First time welding...rate my welds

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Picked up a Lincoln 110v welder and started welding a couple weeks ago.  Never done it before.  I have done a lot of researching on here and on the web trying to learn.  Here are a couple welds i did on some scrap 1/8 inch angle iron.Here is a side shot.  Not sure how tall my welds should be.  Here are some welds inspired by the "Mig like Tig" thread.  This is 5/8 inch 16 gauge tube.
Reply:your first two beads look good - good consistency and movement just a little cold. the bead shouldnt sit entirely on top of the material but your only running beads not doing joints.the mig like tig looks good but i dont recommend it. if you had a 180 or 225 you would be able to generate enough heat to do that. technically you are only laying tack welds on top of each other and tacks arnt as strong as a fluid bead.other than that they look good and keep up the practice.I break things for a living...
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodgeyour first two beads look good - good consistency and movement just a little cold. the bead shouldnt sit entirely on top of the material but your only running beads not doing joints.the mig like tig looks good but i dont recommend it. if you had a 180 or 225 you would be able to generate enough heat to do that. technically you are only laying tack welds on top of each other and tacks arnt as strong as a fluid bead.other than that they look good and keep up the practice.
Reply:Originally Posted by adamsmith007Thanks for the feedback, and good eye on the cold weld.  I forgot to mention i was starting on the lowest setting on my welder and moving up in power with each weld.  The third weld (not shown in the pic) was the one rated for 1/8 inch.  I was practicing different power settings with different wire speed settings.  Yeah i wondered about the "stack of dimes" look with my welder and creating a adequate weld.  It was more for fun.  I still need to master smooth consistent welds.  Thanks again for the input.
Reply:I hate to say it, but # #### ### ##.
Reply:Originally Posted by trapperjohnI hate to say it, but # #### ### ##.
Reply:My opinion is that if you were running a bit hotter, you would be on to something.As far as the "cosmetic" welding goes, I have been doing it for 18 years and I have not made a pretty one yet! Of course the running joke is : If you want it pretty get a welder to do it, If you want it to stay have a mechanic do it. Aeromax Service Truck w/ 6,000lb Crane to carry my toys.Miller Trailblazer 302'69 Lincoln SA-200A couple of Victor Jr's to make big pieces smaller..........
Reply:Originally Posted by smokin_dodge...one place the mig like tig does work is on cosmetic welds. i look at a weld as either structural or cosmetic - meaning is it going to be stressed or is it frilly. if its cosmetic i occasionally lay a series of tacks along to look cool, but never for a structural weld.
Reply:Adam...what model of Lincoln 110v welder are you using?For now, I would forget about stacking dimes. I would concentrate on getting comfortable with the machine, it's settings, and learning how to make a structurally sound weld on various materials, thicknesses, and positions.. Once you understand those then you can move on to worrying about the aesthetics.http://all-a-cart.comWelding Cart Kits and accessories
Reply:right off the bat , u could tell it's a LINCOLN.........cuz a miller dont weld like that witha newbie..........        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:All in all not bad. Much better than many 1st attempts. It's already been noted you could use a bit more heat. I was going to note that the one on the right looked better in height than the one on the left. Posibly thats due to going up one setting, or it could be that the steel just warmed up from #1, or both.I'd agree that at this point you should stick with just running straight beads. Keep this up and you'll do ok. One good way to get in lots of weld time and save a few bucks is to get a chunk of 2x2 3/16" angle about a foot long and start filling it up. Set it like a V and tack a few scraps on as legs to get it to stay. Then start an the bottom and run beads one right next to the other. Over lap the beads by 1/2 or so. You want the tops to be as smooth as possible and not a series of bumpy hills. Be sure to stop fairly often and cool the steel, or have several practice pieces, as the heat buildup will fool you on proper settings. When you get done, do another laid over on it's side like an L, then one standing vertical. The idea is to get good with the motions by doing it over and over..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:The "start out" welds look better than what I could do, can do.  Keep it up"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Looks good for just starting out.  Put in a little more heat and with some practice you'll be on your way to making good welds.  The next time you run a bead on a piece of flat, flip it over after you weld and look for heat marks on the steel.  There should be some discoloration and flaky scale where you welded.  This is an indication that you are getting good penetration into the material and are using enough heat.
Reply::I agree with the majority here about the heat. I think Adam's  welds are not bad especially with a 110v and from someone that "started welding a couple weeks ago. Never done it before."  Best advice get some various thickness of flat and angle and practice joining the pieces together. Practice with the heat settings and the various thicknesses.  Once the pieces are welded together put them in a vice and pound on them with a  hammer until the metal  distorts or breaks. A good weld is one that holds the pieces together while the pieces distort and/or break at a point other than your weld joint."COSMETIC WELD" and "lay a series of tacks along to look cool, but never for a structural weld"  Someone is Smokin somethingCo-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterAnd what is that supposed to mean?I think for a FIRST timer that's very well done.....zap!
Reply:Those looks really great for a beginner. Grinding some of that scale off will help the toes of your weld to wet in better. Mill scale and solid wire can be kind of a bugger. The weld may look good but there is a chance that the weld is just sitting on top of the scale and not fused to the parent metal. Just something to be aware of esp with a smaller machine. The consistant ripples/dimes are something that just kind of happen over time. The more wire you run the more different "pretty" effects you will be able to make. Worry about getting proper penetration, fusion and proper weld size. The rest will come in time.
Reply:I don't know what wire your running but we have one of those little welders at work and the .023 wire or .030 works alright,  .035 seems a little big, but flux core is the way to go with these little welders if you want to weld anything 10 gauge or up, if you ever get a chance  to weld with a 220 you'd be amazed at how much easier it is to weld when you have more power. on the angle iron you should grind the mill scale off, and if you have a torch preheat it before you weld, the little 110v has a hard time mig welding thicker metal, I have welded 1/4" with ours I just heated the metal up with a O/A torch, cranked up the wire speed and it gave me a 240 volt quality weld, all and all I say it looks great for a beginner"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal"   -Henry Ford
Reply:technique looks smooth ...consistent  beads.. i think you need to do some fillet welds and get  a feel for the puddle hitting both sides..penetration.. re stacking dimes.. tig/wirefeed.. not a series of independent  cold tacks..puddle doesnt stop but keeps moving  ...yours are too far apart..more overlap ...
Reply:the first two look good, probably just a little too much wire (some cold roll on the edges), better than I did when I started . on the third one, if you have a groove like that I would run a bead nice and flush with the surface and then run another over the top if you're really worried about getting meat in there. those nickels, though, i wouldn't bother doing that; it doesn't help with reinforcement and it takes too long.
Reply:I tried some pretty and structural today, here is how it turned out.This is a broken motor mount, it was cleaned up and beveled on all edges, penetrationall the way through. Also this weld made with 1/8" 7018, I love my Miller........Aeromax Service Truck w/ 6,000lb Crane to carry my toys.Miller Trailblazer 302'69 Lincoln SA-200A couple of Victor Jr's to make big pieces smaller..........
Reply:Real welding, REAL GOODOn the long leg of the gusset, did you notice the puddle become slightly unstable?I like the DC for it's out of position capabilities, but it seems to go a little strange whenever you have pieces of metal that meet at right angles.  And it seems to get worse the further out you get from the corner."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/