am I getting good penetration?

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Good morning all, new at this interest. how do I tell if I have good penetration. started practicing on welding thin metal (16 gauge) so I can hopefully repair some of the rust on my truck. should I see the discolored rainbow on the opposite side whenever or whatever I'm welding? also should the opposite side metal be fused together after finishing one side? and if not, should the opposite side be welded also? I noticed that the metal warps some. is there a way to prevent this? I'm using an inexpensive made in china stick welder that I purchased on ebay. can't afford anything else. here are a couple of photos. thanks
Reply:If you are a beginner, it will be hard for you to get perfect penetration on thin sheet with a stick. Especially if its a low end stick unit that may not have low enough heat control.As far as the warping goes, that is normal when you run continuous beads on thin sheets. Fit up can help deter this. Also doing whats called "stitch" welding helps. Basically you weld a 2-3 inch section at a time, and after each section you skip 6-10 inches down the line, do 2-3 inch weld, repeat. You do this until the panel is welded in.
Reply:thanks for the response. so after I do that, do I go back and fill in the gaps? what's "Fit up?" thanks
Reply:Fit up is the term used to describe your prep work, edges should be clean, level, and straight before you weld. The less gaps to fill the easier it is to weld. When you put the pieces together the surface being welded should be as neat as possible hints the term "fit"up, everything should fit as perfect as possible for the best weld!Also I agree that if you are starting out , pickup some 1/8 chunks of flat steel or angle iron to practice on. You can turn the heat up (amps) and get a much more controllable weld. Once you have the basics down you can try thinner material what electrode are you using?What amp setting?Real welders know how to penetrate!(Equipment)Whatever can be used to beat my opponent into submission!
Reply:As mentioned avoiding warping on thin sheet doing continuous welds is tough. As far as penetration, you don't have it. Simply looking at the bead, I can tell it's too cold and ropey. You need to up the power, and or change your joint configuration. On the back, you shouldn't be able to see any of the straight line of the original seam. In some cases you may end up with a bead on the back, very similar to the bead you see on the front.To get full penetration, sometimes guys will leave a gap between the two pieces. This allows the weld bead to more easily reach all the way thru and break down the back edge. Problem is with thin sheet, a gap can lead to the joint opening up and keyholing, and then you blow big holes in the edge as soon as the material heats up some. Usually it's best to get the two edges touching on thin sheet, and adjust your heat accordingly to get the penetration you want.One "trick" that is only good with thin sheet is to do a series of quick overlapping spot welds. You do a quick high heat "tack", then move some where else while that area cools back down and repeat. Later you come back and do the next tack just slightly overlapping the last one, and then continue doing tacks moving around until it's all welded. With slightly thicker sheet, the beads can be slightly longer, say 1-2", then move as above.I will say this, for being done with stick, that's not too bad. Thin sheet is really the realm of .023 solid wire and 75/25 gas using mig. Stick tends to be a hotter process and is usually poorly suited for thin sheet even with the smallest rods. 16 ga is about the thinnest most can do with reasonably good results. 20 ga is almost impossible unless you are extremely skilled. In the past when body material was thicker, stick was a viable option. With the thinner sheet in cars built since the 80's, it can be a real effort in frustration..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:Hey 'Cat,You never mentioned what electrode you're using.Try 6013 and 6022 if you haven't already.Good points made in previous posts also.Keep a bucket of water with a rag and cool as you go.Lincoln SA 200Esab Caddy 160Thermal Arc 201TSMiller Dialarc HFI don't like making plans for the day because then the word "premeditated" gets thrown around the courtroom....
Reply:thanks all for the education. I am using 6013 1/16 rod and close to 60 amps. I guess I have to cut and clean up the joints better. I'll try and up the amps and see what happens. trying to avoid melting thru the sheet metal. will just keep on practicing until I get the hang of this. but I love a challenge. thanks again
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWI will say this, for being done with stick, that's not too bad.