New here, relatively new to welding. Some pics.

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So yeah, I've lurked here for a while and decided to finally join. I'm Chad, 29 with a wife and son with another on the way. I've spent the last 10 years wrenching on cars, specifically troubleshooting and installing advanced electrical. Think of a wiring schematic for a 2009 lexus with a smart key... that's alot of what I do. Well last year I came to work for a company that does almost everything from electrical to general service, wheels and tires and even airbag suspension setups. (I bagged a caddy last summer). This opportunity has allowed me to start playing with a mig welder, and while I have no formal training; I am taking a MIG class in March. Today I had some extra time and decided to try welding some beads on some junk bolts I had laying around. This is my first attempt at a technique I actually read about here last night. I dont know many of the welding terms, but I can tell you that I used a Millermatic 135 with gas. Just looking for any helpful criticism. Thanks and it's great to be here. BTW, soory about the picture quality/lighting... It was really hard to get a decent pic of the actual welds. Attached Images
Reply:pretty good for starting out especially on bolts which is actually a little harder than on plain metal just keep practicing the whip and pause and reading the puddle
Reply:Welcome to the forum johnny5.  I assume the user name has to do with the association of the electronics aspects of Short Circuit/Short Circuit 2 and your occupation.Your welds look decent but can you elaborate on the "technique" you're referring to?Someday I'll tell you about the combination ignition switch system I built for my '76 Chevy van way back then.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Welcome to the forum johnny5.  I assume the user name has to do with the association of the electronics aspects of Short Circuit/Short Circuit 2 and your occupation.Your welds look decent but can you elaborate on the "technique" you're referring to?
Reply:Originally Posted by tmcglaughlinpretty good for starting out especially on bolts which is actually a little harder than on plain metal just keep practicing the whip and pause and reading the puddle
Reply:Welds look pretty good for beginning johnny5, just pause for a second longer at the end and with the wire feeding and you wont get the (crater) for lack of a better word. Practice practice practice, and welding to bolts together like that is harder than welding a butt weld like that. Speaking of wiring schematics..... you wouldn't happen to know where I could get one for free for a 1959 F-100 would you?Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Originally Posted by STwelderWelds look pretty good for beginning johnny5, just pause for a second longer at the end and with the wire feeding and you wont get the (crater) for lack of a better word. Practice practice practice, and welding to bolts together like that is harder than welding a butt weld like that. Speaking of wiring schematics..... you wouldn't happen to know where I could get one for free for a 1959 F-100 would you?
Reply:The arrow for direction you said you saw on the drawing and the zig zag side to side lines those are the whip and pause referred to. you pause at every side to penetrate into the base metal before carrying on with the puddle.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Someday I'll tell you about the combination ignition switch system I built for my '76 Chevy van way back then.
Reply:Originally Posted by VipernutDuane, you drove a shaggin' wagon?
Reply:My dad had a 80-81 chevy van that was totally shaagin'. Blue carpet over everything, 9 speakers hooked up to an 8 track and the bed in the back - great for sneaking into the drive in Fire!, Fire! Oh wait, that's my torch...Lincoln PT-225 TIGLincoln 175 MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by STwelderWelds look pretty good for beginning johnny5, just pause for a second longer at the end and with the wire feeding and you wont get the (crater) for lack of a better word. Practice practice practice, and welding to bolts together like that is harder than welding a butt weld like that. Speaking of wiring schematics..... you wouldn't happen to know where I could get one for free for a 1959 F-100 would you?
Reply:Originally Posted by johnny5And as far as wiring that old Ford, I have a funny story. I was called out to this guys shop to try and sort out some electrical gremlins in a 55 Bel Air. After pondering the 40 year old crusty wiring and corroded fuse box for a while, I came to the conclusion that the fuse box just needed to be replaced and if i was doing that, why not just run new wiring for EVERYTHING in the car? There were literally only 8 or 9 circuits in the whole car. After getting the parts it only took about 2 hours to rewire the car top to bottom. Sure as hell beat fumbling around with old crusty wires and potentially having the whole job jeopardized  because of corrosion/bad grounds/whatever. The guy spent about 250 bucks total.
