Would someone give me some critique on these welds??

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I recently built a flatbed for my Toyota pickup.  I worked with a certified instructor to iron out some of my bad habits with mig and tig welding.  He was very patient and I learned a great deal about steel and how steel behaves when heated.  I have been welding off and on for years and I am curious what some of Weldingweb's elite think of some of these beads.  I am not certified and for the most part I am self taught.  Any insight would be great.The machines I use are a Miller 211 and a 180.Thanks! Attached ImagesLast edited by Down&out; 12-29-2010 at 11:40 PM.Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:I think you forgot something. 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:had to resize sorry   that should do itShop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:Some of the beads look a little tall, but They look to be tied in fairly well from what I can see. I'm guessing you are moving a bit slow or your settings are off a bit and need to be tweaked. Also the beads look a bit inconsistent. I'd suggest you work on getting in a comfortable position and doing a dry run to see if you can maintain a consistent movement thru the bead. I've found this common with many. Lots of times guys never have a chance to do long welds practicing. All they ever do is short 4" welds and on long welds they look real inconsistent because they get out of position quickly and don't adjust as they go along.BTW thanks for resizing..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:Double postLast edited by DSW; 12-29-2010 at 11:37 PM..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:Originally Posted by DSWSome of the beads look a little tall, but They look to be tied in fairly well from what I can see. I'm guessing you are moving a bit slow or your settings are off a bit and need to be tweaked. Also the beads look a bit inconsistent. I'd suggest you work on getting in a comfortable position and doing a dry run to see if you can maintain a consistent movement thru the bead. I've found this common with many. Lots of times guys never have a chance to do long welds practicing. All they ever do is short 4" welds and on long welds they look real inconsistent because they get out of position quickly and don't adjust as they go along.
Reply:here is another..I recently ran into an interesting debate at a machine shop -  One of the old timers there were talking about my welding technique and he said "you weld the frown."  I said what?  And he said "not very often I see guys welding the frown, I mostly see guys welding the smile."  I asked him what he meant and he said " well, when you move the gun and puddle  you are moving in a frowney face motion rather than a smiley face motion."  He then said, "by all practical purposes most professional welders weld the "frowney face."  He meant I move my gun in a topside half circle as I move along. Attached ImagesLast edited by Down&out; 12-29-2010 at 11:45 PM.Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:Kind of tough to say with out seeing you weld. I'd start with the settings on the door of the machine, since those machines are different than the XMT's I run at the tech school, or my MM185 at the house. Also I have a tendency to run a tad bit cooler on the settings, but weld slower than many guys I know. It just works for me in positions other than flat. Flat, I can crank it up and fly, and can usually run hotter than the machine suggestions.The thing that I find hardest to get across to the students I help is seeing the puddle. How I move and when I move all depends on exactly what I see happening with the puddle. It's one of those "AH HA!" moments. When you finally see it, all the pieces will suddenly click and it starts to make sense. Not the greatest help I know, but it's easier to show than explain sometimes. Note that most newer welders only see the arc, not the puddle. You have to look past the arc and see what the metal is doing, not the bright shinny light where your eyes naturally are drawn to.Usually when I see the toes tied in and a hump, that means the welder is moving a bit slow, weaving, and spending more time in the middle than they are on the edges. That or the heat needs to be turned up a bit, or the wire speed down a bit to reduce the ammount of weld material. I try to get most of the guys to do just straight stringers since it simplifies the equasion frequently. Drives most guys crazy that I can weld a weave, stringers, hotter or colder and still get similar results. The key is that I'm watching what the puddle is doing and adjusting my speed and how long I travel thru the center and pause on the sides based on what the puddle does..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:Originally Posted by Down&outhere is another..I recently ran into an interesting debate at a machine shop -  One of the old timers there were talking about my welding technique and he said "you weld the frown."  I said what?  And he said "not very often I see guys welding the frown, I mostly see guys welding the smile."  I asked him what he meant and he said " well, when you move the gun and puddle  you are moving in a frowney face motion rather than a smiley face motion."  He then said, "by all practical purposes most professional welders weld the "frowney face."  He meant I move my gun in a topside half circle as I move along.
