Update on my 3F pics inside

admin

Ok so after talking to you guys I went ahead and tried the weaving technique and concentrating on the puddle. At first I was running it at 115 and it seems to be a lot better there was less to no undercut. Now one thing I did notice was after a few lines as the work piece got hotter I was getting under cut. So my question is should I turn down the volts when I run a bead over another bead. One thing I notice is when I run the two outer beads they are fine but as soon as put bead over bead I seen to get undercut. Attached Images
Reply:Last pic Attached Images
Reply:Are you cooling it off in between passes or just running one pass right after another. If you are not doing a bend test I would dunk it in water in between passes, or cut two or three sets of coupons and just keep switching from to the other letting them cool off.Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 st
Reply:Pass after pass. I am passing and letting it cool for about 5 min. Now i have been dropping the volts to 100 and that leaves no under cut and more puddle control but is that hot enough to give proper penetration.
Reply:Oh these are not test plates but just practice on tighting the welds.
Reply:first, with smaw, it is amps not volts.  secondly, I would waith longer on the cooling.  The only test plate I busted was the first one.  I was in a hurry and simply burned it in as hot and fast as I could.  I didn't watch the interpass temps.  I just turned it up and ran.For what you are doing, you can learn a lot of bad habits.  Take your time and practice right.  set up several coupons, don't use water, and weld with intent.  make every practice weld like it is real thing.  this way you can truly improve your welding.  I have seen practice coupons on guys that I train that I wouldn't want to claim even as practice.  Others, I have had guys run their practice stuff and it sits on a shelf as examples because they really took their time.Another thing to do is don't follow some of the practice and testing you have seen on here.  you don't need to practice at every 5 amp setting to see what the bead looks like.  A cold ropey bead is a cold ropey bead.  you don't need to keep running the amps down and wasting time, material and electrodes.  Secondly, a hot, bb covered mess is a hot, bb covered mess.  Again you don't need to keep turning up the heat wasting time, material and electrodes.  It proves nothing more than you don't know what you are doing and playing isn't practicing.  Find the amps for what you are welding and practice running beads that are picture perfect.
Reply:The only problem about waiting for more cool time is that I only get 2 hours of weld time. I will find my perfect temp and run the beads like they are test beads. Today I have class I will post updates.
Reply:I use to get 3 to 4 test plates going at once, not touching each other.  I would go from one to anothere. It worked for me.Very nice stringers by the way. You're doing an excellent job.