Reply:Man, keep it up. I've ran hundreds of stringers and still have a long way to go. The best advice I've received is to stop regularly, clean the weld, & remember what technique you used. Simple but effective
Reply:fooled around some more at work today... somehow I think these pics came out even worse. Attached Images
Reply:johnny5 In that last pict I can guarantee that the welds are cold if you used the MM135 to do them. They don't look too bad but the steel is way to thick for that machine. That's one of the big downsides to small migs. that machine is rated for 3/16" max IIRC. That steel looks to be 5/8"-1/2" from the scale of the hand in the pict. ( Its always helpful to post the thickness when you ask questions as its hard to get a good guess at scale in a photo.To help out with your picts. 1st: turn off the flash, get a work light or position them outside. You get too many reflections with a flash.2nd see if your camera has a macro function. My Nikon can focus at about 3" on macro and give super clear shots.3rd If you dont have macro stand back aways and zoom in a bit so it will focus. The farther back you stand the more the camera can get into focus. Then crop the pict to eliminate the stuff you don't want.4th Shiny surfaces play havoc with auto focus. Back up a bit ( that lets more depth be in focus) then focus on something that's NOT shiny, say the workbench its sitting on.Hope this helps.
Reply:thanks, and that is my 3 year old sons hand. it's just scrap so I didnt measure, but I would say it's 3/16. It's not as thick as it looks in the pic.and thanks for the tips with the camera, I'll try it out.
Reply:I took a couple of shots to maybe help demonstrate the Macro function and it's limits.Tape1- Straight shot of a Tape MeasureTape Macro-1. You can see that the #2 is in focus due to the angle of the tape and position of the camera( I did this a while ago and the Camera was a 3.2Mp Canon A70 ) Attached ImagesEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Tape-macro2. Just by moving the camera out just a smidge I was able to get a little more in focus, but not that much- Macro has a limited focus range.TapeMacro3. Now I have put the tape parallel to the camera and I can get edge to edge focus because I have moved the out of focus area in to the focusable range. BUT just the curve of the tape has caused the bottom to be out of focus, once again you can see the very limited range of focus Macro has. (depth of field) Attached ImagesLast edited by Broccoli1; 02-05-2009 at 11:58 PM.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:thanks, bro. my camera is a 3 year old olympus, and I know it doesn't have a macro feature. I will make due with it while I work on my garage and get a workstation set up with a decent welder come spring and summer.the next baby is due in september so I have a feeling a canon or a nikon may be in our not so distant future.
Reply:Man-WW is giving me no love tonight with uploading Attached ImagesEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by johnny5thanks, bro. my camera is a 3 year old olympus, and I know it doesn't have a macro feature. I will make due with it while I work on my garage and get a workstation set up with a decent welder come spring and summer.the next baby is due in september so I have a feeling a canon or a nikon may be in our not so distant future.
Reply:so it turns out I do have a macro setting, but I'm having a tough time getting it to focus well. my wife fooled around and got this shot, which I was going to crop... but she really liked the siamese sneaking into it so I left it. Attached Images
Reply:Broccol1,Gotta love the little Canon A70  I had one (wore it out by getting sand in it)  I shot at least a thousand macro pictures (underwater) diving to as deep as 110fsw here in the PNW--- it shot great flash macro!I now have the newest ELF 990 at 14mega pixel, but the macro is no where near as good!!I enjyoy your posts on this site!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:What happened to the days when you could put a 50mm lense in front of extension tubes, or a set of bellows, stop it down, and have really good depth of field????And if camera shake was a problem, just go to a higher shutter speed, or use a tripod.I've officially given into geezerdomOLD FART ALERT"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/Samm,I never learned how to drive one of those??  I did have a browny istamatic box though!!  I think I still have a couple thousand slides too that I should scan to digital file?  Sure glad Al Gore discovered the internet for us (not)Gotta go make me a spam sandwich and lay out the can of corn beef hash for Bfast!!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:farmersamm actually those of us who still remember film and know how to manually adj a camera have a strong advantage even with these new digitals. Up until 2 months ago I shot with 2 late 1960's vintage manual Cannon 35mm's. Shutterspeed, ISO, aperture (Fstop) all still apply. Anything you can fix at the time of the pict is taken is well worth it. You can't replace all the info that is lost with a poorly exposed shot in photoshop.Ultrachop Just curious, what housing did you have for the cannon? I'm debating over going whole hog and housing a Nikon D200 in either a suball or aquatica housing or getting a small Olympus in their housing. The Olympus is a nice pocket camera, but has limits at depth. The Nikon's kind of clunky. PM me I'm curious where you dive out there. I used to live there but never dove till I moved away.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammWhat happened to the days when you could put a 50mm lense in front of extension tubes, or a set of bellows, stop it down, and have really good depth of field????And if camera shake was a problem, just go to a higher shutter speed, or use a tripod.I've officially given into geezerdomOLD FART ALERT
Reply:Got that macro feature working and tried out some scrap washers today.  Attached Images
Reply:I still have a manual Pentax, just found I never took pictures cause it was too big to easily carry around (glad they make the little point and shoots) for snapshots now.  My new little Canon elph 990si is really sweet, hardly any lag and takes 30 fps video nearly as well as my 3ccd Sony.  The big limit for me is indoor as the little lense just doesn't gather enough light!   Here is a couple of macro's taken while diving in the PNWTim Attached ImagesA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Hey Tim those underwater pics really turned out good.  I have an underwater olympus point and shoot that takes some pretty decent pics.Lincoln 255XT Power Mig                                                                    Lincoln Precision Tig 225Hypertherm Powermax 30
Reply:Rwells173,I have dove with friends with Oly's great cameras underwater as well!  Up here you got to have a stobe to shoot anything except Macro. Hwew is a few more (sorry to hijack the thread) Attached ImagesA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:OOOraaaa!SushiA butterfly without wings, is just an ugly bug
Reply:I was kind of hoping for some input on my welds... It's kind of turning into a photography thread.
