what to practice for better welds

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I have pretty much taught myself how to weld with a little help from friends.  I have gotten OK at it but I believe there is a lot of room for improvement!  I looked into the local tech school but they have a 2 year waiting period so I kinda gave up on that.  So I was hoping that some of you guys could give me some pointers to help me better my mig welds.  I have done a lot of reading on the web and watched some vids on youtube but they only help so much.I weld mostly 1/8" to 1/4" flat, angle, and square tube and some round tube.  Sometimes a little 3/8" also.  I do butt, T, and fillet welds.  Can anyone give a couple of examples of welds I can practice?  Maybe include how you would prep like groves and what not.  And then what settings you would start with.  I would try what you have recommended and then post pics of my welds so you guys can criticise them.  I don't want to waste others time so we could just keep it simple with the most common types of welds.  Just list the material and joint type and settings and then I will try it out.  I don't have anyone to teach me how to weld so any advice will be much appreciated.  I have read a lot on how to weld and tried what I read but don't know how to tell when I'm doing something wrong, unless the weld breaks off!Thanks, Scott
Reply:First update your sig with you location. You have 2 options try to get into some sort of apprenticeship or see if some local establishment will take you on as a helper. If you can learn stick and tig,mig is the easiest and will improve as you become more proficient in stick and tig.I.B.E.W Electrician and Damn Proud of It !!!! .Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/
Reply:Without knowing what your welds look like it’s hard to advise on any help. Got to have a starting point.
Reply:I'm not really looking for an apprentaship, just looking to improve my welds.  I looked into a welding class at the tech but they are full.  I updated my location.I will get some pics of a weld and then go from there.  Thanks, scott
Reply:Without knowing what your welds look like it’s hard to advice on any help. Got to have a starting point.What welding presses, stick, mig, flux core???Safety equipment, gloves, mask, apron, sleeves, boots, acb fire extinguisher, shorts, flip-flops?Where do you work, indoor or out door?Bench, table, work horse?Books by Miller and LincolnGas Metal Arc Welding, Miller.Last edited by transit; 11-19-2009 at 12:12 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by ponch37300I'm not really looking for an apprentaship, just looking to improve my welds.  I looked into a welding class at the tech but they are full.  I updated my location.I will get some pics of a weld and then go from there.  Thanks, scott
Reply:you got beer?it doesnt seem like you're trying to do this for a living, therefore to compete with weldors who do.  so, if you got a case of beer, see if there anyone close to you on this forum who will show you a thing or two in person for a case of beer.
Reply:Not making any money with my welds!  One on one would be best but don't know anyone willing to teach.  Would deffinately be worth the beer if I did know anyone.Thanks
Reply:Ask at the LWS or even at the school that is full- maybe the Instructor can recommend someone.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:go to welding tips and tricks.com they have alot of useful info and they can help ive printed out alot of info on the websitemiller maxstar 150   hobart handler 210 w mig conversion hobart 250 arc force plasma cutter    boston ind cutting torch miller performance auto darkening helmet milwalkee 14in chop saw 10,000 watt generator huge drill press and industrial band saw
Reply:As said picts of what your welds currently are like would help to make suggestions. Also what sort of machine you have.It's kind of pointless to give suggestions on 1/4" and 3/8" if all you have is a small POS HF 110v mig. At best it will do 1/8" If on the other hand you have a MM 252 or some other large 220v machine thats a different story. Mig with gas or FC?At the tech school I went to, they give each beginning night student a 3x3 5/16" chunk of angle 12" long and a couple short pieces of flat bar to use as legs. Then you practice running beads in the angle like this "V". You run each one next to another. Watching the toes and learning how to set the machine at the different power settings. The idea is to fill the angle solid all the way across keeping the levels flat as you go. Then you basically do the same thing vertical and overhead. You get to run a ton of bead and not waste a ton of material in the process. Your learning to watch the puddle and learn to manipulate it as well as learning to adjust the machine. What happens if you speed up or slow down? How are the toes affected if you go from say heat setting 3 to heat setting 4 or 5 (keeping the wire adjusted properly)? Once you can control the puddle and understand what's going on, then joints are easy..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:where ya at in Wisconsin? i'm in my 2nd year at MATC weld tech and have about 3 years experience in production mig/tig automotive. do you have access to a machine? i can probably  help ya out.
Reply:I do believe he got hisself an XMT304Ed 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:I'm in appleton, wi.  I do have an xmt304 with a s64 wire feeder and am using 75/25 gas.  I will post some pics of my welds tonight or tomorrow and let you pick away!  The angle idea is good, I have some angle scrap that I can use for that.  I will try and do some more reading on the link posted.  I went to the miller website and read as much as I could there.Thanks
Reply:c'mon, there's gotta be someone who lives around appleton WI!  help a brother out, he's willing to put up the beer.