Reply:DWS -  do you weld the "frown" or do you weld the "smile?"Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:Never really thought much about it. I guess if I'm doing a motion it's usually what you would consider a frown, I usually think of it more as a sideways Z, at least flat and horizontal. Most times I usually just run straight stringers. That said I've had to try to weld in as many ways as possible when trying to help students. In some ways it's a fun challenge to weld cursive e's, upside down V's, right side up V's, forward and back almost like a whip, as well as stringers and so on, to try and show someone what works or figure out exactly what they are doing wrong to help point out how to change. If I can make the same "mistake" they are, it often helps make it easier to make suggestions. Sometimes a particular person can see things better one way or another..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:I see!   That is actually very helpful.  I understand what you mean by welding cursive e's and sideways Z's.  That makes sense.  I do watch the puddle when I weld.  It is really common sense to watch the puddle rather than the arc.  The puddle is what is being manipulated rather than the arc.  I find it odd that students would concentrate on the arc rather than the puddle.My issue is the machine settings.  I make my living by communicating with my hand.  I am a a realist artist and I have never had problems with my mind telling my hand what to do.  I find the issues I have with welding are related to the proper settings corresponding with the steel thickness and nuance.Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:DWS -  Would you mind being a little more specific regarding the photos I posted???  I would appreciate it if you could critique each photo I posted.  3 out of the 5 I posted are different machine settings.Thanks!Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:To try to answer your earlier question....I weld a lot of 1/8".  Going off the door chart, I often go with the settings for the next thicker material.  Seems to fit me better.  You know, using the settings for 3/16" when welding 1/8".  I zig and zag holding the edges.  I might do a very narrow zig zag, but almost never do a pure stringer.My name's not Jim....
Reply:Other than the missing bumper and fenders, I like the looks of the bed.  How did you lay out the curved towers.  Just freehand it?My name's not Jim....
Reply:The idea of a flatbed (usually) is to eliminate the rear bumper and fenders. I did a mock up template on particle board then hit it with a plasma.  I wanted the towers to follow the lines of the cab.  Most flatbeds I have seen usually go straight up.  I thought the towers should compliment the cab as much as possible. Attached ImagesLast edited by Down&out; 12-30-2010 at 12:59 AM.Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:Originally Posted by Down&outThe idea of a flatbed (usually) is to eliminate the rear bumper and fenders.
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmThey always have some kind of bumper (could be a low hanging part of the bed) and something to keep rocks off the car behind you.  EDIT....I see mud flaps now.
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmTo try to answer your earlier question....I weld a lot of 1/8".  Going off the door chart, I often go with the settings for the next thicker material.  Seems to fit me better.  You know, using the settings for 3/16" when welding 1/8".  I zig and zag holding the edges.  I might do a very narrow zig zag, but almost never do a pure stringer.
Reply:A stringer is a straight linear weld with no motion or weave..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:nice bed,when welding something like this when you hav the whole thing built and straight then thats the time to weld,now your welds look great the bed looks good but when its time to0 weld i put the power on  theres no weaveing or fidele farting just poor it on, what i mean is get out of the goubler weld and make the spray transfer happen,but you have to move very fast, there is a l9ot of heat so back welding 6 in  all over will keep this deck straight. just a thought after a beer or two,o,o
Reply:Originally Posted by necklessnice bed,when welding something like this when you hav the whole thing built and straight then thats the time to weld,now your welds look great the bed looks good but when its time to0 weld i put the power on  theres no weaveing or fidele farting just poor it on, what i mean is get out of the goubler weld and make the spray transfer happen,but you have to move very fast, there is a l9ot of heat so back welding 6 in  all over will keep this deck straight. just a thought after a beer or two,o,o
Reply:The start and stops are too obvious.When I am stitching like that and skipping around to prevent warpage, I grind out my stop point and start my bead one lap in front of it then weave back before I move forward. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone but me.Also to keep everything perfectly straight, I run a soapstone line on both sides of my gap the width i want my bead and make sure my puddle follows those lines.Your welds look good though.
Reply:Thanks Robert!On the start and stop welds where you can see them most are actually hidden in the final project.  I had that in mind when I was building the bed.  There are a few, however that are visible and I am practicing as much as I can to make them more smooth.Thanks for the help!Shop rigs -Miller Syncrowave 250 DXMiller 252Home rigs -Esab Caddy c200iHitachi E71 GeneratorMetabo chop saw, grinders, etc Two catsUnhealthy addictions to surfing and demolition derby
Reply:Wow, that thing turned out nice!! It looks great, nice work... I dont know enough to critique your welds, but im sure picking up alot of what the other guys said.[Account Abandoned 8/8/16 Please Do Not Attempt Contact Or Expect A Reply]. See you on YouTube! -ChuckE2009Originally Posted by LanseWow, that thing turned out nice!! It looks great, nice work...
Reply:Tower looks great, but in this state, you would get a ticket for driving that on the public roads,  there kinda (nerdie out here) MUST have mud flats and or fenders, and a BUMPER no higher than so many inches  above the ground...(can't remember the legal height)