Reply:You can just run a  straight beadEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1You can just run a  straight bead
Reply:Johnny5,Sorry for hijacking the thread!  Guess I need to get in the water or go to the shop and weld?TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Originally Posted by johnny5You lost me... I was welding washers together. They don't have a straight edge. Well at least not the edges that I was utilizing.
Reply:the camera i use is at least ten years old..olympus with 1.3 megapixels..has macro and im sometimes amazed at the detail i see i n the fotos  i post here...
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Solid wirePull Trigger, push gun, follow curveFluxPull trigger, pull gun, follow curveThat's all ya need for dem washers
Reply:Yes but a little weld like on the washers doesn't need much so if you want to practice on washers practice the "little" weld You really need to get some other material like the other piece you showed.get a couple pieces and make a box- work on outside, inside corner jointsLap jointsButt jointsEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Yes but a little weld like on the washers doesn't need much so if you want to practice on washers practice the "little" weld You really need to get some other material like the other piece you showed.get a couple pieces and make a box- work on outside, inside corner jointsLap jointsButt joints
Reply:Hey johnny5, your beads seem to show a progression of improvement. Those washers look good. On straight, long welds, just keep doing what you have done and strive to make the bead straight and uniform. You learn quicker by practicing on your own, but the class will cover all the bases. The outside edges of the bead, called the 'toe', ideally would be straight. To quote my semi-auto teacher, "Give me another one!" City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverHey johnny5, your beads seem to show a progression of improvement. Those washers look good. On straight, long welds, just keep doing what you have done and strive to make the bead straight and uniform. You learn quicker by practicing on your own, but the class will cover all the bases. The outside edges of the bead, called the 'toe', ideally would be straight. To quote my semi-auto teacher, "Give me another one!"
Reply:Originally Posted by STwelderWelds look pretty good for beginning johnny5, just pause for a second longer at the end and with the wire feeding and you wont get the (crater) for lack of a better word. Practice practice practice, and welding to bolts together like that is harder than welding a butt weld like that. Speaking of wiring schematics..... you wouldn't happen to know where I could get one for free for a 1959 F-100 would you?
Reply:so I'm 6 classes in and I figured I'd update...Here's some T joints I worked on tonight. They have some stop/starts which is something I worked on all night. Attached Images
Reply:Johnny5,Welcome back!  The beads look much improved (different machine in these photos?)  In any regard, I would assume your instructor pointed out that in GMAW process it is possible to have a really "pretty" weld and yet have close to '0' penetration, if the welder doesn't have the machine voltage an speed and wire size (and technique) set and done just right.  (with that said) It would help if you would either mark on the material the details of the weld or narrate your photos.  Keep up the good work!!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:ahhh yes... 3/16 mild steel, millermatic 212 @ 230v. I was running very hot and very fast. I can tell you by the look of the steel on the opposite side of welds that I achieved full penetration. My instructor also mentioned that anything short of an xray would indicate the same to him.
Reply:Good work!!---Just be sure when you are welding that you "see" the penetration at the front end of the puddle (I am sure your instructor has taught you well)the 212 is a great machine!!TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:The joy's of a bigger machine!That/those welds are looking real good, well done. I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.