal and looks like a 1/2 inch wide strip of distorted metal. When I try to move the keyhole, I am just dragging a pool of liquid metal across the piece. I suppose it's hard learning something when I have no idea what I'm even looking for.Last edited by cafeviking; 11-23-2008 at 12:19 PM.Reason: typoBrittle welds may mean you are getting too much oxy in the weld, espcially if there are pin holes.  But in the learning process, preheating is not necessary. A  proper foward leaning torch takes care of the pre heating with a fore hand movement  A little clamp on the piece of metal helps though.Pictures are worth a thousand words. Maybe they are readable.  Notice the recommendation that someone offered IS NOT correct on torch size.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Sorry premature posting. Hope this helps. From an old out of print welding manual. Many welders trained on this manual: Welding technology: second ed.  1973 Attached ImagesEsab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:The  keyhole is indeed supposed to sag slightly.  It should look like weld is deposited simoultaneosly on the bottom, although not as pretty if you have good penetration.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Inner cone must be two-tenth shorter to be oxidizing-- not 20 percent or maybe 1/5 shorter.  Just found kidding- found that interesting.    I think cafeviking should practice running puddles without filler for a while.  Perhaps ever some fusion welds.  Overheat some metal.  You'll get it.
Reply:Originally Posted by lugweldSorry premature posting. Hope this helps. From an old out of print welding manual. Many welders trained on this manual: Welding technology: second ed.  1973
Reply:Originally Posted by sn0border88Do yourself a favor and get rid of that 1/4" stuff for now.  Sears or HD also has small pieces of sheet.
Reply:Sno,That is for Victor tips, which each company has a slightly different recommended size.If I were to take your logic on selection of pressures and stuff,  I could easily reverse it and say that those "new" recommendations are not as tried and proven as the ones that had been recommend for 100 years."My dad had a old military welding manual.  I have read it several times including how to weld armor plating.  Newer manuals leave out a lot of technique and go for tech.  This manual told many practical tricks and "secrets" that you will never find in modern manuals,including the ideal repair and the "what works in the field when guns are firing" repair.Craig,  I think your chart lines up with mine fairly well, although my on chart credit is given to airco and I believe it is nearly identical as far as that companies recommendation. Pressure recommendations  also have to take into account length and diameter of hose.  But the pressures I quoted are with standard out of the box hose that comes with the "kit" torches.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Here's what Old Vic says: Attached ImagesEsab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Ok, your right and thats the only way to do it.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Is this 3/16" thickness welded with a #2 victor tip?  Unpossible! http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=13004Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Not impossible, but recommended #3, for fuel consumption, speed, penetration etc.Not bad examples though. Looks like mine.  Will post oxy acet pics soon after thanksgiving.  Going on vacation tomorrow.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:You guys are awesome. I still totally gon't get it at all and I'm having the same issues but I realized that with a size 1 tip I'm having far less blunders. Now, I'm not trying to make an immaculate stack of dimes but to get a weld that doesn't look crusty would be great. I can't get the filler to come out rounded, and yes, I'm using the overhand technique. I think. Honestly I've never even watched someone O/A weld before in my life. Videos online don't show the pool and how you're manipulating it with the flame or how the rod is really added or anything. Maybe I'm not melting enough filler into it? I can lay straight, uniform beads now but they look crusty and flat.Last edited by cafeviking; 11-24-2008 at 09:31 PM.Reason: typo
Reply:If they are crusty,  you are getting oxygen into the weld or something is wrong with the metal.Are you grinding the pieces good before you weld?  I you are trying to weld through rust and mill scale, you won't do a good job.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I haven't read all this thread so might have missed something, but anyway....WRT the tip size charts,If you are using a smaller tip and moving slower 'cause you're not experienced yet, then the whole piece gets hotter than it would otherwise and more area around where you are currently working will be hot enough to 'burn' at the surface. This will include the areas you already welded and the underside of the piece too. You want a tip/flame size which is large enough to melt the area needed quickly, but not so large that you can't control it. Then, you just need to keep practicing on tip control--keeping it close enough but not too close, moving it regularly, (not letting it get away from the molten pool, even momentarily), and keeping the filler metal either in the pool or very nearby (protected by the burned gases) as needed. Once you weld an area, you can't come back to weld there again until it has cooled and you have removed the oxide which formed after the flame was removed but while the metal was still red hot.
