Welds for a friend

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Here are a few pics of some welds I've done for a good friend of mine. He's building a portable stage. The pieces that are being welded are the spring hangers. I was using his lincoln 225 arc welder. I was using 1/8" 6013 rods@130amps. All the welds are 6 passes each alternating directions. The hitch was done in 3 [email protected] tricks or tips? I know that they aren't the awesome welds that many of you have posted, but I believe I'm getting close. Thanks in advance.
Reply:Step,Most times, pretty is as pretty does.  Looks like you need to work a little more on tying in the toe.  You're better than close.  Keep it upI r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Third pict from the end. Looks like you needed to pause abit and let the puddle build before you started to move. The last 1/2 of the weld looks good but the begining has some big problems. Most of the welds look this way, either moving to fast or not being hot enough. I'm looking back at the 2nd pict. Doesn't look to bad but you needed to point the rod at the veritcal surface more. Looks like you kept the rod pointed at the horizontal piece rather than swinging between the 2 or just running a straight bead in the corner.I note that its for a trailer. I am hoping that you managed to get all the slag out of those holes before you ran your next bead. I'm betting there is a bunch of slag burried in those welds if you welded over the pockets of slag. I would have ground out all those welds and rerun them rather than buried the slag.6 passes seems excessive. You shouldn't need that many passes for somthing like this. One good bead on each side, maybe 2-3 if you needed to V out to get good penetration and fill the V. More weld does not mean a better weld. You increase the HAZ with the larger welds and can actually weaken the joint not make it stronger.No to bad in general. I've seen alot worse.
Reply:Originally Posted by kbnitStep,Most times, pretty is as pretty does.  Looks like you need to work a little more on tying in the toe.  You're better than close.  Keep it up
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWThird pict from the end. Looks like you needed to pause abit and let the puddle build before you started to move. The last 1/2 of the weld looks good but the begining has some big problems. Most of the welds look this way, either moving to fast or not being hot enough. *(Yea It was about 100* and I was getting tired.)I'm looking back at the 2nd pict. Doesn't look to bad but you needed to point the rod at the veritcal surface more. Looks like you kept the rod pointed at the horizontal piece rather than swinging between the 2 or just running a straight bead in the corner.I note that its for a trailer. I am hoping that you managed to get all the slag out of those holes before you ran your next bead. I'm betting there is a bunch of slag burried in those welds if you welded over the pockets of slag. I would have ground out all those welds and rerun them rather than buried the slag.*(I did take a grinder to them to make sure of slag removal, should have taken some pics between passes, anything that was even close to being questionable I gouged out and reran them, thanks)6 passes seems excessive. You shouldn't need that many passes for somthing like this. One good bead on each side, maybe 2-3 if you needed to V out to get good penetration and fill the V. More weld does not mean a better weld. You increase the HAZ with the larger welds and can actually weaken the joint not make it stronger.*(Thanks for the tip, wish I had known that before hand. Will be sure to keep in mind next time. Every time I post pics I take great pains in committing everyones input to memory. It's good to be able to "show and tell" with folks that are in the know, it's what keeps me coming back for more.)No to bad in general. I've seen alot worse.
Reply:Step,"Tying in the toe"Sorry, should have explained better.  The "toe" of the weld is where the weld bead flows into the base metal at the edge of the bead.  If you look at the third picture you posted, the edge of the weld on the horizontal member has rounded contours, and the puddles overlap each other smoothly.  Now look at the vertical member.  The edge of the weld has sharp edges (indicates not good penetration, remember that welds, as a rule, almost never have straight lines), and the puddles do not overlap each other, rather, there is space in between some of them.DSW hit it when he noted that you had the rod pointed at the horizontal member.  That would keep you from getting good flow into the vertical member.  As before, you're getting the hang of it, just make sure the weld washes in well into both members.I r 2 a perfessional
Reply:Originally Posted by kbnitStep,"Tying in the toe"Sorry, should have explained better.  The "toe" of the weld is where the weld bead flows into the base metal at the edge of the bead.  If you look at the third picture you posted, the edge of the weld on the horizontal member has rounded contours, and the puddles overlap each other smoothly.  Now look at the vertical member.  The edge of the weld has sharp edges (indicates not good penetration, remember that welds, as a rule, almost never have straight lines), and the puddles do not overlap each other, rather, there is space in between some of them.DSW hit it when he noted that you had the rod pointed at the horizontal member.  That would keep you from getting good flow into the vertical member.  As before, you're getting the hang of it, just make sure the weld washes in well into both members.
Reply:Perhaps you can see the plate heating up as your bead progresses.  It starts out kind of cold, then gets better as you go along.  Try some stringers instead of weave.  Smoooth and steady.  Maybe a few more amps.You are getting it.That hitch, is the bottom open?  Could you or did you run a bead each side the length of the hitch?  Some plug welds where the bolts would have gone?David.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:David R, Thanks for the input.That hitch, is the bottom open? Could you or did you run a bead each side the length of the hitch? Some plug welds where the bolts would have gone?Yea, we pulled the whole tongue (4x4" tubing) out and turned it so I could get a good line of attack on it, and believe it or not, there weren't any bolt holes in it.
Reply:David is right on. A couple or 3 beads with only a little tight oscillation, next to each other, instead of a weave, will put you on time. Maine Welding Company & Wrought Iron Powered by Custom Web Development