Looking for advice

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I am learning to weld with the goal of someday soon building a bicycle frame.The following is some of my practice attempts on 4130 (the tubing is .8mm thick).  I was using TIG FILLER ER70S-2 .035 and 2% Ceriated TIG TUNGSTEN 1/16in on a Hobart TIGMATE set at 20 amps.  You can click the photo above for a larger photo with more detail and/or use the following links for other recent examples.http://febikes.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/more-practice/http://febikes.wordpress.com/2011/01...ding-practice/Let me know if you have any tips that might help me improve.
Reply:It looks cold.
Reply:it does look on the cold side to me as well, also, try to maintain a constant rhythm and puddle width. thats where you will get your uniformity in the weld bead frommigweld 250parcmate 205weldall 250piforcecut 80i plasma'07 pro 300 miller'08 trailblazer 302mm350pdynasty 700dynasty 200deltaweld 452xr-a 50ft push pull feeders and gooseneck
Reply:I was gonna say it looked a little cold too.  Also if you will keep your dipping/torch movement rythm the same the beads will appear more uniform and you will get a better tie in at the toes.  But really not bad at all for a beginner.  Much better than the pigeon poop i was layin down when I first started learning to tig.  There are a couple of old hands on this and the other sites who you will meet a little later that can give you a much better idea on exactly what joints to start off with and how to progress so your welds are sound and wont get you or somebody hurt if one should happen to fail.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Get your amps/dip timing "down pat" with practice on flat coupons first.Move to butt welds with the same coupons.Then move on to T welds (filet) to get used to moving the puddle around and getting a feel for the different heat required on the edge vs the flat.Then start with square cut tube welded to a flat coupon.  This teaches how to move the torch around the joint while maintaining a consistent angle of attack.After you can do this "in your sleep", you're ready to start practice on coped tubing.  Coped tubing requires all the skills learned in the previous drills, but adds in the fact that a coped join will have varying thickness as you progress around the joint.No substitute for hood time.  Try and "skip" any of the above steps, and you'll be fighting the weld til the cows come home.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Anyone think to tell him to turn on the pulser?Bill LambertArgon WeldingABQ NMSic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
Reply:Originally Posted by ArgonWeldingAnyone think to tell him to turn on the pulser?
Reply:Originally Posted by WeldingMachineLearn without the pulser.
Reply:Originally Posted by ArgonWeldingAnyone think to tell him to turn on the pulser?
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIGet your amps/dip timing "down pat" with practice on flat coupons first.Move to butt welds with the same coupons.Then move on to T welds (filet) to get used to moving the puddle around and getting a feel for the different heat required on the edge vs the flat.Then start with square cut tube welded to a flat coupon.  This teaches how to move the torch around the joint while maintaining a consistent angle of attack.After you can do this "in your sleep", you're ready to start practice on coped tubing.  Coped tubing requires all the skills learned in the previous drills, but adds in the fact that a coped join will have varying thickness as you progress around the joint.No substitute for hood time.  Try and "skip" any of the above steps, and you'll be fighting the weld til the cows come home.
Reply:nickodell,I like to start people on 1/8" coupons first.  Less chance of burnthru than with thinner material.  Reading the backside of the coupon will also tell you a lot about the consistency of the bead.I get all the drops I need out of my buddy's dumpster ( he runs a large local fab shop).  1/8" material is quite common.  I take and rip it in 2" widths with the carbide saw, remove the mill scale with a grinder, and cut it in 4" lengths with the plasma.  I can knock out a hundred coupons in 30 min.As far as circumference welds, you can buy 1" pipe quite cheap at most any metal supplier.  Cut to about 3" lengths.  A 20' stick goes a long ways.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIIGet your amps/dip timing "down pat" with practice on flat coupons first.Move to butt welds with the same coupons.Then move on to T welds (filet) to get used to moving the puddle around and getting a feel for the different heat required on the edge vs the flat.Then start with square cut tube welded to a flat coupon.  This teaches how to move the torch around the joint while maintaining a consistent angle of attack.After you can do this "in your sleep", you're ready to start practice on coped tubing.  Coped tubing requires all the skills learned in the previous drills, but adds in the fact that a coped join will have varying thickness as you progress around the joint.No substitute for hood time.  Try and "skip" any of the above steps, and you'll be fighting the weld til the cows come home.