Reply:So, now my trouble is that the metal flakes and blows off while I'm heating it. I know, that sounds like a carburating flame but if I turn up the oxygen any more at all it's raspy and the pressure of the gases doesn't feel forced for the tip. On the other hand, this crappy string of snot seems to be the best I've done yet. After I finished it though, it was dull like pot metal and I had to clean it up with a wire brush. Does this say anything about my flame?Sigh, I know I have the dexterity and patience to weld, I just wish the concept would click. I obviously don't get it and I have the tendency toward a soldering technique. Attached ImagesLast edited by cafeviking; 11-25-2008 at 08:03 PM.Reason: more pictures
Reply:Hey,Getting better.  Not too bad really.  Now stick that angle together and make a boxed tube.I am not sure what you mean by "flakes".  If you are having impurities,  it could be from residual paint on the metal, or the type of steel you are using.    But it is normal to have a slightly dull grey look to the metal when you finish, because the weld hasn't cooled comletely by the time the flame leaves it and the surface oxidizes.  A good wire cup brush would shine that right up.  Carbonizing makes the weld real hard and a lot of black sooty looking stuff forms on the outside area of the flame path.  Oxidizing leaves little blister bubbles in the weld.  When you weld do you see a lot of little bubbles like the metal may be boiling and sparks?  A few sparks and a bubble or two is okay, but a steady stream means too much oxy.Again the dullness is normal until it is cleaned up.When you weld two pieces, start with the torch in the center of the weld and minutely sweep the torch side to side to get both parts evenly heated.  Once they start to flow, you may have to concentrate heat more on one side than the other, depending on which piece is thicker or the type joint.To me, a fore hand welding technique is the easiest. The back hand is fine and manageable, but I naturally lean toward the forhand.  The pics I posted show a "bent" rod.  Not necessary as it is only to get the heat away from your hands.  You are using shaded saftey glasses aren't you?  If you aren't then that is one reason you are having difficulty because you can't see the puddle.I do see where you may have let the inner cone come in actual contact with the metal.  That will oxidize and "blow" out little chunks of metal and make pops like a starter pistol.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Thanks, that's really helpful. I was getting sparks and bubbles. The flame from a #1 tip is so drastically different looking and sounding than even a 3, I'm slowly getting used to it. I will find that balance one day. Thank you for the encouragement, I'm glad this weld didn't completely repulse you. . . Even if it did just a little : )I think I do need to keep he blue tip out of the metal. I have for sure put it into the metal. I think the best example of that is probably that hole in one of my pictures because my torch didn't pop or anything. I think I am going to start using the flux I bought because I believe this metal is inferior. If not inferior, it is at least deeply damaged from being in a bin out in the rain. I bough a bunch of orange metal because it was all I could find at the time and new steel is pricey. It wasn't pitted so I figured I could use some sort of abrasion to clean it up. What you see in the pictures is cleaned up with a wire brush. Hopefully i'll understand this soon. I am forehand welding. Backhand seems like it makes less sense as far as puddle control is concerned.
Reply:an yes, I have #3 & #5 lenses. . . I use 3 the most, but sometimes when that crap flakes off it reveales a white-ish yellow pool that's a little much to look right at.
Reply:Don't worry about the rust. Take a cheap 4.5 inch grinder and grind the area to be welded until you see the metal cleaned from rust.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Im assuming you moved right to left on the piece posted above, which you can see how you were cold at the start and as you moved farther along things got better as you got more heat into the metal.  Either slow down or warm the piece up a bit before laying a bead.  You may then need to move faster towards the end to prevent overheating.Its also normal for bits of scale to flake off and blow away as your welding so dont mind it.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Do not use flux for O/A welding. Use a  flap disk or grinding disk in your 4 1/2" grinder to shine up the surface. One of the advantages of O/A, if it's steel, it will weld it. RG-45 or RG-60 (the 'proper' O/A rods), TIG rod or coathanger, O/A will do it. Just watch your puddle, float out the impurities, dip; repeat.Get a wire brush for your 2nd 4 1/2" grinder (one is never enough), it will clean off the post weld oxidation and give you hope. Even some of my TIG welds are gray before the wire brush, then they look like chrome.9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:NOT stupid;  just inexperienced . You might try, if nothing else gives satisfaction, with your cylinder gauges turned off , open up the valves on the torch fully open , then turn on the regulators &light the torch , adjusting the flame with the regulators , not the torch valves . It can sometimes give you a nice soft flame -neutral- without being "HARSH". I don't claim to be the best gas welder in the world , but i had ,for an instructor , the best there ever was , bar none. He did it this way.[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:Let this be a lesson to every beginner: LEARN WHAT A NEUTRAL FLAME REALLY IS.I had that richest, nastiest carburating flame you could imagine. I thought "just off feather" meant the flame started to take shape. I had no idea that the "feather" was the entire envelope surrounding the tiny blue point. God, I feel so happy and so relieved. Instead of weird molten slobber I made my first bead. Now, it's not that great but at least it's a real bead! Before, with my carburizing flame I was not achieving enough heat to go through ANY thickness of metal, and was instead just creating a wide area of pool on the SURFACE ONLY. Thank got for my neutral flame revolution. The thing is, when you're watching a flame in a video, you can't tell what it really looks like due to exposure. WHAT A RELIEF. Anyway, now I'm on to learning how to weld. This is my first real bead. A little hot, a little lean on the filler, and inconsistent. But! A bead indeed!!! (by the way, it's slightly sanded hence roundness) Attached Images
Reply:Great,  now you can upgrade yourself to just a noob, whatever that is.Okay It now looks like you are having problems with heat control and fine motor control, which is so important to making a "pretty" stack of dimes. It also looks like you are suffering from a lack of gap or lack of keyhole.  Can you see the keyhole?There is a secret trick to turning those boogers and burrs into a thing of beauty:  Run the flame across the already joined seam until it remelts patially and flows smoothly together.  Do it without the filler.  Gently oscilate the flame to "smooth" out the puddle and leave behind those coveted stack of dimes.  Of course,  it may be cheating, but anyone looking for instant gratification may find himself happy with the result.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Since I made a real weld I decided to buy myself a new heavy duty angle grinder, and let me tell you. . . Clean metal is from the heavens. Still working on getting even heat. Since I didn't know what a neutral flame was, I'm not going to say I have any idea what a keyhole or a gap are either.