I think they look ok,but...

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This one was a test weld to see if I had everything set good and my technique was up to par...I thought it looked ok except for the undercut.I tried hammering on it with a sledge.The metal is slightly bent but you can't see it in the pic I don't think.I didn't want to break the vise,as it was a small one.Pic of the welds on the bumper I'm building.Welder is set on 100 amps,arc force on 4,positive ground,and I'm using 5/32" E6010(The brand is Inweld).I was using a zig-zag pattern,and I was pushing the rod.I was told that you get better penetration into the steel this way.Towards the center of the bumper I used a circular motion because I had a gap to fill and it seemed to fill the gap better(Not it the section of bead pictured,in the center of the bumper).Oh,and it looks like the bead is full of porosity...thats chipping hammer marks. This last one is where I started.It was awkward because the direction is left to right,and I'm right handed.Decided to use the left hand and it came out ok.But the thing is here I can't ever seem to start smoothly.The bead always has a bulge where it starts,and after I get going it evens out and everything flows nicely.I'd burn one rod on one side,chip and brush,then switch to the other side to prevent warping.Critiques/assistance/opinions welcome please.I apologize for the blurry pics,as they're best I can do right now.21st Century Mountain Man
Reply:In the last pic, I see incomplete fusion.  I am no expert on 6010, but the bead should be one stead solid piece of metal that joins both plates together.I think 5/32 6010 needs more than 100 amps.More practice......DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Yeah,I plan on grinding out that last pic and redoing it.My point on that pic though was show the blobs I get when starting off.I thought the welds looked al little cold myself.Here's later on today-I switched to a circular weave pattern for this one.21st Century Mountain Man
Reply:Your technique is correct in theory but your running too large of an electrode for that small machine. Does it go higer than 100 amps? What is the thickness of the material your welding? All of your criteria for the material needs to match. A 5/32 E6010 rod needs at least 90-175 Amps on DC+. Your pics are blurry but just from what you're describing and what we know about a 5/32 rod, I'd say your welds are too cold. Try to manually focus your camera another time, so the picture of the beads are clear and not the floor or ground.  Last edited by MicroZone; 05-14-2007 at 11:44 AM.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:What kind of welder do you haveAmerican By Birth, Texan By The Grace Of God.I Guess I just Don't Belong Without A Jukebox and A Country Song.Member Of the American Honky Tonk Bar AssotiationSEMPER FI
Reply:I think 6010 should only be ran on DC+, 6011 is basically the same technique but can also be used on AC and DC-.  If your machine nose not run on on DC try some of 6011 rods.
Reply:Ok,I got a picture of my welder..Light duty it's not.. She runs on 460v from a 35kw 4 cyl diesel generator.The settings on it are exactly what I was using today.As for the photos,I've only got a small camera,so it dosen't have any type of focus options....sorry.But I'm glad to hear my technique is good.I thought it was running cold,but I've seen those stacked dime welds and thought these may have been good.I thought I mentioned what the steel was before,sorry about that.It's 1/4" plate steel.Here in Iraq it's seems that's all I can readily get is 5/32" 6010 because most of the weld/fab shops do armoring and work with 10mm plate and larger steel..I'd rather have used 1/8" 6011,with 1/8" 7018 over it,but getting 1/8" rods here is like pulling teeth. unless I want cheap chinese rods that don't weld good at all (And it's not just me,even experienced welders said they weld like crap!).21st Century Mountain Man
Reply:Definitely bump those amps up and pause a little longer on the return whip.  It also looks like you may have too much electrode angle and are moving a bit too quickly, which are contributing to the undercut.
Reply:The rod was at about 60-70 degrees to the work.Less...more?21st Century Mountain Man
Reply:A 45 degree angle, in the direction of travel, works best for flat and horizontal fillets.John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:OK,so tommorrow I'll grind 'er down,bump my amps to say....100-130,adjust rod angle to 45 degrees and give another go round.I was worried about burning too deep because of the gap in some of the joint(My plasma cut wasn't perfect,but it was decent...worn tip)but with some filler metal in there I'll grind a grove into it after it's flat and try again.Thanks so far for the advice guys.21st Century Mountain Man
Reply:Welcome, now go BURN some metal !  John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Someone that is more familiar with this machine than I am, take a look at the polarity switch.I generally run 6010 electrode pos.
Reply:Originally Posted by shortarcSomeone that is more familiar with this machine than I am, take a look at the polarity switch.I generally run 6010 electrode pos.
Reply:All I can say is crank up the amps and slow it down a bit and it will be goodAmerican By Birth, Texan By The Grace Of God.I Guess I just Don't Belong Without A Jukebox and A Country Song.Member Of the American Honky Tonk Bar AssotiationSEMPER FI
Reply:I tried reverse polarity...a little better,but not great.I bumped up the amps a little,seemed a little better.I'll have some pics soon.21st Century Mountain Man