open for criticism part II!

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After an unsuccessful 1rst try at welding with cast, I got a few scrap pieces of mild steel and tried again.  For those who didn't read my other post, the machine is a Syncrowave 200, stick welding.I experimented a bit with the amps and 95 seemed OK (I know I have to get a real welding table but I set fire to my wooden one a few times when I went above 95 amps).So I tried a butt joint, here is a picture of the prepared pieces.After my pass (keeping the rod the same distance from the piece as it shortens and going in a straight line is something that will come with practice I assume.  In my defence, I was outside and it was pretty windy which made me waver a bit!).First pass after cleaning a bit.Then I tried a T joint, here is a pic of the prepared pieces.Pic after the pass.I tried a second pass with a "weaving" pattern but I think I lingered a bit too much at the end and burned right through the plate.OK guys, shoot!!!and thanks in advance for any advice and comments.In the next week, the gas depot will get my argon cylinder and then I get to try the TIG.
Reply:Looks like you could use higher current.You didn't say what rod.  Try 6013 or 7014.Simply drag the rod along the joint at a slight angle (15 degrees), with the coating lightly riding on the work surface.Check you lens, can you see the puddle?  Maybe your lens is too dark or just a crap lens.
Reply:I am just a beginner myself but it looks to me like you dont have enough heat/current as pulser says and that your travel speed is too fast.  Watch the edge of the puddle on the side opposite the arc, the freezing edge, and let it swell from pointy to round and then move on.  Use the shape of the puddle to regulate your travel speed.  The bead should look like a nice row of even ripples.   IMO its a good idea to practice laying beads on a flat pc of metal until  you get this down and then try actual joints.  Like I said, I am just learning.355# Hay Budden3# Hofi HammerPropane ForgeIdealarc TIG 300/300AllStates Oxy Propane torchSmith Little Torch
Reply:Thanks for the feedback.  I use 7018 rod.  My hood is a Jackson NexGen and I set the shade to 12, is this too dark for stick?
Reply:I usually use 10 for stick on my nexgen, seems the right level for me.Keep practicing and it will click. It takes a while for that whole rod feeding thing to feel right.Welcome to the club of burnt wood,John
Reply:Originally Posted by runchmanI usually use 10 for stick on my nexgen, seems the right level for me.Keep practicing and it will click. It takes a while for that whole rod feeding thing to feel right.Welcome to the club of burnt wood,John
Reply:7018 needs to be run with a tight arc and can be run as a drag rod, with the coating resting on the base metal.  You should notice that the core wire becomes recessed up inside a cone shape in the coating, and this acts as automatic arc gap gage allowing you to contact the work with the coating.  The protruded coating does make it difficult to restrike the arc, and some people break the coating tip with a gloved thumb before striking.
Reply:Be aware too that if you are running DC, in your 'T' config, that magnet you have on the other side can drive your arc haywire. Drove me nuts the other day until I figured out what was going on. The magnetic field was blowing my arc at right angles to the way it should be going. Welds looked like crap, instead of the semi-crap I normally produce Edit: At least I think that's a magnet poking out on the other side in that one pic?
Reply:Originally Posted by pulser7018 needs to be run with a tight arc and can be run as a drag rod, with the coating resting on the base metal.  You should notice that the core wire becomes recessed up inside a cone shape in the coating, and this acts as automatic arc gap gage allowing you to contact the work with the coating.  The protruded coating does make it difficult to restrike the arc, and some people break the coating tip with a gloved thumb before striking.
Reply:Originally Posted by runchmanBe aware too that if you are running DC, in your 'T' config, that magnet you have on the other side can drive your arc haywire. Drove me nuts the other day until I figured out what was going on. The magnetic field was blowing my arc at right angles to the way it should be going. Welds looked like crap, instead of the semi-crap I normally produce Edit: At least I think that's a magnet poking out on the other side in that one pic?
Reply:You can tack weld your work in a few places and then remove the magnets.No reason to go out and get a spot welder.(spot welding and tack welding are not the same thing.  Spot welding is a specific weld process.  Tack welding is just doing a small quick 'spot' of welding to help hold the work in place before you weld it all up.  A tack weld can be done with GTAW, SMAW, GMAW, whatever.
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseYou can tack weld your work in a few places and then remove the magnets.No reason to go out and get a spot welder.(spot welding and tack welding are not the same thing.  Spot welding is a specific weld process.  Tack welding is just doing a small quick 'spot' of welding to help hold the work in place before you weld it all up.  A tack weld can be done with GTAW, SMAW, GMAW, whatever.
Reply:Be careful welding on top of that plywood.  You can start a nice fire that will keep re-igniting itself...It looks like you should spend some time working on your travel speed along the joint.  Some of the practice welds are obviously very fast passes.  Start by trying to control the puddle on a flat piece of stock without the joint...just run one bead and then another.  Once you have finished a whole pad, turn the plate 90 degrees and weld more beads.  Once you estabilish the arc, keep your travel speed steady.  Try not to vary it too much and only change speeds when you start a new bead...this will help you figure out the "sweet spot" for you welder and also help you with hand control.  Someone (I forget who) told me to practice had control by drawing overlapping circles with a pencil held by the eraser end.  If you move too fast the circles don't overlap...now, that's for a circular weave, but it will help slow you down a bit.Last edited by smithboy; 09-17-2007 at 04:06 PM.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyBe careful welding on top of that plywood.  You can start a nice fire that will keep re-igniting itself...It looks like you should spend some time working on your travel speed along the joint.  Some of the practice welds are obviously very fast passes.  Start by trying to control the puddle on a flat piece of stock without the joint...just run one bead and then another.  Once you have finished a whole pad, turn the plate 90 degrees and weld more beads.  Once you estabilish the arc, keep your travel speed steady.  Try not to vary it too much and only change speeds when you start a new bead...this will help you figure out the "sweet spot" for you welder and also help you with hand control.  Someone (I forget who) told me to practice had control by drawing overlapping circles with a pencil held by the eraser end.  If you move too fast the circles don't overlap...now, that's for a circular weave, but it will help slow you down a bit.
