Critique my crappy stick welds!

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Lincoln 225 welder @ 75 amps6011 rod (tried using 6013 but it splattered everywhere and seemed to burn through much more quickly)Material is 2" square tubing. Most of the blown through sections were where the tubing was not completely flush. Any tips for better consistency? This is literally my first time welding. Thank you!
Reply:You ain't gonna learn much making 2" welds. Get some 1/8" by 2" wide flat stock and cut it into 8" lengths, then weld it up along the long edge.Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:... Oh, and welcome!Everlast PA160-STH... and that's about it!
Reply:Ya need to post the wall thickness of the tubing as well as the size of the 6011 and 6013.
Reply:Smaller rod. Whip the rod forward and back to keep the heat off one spot all the time. Idk.. I don't stick thin stuff, I tig it. But like josh said, you won't get far making a bunch of tiny welds.
Reply:1/8" is the thinnest I'd recommend to learn on. 1/4" or 3/8" would be better from the stand point of not blowing thru while you are getting the basics down.As far as consistency, I'd suggest starting out with 7014 or 6013. Both are "drag" rods, so you can simply keep the rod in contact with the plate to eliminate arc length from your variables. 7014 is a bit easier to work with for most people vs 6013, but either will work fine.Try and keep your rod angle at about the 1 o'clock position pointed back towards the weld you have already made, and set yourself up to be as comfortable as possible. I find most right handed welders find it a bit easier to start close to themselves on the left and weld away and to the right at about a 30 to 45 deg angle as opposed to straight left to right. That seems to mirror the way most people swing their arms as the rod burns down.I've done a lot of posts on basic stick welding. Grab a cold beverage and a few snacks and sit back and do some reading on some of the old threads ( google does a better job pulling up searches on this than the sites search engine) The basic info plus the picts and comments will go a long ways towards helping you learn on your own.I'd also highly recommend looking into a night class at a local tech school. When you sit down and add up what it would cost you in material, rods, electric and so, not to mention the instruction, a class is stupid cheap. Around me it breaks down to roughly about $11-12 per class hour..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:From the look of the radius it's 1.8 mm. I've never put a stick on less than 1/8. Maybe try some 7024 at a hard angle....damn near laid down ?Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:My dad, way back when, started me on plate, but the tube will work just as well.Welding is all about heat, and tracking the puddle. Make the heat go where you want it to, and the puddle will follow.Are these little pieces butt welded together, or just laid across the tubing? If it's practice you are doing, lay your beads with the length of the tubing so you can make longer runs.Try different amp settings. Start in the middle (Easy arc strike but not enough to blow through). Then move to the lower amps, and see how that is. Then move higher and higher eventually blowing through the material. Watch how the puddle movement changes with the different amperages. Try to sweep back and forth in small 'C's to keep you bead width consistent.The best advice I can give is to get in close, and actually see the metal fuse together. This is the 'puddle'. Without watching it, your welds may look nice but be weak. It's about fusing the metal together, not adding metal on top.Also, keep a weld journal. Record amps, material, thickness, rod type, ac/dc etc. This way you don't have to re-learn for each new weld.Chay
Reply:Some of it has potential but it's inconsistent. I'm guessing travel speed and/or arc length? Are you maybe changing rod angle or long arcing at the edges where you blew through? Anyway, keep at it. It gets easier.
Reply:you need to get some clean oil/rust free  plate to learn on.not enough length to learn on there..
Reply:Have you seen the wall mountain co videos http://www.weldingvideos.com/You cam buy them at amazon, northen tool, download them on the web, get them at a libary I found 7014 easiest to learn on Long beads will help to develop consistencyWeneed better photos of the welds too
Reply:Thank you all. Everything in the first post is a series of butt welds. I'll try again with with a long piece of plate and a 7014 rod. I was using acetone to clean the tubing, though I've heard of others using muriatic acid.I've tried to sign up for courses, but my schedule varies wildly from day to day, so the only day I know for sure I'll have off is Sunday, when the community colleges are closed. Any mentors ya'll can suggest in the Austin area?
Reply:There are some great arc tutorials on Welding Tips and Tricks. Here's the link, Jody really knows his stuff: http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/...ng-videos.htmlU-tube is full of valuable welding vids, also a lot of crappy ones, sort through them and you will find a wealth of information.cheers, Brian
Reply:Really, if I had to make a judgement based on these 6 welds alone, and you had progressed from left to right, I'd say you made quite a bit of headway.the bead on the far right looks like what you want it to look like. ...a tiny bit serpentine but just a bit. The width and height appear to be more consistent than those to the left of it.If you are not already, use two hands, anchor both (arms, elbows, little finger, whatever you can) as well as the situation will allow, and learn to watch the puddle.and, oh yeah, have fun.
Reply:Originally Posted by caltegThank you all. Everything in the first post is a series of butt welds. I'll try again with with a long piece of plate and a 7014 rod. I was using acetone to clean the tubing, though I've heard of others using muriatic acid.I've tried to sign up for courses, but my schedule varies wildly from day to day, so the only day I know for sure I'll have off is Sunday, when the community colleges are closed. Any mentors ya'll can suggest in the Austin area?