Critique this weld..

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Ok.. So I know it's just a picture and it's hard to tell about the penetration and all that, but I just finally got around to doing my first real "structural" weld. I've probably go less than 20 "attempts" at welding in the year or so I've had my welder. Just haven't had time. Started a new career back in March, so things have been busy.So far, the first attempt I got at practice was attempting to repair a steel target stand that a buddy of mine punched with 7.62 and 5.56. I just filled the holes, ground them down and repainted. Looks fine and well, we shoot at it, so it doesn't have to be pretty. Well, I took my kids out to my parents house to let them hang out with their grand children and we started talking about lawn mowers and how my dad needs to get the guide wheel welded back onto the deck from where my mom strength tested it with a fence post, tree, telephone pole and anything else she could smack with it."We can fix that!" I told him. So, out we went and started prepping the deck to be welded.  I didn't get any pics, as I didn't even think about it until after we were finished.When the wheel came off, it pulled a chunk of the deck out. So I filled in the hole and ground that down. Then we ground the old weld off the wheel bracket and then we about making sure it was level and inline and got it into place and I started welding.The weld is ugly, there is no doubt about that, but I've had no classes or training other than YouTube and what little practice I've done.So here is my weld. Based strictly on the pictures, let me have it.  But please, if it sucks, tell me what you think I can do to improve. Don't just tell me it's horrible and not teach me something. I obviously won't be welding car trailers or airplanes or crane trusses. LOL..
Reply:When asking for help it helps to give as much info as possible. What process? Machine and settings, rod/ wire type, gas used and flow rate if applicable, material and thickness... You don't want "vague" reply's like "it sucks", but your original post is just as vague as far as details...From basic experience, it looks like you are most likely moving too fast and not waiting to let the puddle form. If you are working with a process like FC or sick, part of your issue might be that you are being fooled by the molten slag because you can't yet tell what is slag and what is molten metal. The weld also looks cold and humped. My guess is the settings on the machine are too low. Knowing what you were running and material thickness would help. It's fairly typical for newer welders to worry about burning thru, so they tend to try and compensate by turning down the machine or rushing.It also looks like you are concentrating too much on the bracket, and not enough on the deck. Another issue I'm guessing is that you did these out of position. Most newer welders have a hard enough time making nice welds in the flat position. Horizontal, vertical or overhead is  a recipe  for disaster. Try and turn the item so you can do as many off the welds in the flat position as possible, until you have the skills to start on other positions. This will give you the best chance at getting acceptable results..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:Originally Posted by DSWWhen asking for help it helps to give as much info as possible. What process? Machine and settings, rod/ wire type, gas used and flow rate if applicable, material and thickness... You don't want "vague" reply's like "it sucks", but your original post is just as vague as far as details...
Reply:Wire size? Flux core wire or solid wire/gas? If gas used, 100% CO2 or C25?Settings sound way too low for 1/8" which explains the cold looking welds.  .030 FC wire you should be running tap #4 feed 60, for .030 solid wire and gas, 5 and 60. The setting suggestions should be under the cover or in the manual. Note that if you are running solid wire/gas vs FC wire, you have to make sure the machine polarity is set correctly. I forget if that machine comes set up for FC or solid right now.Do yourself a favor and get yourself a chunk of say 1/4" angle iron say a foot long and set it up like a "V" with a few pieces of scrap for feet. Then practice filling it up with weld running one bead 1/2 on top of the last until it's all filled up. This will allow you the most weld time for the least amount of material used. Don't forget to cool the material down after every one or two passes or the heat build up will mess with your settings. Pay special attention to maintaining a constant distance from the work to the gun, (should be roughly 3/8" to 1/2") and maintaining a constant travel speed. Also carefully watch the puddle, not the arc. The only way to really get good is to learn to "see" the puddle and manipulate it. That comes from welding over and over until you finally have an "Ah Ha!" moment and it all suddenly "clicks"..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:Originally Posted by DSWWire size? Flux core wire or solid wire/gas? If gas used, 100% CO2 or C25?
Reply:well your doing better than most with cleaning and prepping the surface to weld, all the rust and paint have been cleaned away...Of all the things I lost I miss my mind the most...I know just enough about everything to be dangerous......You cant cure stupid..only kill it...
Reply:Originally Posted by BellyUpFishISo, in the V you're talking start on one side with a bead, then on the opposite side run another bead.. Switch to the "top" side and bead.. Switch to "bottom side" and bead.. Until I have a solid weld all the way across?I really want a welding table or a bench, I have been thinking about trying to build a table as my first real project, but don't know if I had those skills.
Reply:Ahh.. Ok.. I get it. I'll go grab some angle.Also, I've been reading that when filling holes, it works best to get some brass behind the hole, as the weld won't take to brass. Where can I pick up a small sheet of brass and what thickness should I look for? 1/4"? 1/8"?
Reply:Copper will also work. If nothing else you can flatten out a piece of pipe or a copper fitting. Take a hammer and flatten it out. I keep my eyes open for guys doing copper roof jobs and ask if I can buy a piece of scrap flashing. Most will simply give you a small piece as long as they know you aren't looking to steal "scrap" from them.One other trick is to do small "spot" welds along the edges to close things up. It's a bit harder to do with FC wire because you have to clean up the slag between spots, and the process is hotter which works against you here usually. If you look at the open corner in this pict I simply ran small beads and then stopped to let each cool a bit before welding a bit more until I closed up the hole between the pipe and the plates. Each new bead was sitting on top of the previous one. The hole in the corner was almost 3/8" at the widest point, and the galvi that was left on the pipe wasn't helping much. Not the prettiest welds, but it closed it up enough to hold air, and I didn't fill in the square hole in the plate that I needed to fit the square opening on the fan housing. Attached ImagesLast edited by DSW; 08-05-2012 at 01:51 PM..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