Reply:Place that 7018 in the pudle and go to town like nobody's businessmove that sucker and weave and manipulate it like its your red headed step child        youll get it weld it like you own it
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyBe careful welding on top of that plywood.  You can start a nice fire that will keep re-igniting itself...It looks like you should spend some time working on your travel speed along the joint.  Some of the practice welds are obviously very fast passes.  Start by trying to control the puddle on a flat piece of stock without the joint...just run one bead and then another.  Once you have finished a whole pad, turn the plate 90 degrees and weld more beads.  Once you estabilish the arc, keep your travel speed steady.  Try not to vary it too much and only change speeds when you start a new bead...this will help you figure out the "sweet spot" for you welder and also help you with hand control.  Someone (I forget who) told me to practice had control by drawing overlapping circles with a pencil held by the eraser end.  If you move too fast the circles don't overlap...now, that's for a circular weave, but it will help slow you down a bit.
Reply:When you get good, weld you a metal welding table for workin on. I learned on tear down benches... That went well... until everyone in the shop told me that transmission fluid would ignite like a mo-fo!LOLLive and learn. You'll get there. Practice makes perfect.
Reply:open for criticism part II!My first stick welds looked just as yours do. I found that I was starting the arc, and then moving to fast. Start an arc then wait on the puddle then move with the C pattern slowly then till you get the bead you want.I'm a new guy here too dont forget. But your welds look just as mine did on first tries.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Originally Posted by x1rider I was trying to see what kind of results I would get changing one variable at a time.
Reply:Today's welds will look better than yesterdays.  Just keep at it.  Steady hand, even consistent pace.  YOU CAN DO IT!DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by lewrayPlace that 7018 in the pudle and go to town like nobody's businessmove that sucker and weave and manipulate it like its your red headed step child        youll get it
Reply:Originally Posted by ca180When you get good, weld you a metal welding table for workin on. I learned on tear down benches... That went well... until everyone in the shop told me that transmission fluid would ignite like a mo-fo!LOLLive and learn. You'll get there. Practice makes perfect.
Reply:Originally Posted by STwelderopen for criticism part II!My first stick welds looked just as yours do. I found that I was starting the arc, and then moving to fast. Start an arc then wait on the puddle then move with the C pattern slowly then till you get the bead you want.I'm a new guy here too dont forget. But your welds look just as mine did on first tries.
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyWithout taking a class or finding a welding friend, this is probably the best approach...You get lots of practice and learn your machine to boot.  Reading helps, but there is no substitute for burning rods.  You'll get there, I'm sure.
Reply:Originally Posted by David RToday's welds will look better than yesterdays.  Just keep at it.  Steady hand, even consistent pace.  YOU CAN DO IT!DavidI've burnt about 20# of 6010 just running beads in position on flat scrap.    I went into the shop every evening and just ran beads for 15 mins.  It did a lot for me. I found it takes a while to really focus on the puddle - the arc is very distracting.  Its really important to be able to see the puddle clearly.  You can safely turn the darkness of the shade down as much as you feel you need. Even a #3 will stop the UV and protect your eyes adequately but the glare will make it hard to see well. I use about #8 on 1/8 rod.  Being an old fart, I need a cheater lens too.  They say beginners tend to move too fast - I did this for a while.  And also they tend to overestimate the amount of metal they are laying down - I did this too.  The second is easy to do with 7018 because there is a heavy coating of slag and its somewhat misleading when running the bead.  It's better to have too much bead than too little.355# Hay Budden3# Hofi HammerPropane ForgeIdealarc TIG 300/300AllStates Oxy Propane torchSmith Little Torch
Reply:Originally Posted by maddogI've burnt about 20# of 6010 just running beads in position on flat scrap.    I went into the shop every evening and just ran beads for 15 mins.  It did a lot for me. I found it takes a while to really focus on the puddle - the arc is very distracting.  Its really important to be able to see the puddle clearly.  You can safely turn the darkness of the shade down as much as you feel you need. Even a #3 will stop the UV and protect your eyes adequately but the glare will make it hard to see well. I use about #8 on 1/8 rod.  Being an old fart, I need a cheater lens too.  They say beginners tend to move too fast - I did this for a while.  And also they tend to overestimate the amount of metal they are laying down - I did this too.  The second is easy to do with 7018 because there is a heavy coating of slag and its somewhat misleading when running the bead.  It's better to have too much bead than too little.
Reply:If you want to be an idiot, do what I did when starting stick welding - after doing some welds in the garage, at night with the door open, lift up hood to see how things are going.  Notice moth landing on welding table, try to squash it using the welding rod.  Whoa, that is one bright arc !! Duh. Put down hood and resume welding....- John
Reply:Originally Posted by runchmanIf you want to be an idiot, do what I did when starting stick welding - after doing some welds in the garage, at night with the door open, lift up hood to see how things are going.  Notice moth landing on welding table, try to squash it using the welding rod.  Whoa, that is one bright arc !! Duh. Put down hood and resume welding....- John