a few practice beads

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These are after about 3 or 4 days of "getting the hang of it again." Please critique the hell out of them...I am a big boy, I can take it  (how am I gonna get better if I don't know what I'm doing wrong?)I was having a bit of trouble starting fresh 7018 rods...after I got them going, I could start a bit better-ish. But those fresh tips were giving me a bit of trouble:1/2" plate; top half 7018 @ 90, bottom half 6013 @ 105:7108:6013: "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:What size rods were those 7018s?  For the most part they look pretty good.  Need a bit more heat I think.  If it is 1/8" rod try 120amps for flat position.  3/32" 90 amps should be fine.Looks like you lost your flux on one of those and got some porosity as a result.  Either that or the rod was wet.Hey, any time you want some hands on tips.  Let me know.  We can setup a time and you can drive up here and we can burn up some rod and wire at my friend's shop and i'll give you some tips.  Then we can go fish.  What type of angle to the workpiece are you using?  Looks like you are dragging the rod which is good, but what angle?  You want about a 5-15 degree angle aimed back at the weld you are laying down.Last edited by WelderBoy; 10-07-2007 at 07:55 PM.
Reply:They are 1/8" rods, and I'm pretty sure it was wet...it seems to rain every time I start welding... and it usually stops right when I put everything away. You're right, I was dragging, and I was usually right around 5-10 degrees. Once in a while I catch myself either too vertical, or at too much of an angle, but I try to shoot for 10 degrees.Oh, and yeah, I will definitely have to swing up there sometime. That would be fun "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:Good start!7018 can be a handfull getting started at times.. You should take Welderboy's offer up.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Silky, did you guys get pissed on hard a few hours ago?  I was driving home and it started DUMPING rain.  I guess that's what sent you packing up your gear, huh?
Reply:In my experience 7018 is harder to start when it has been started before.  A fresh rod usually starts like a charm for me.
Reply:You look too cold on the 7018, notice the 105 amp passes with 6013 were flatter? Comparing 7018 and 6013 is no good either but one last thing is that as you get up to 1/2" thick, it needs preheat before the first pass will flatten out. More important for testing or actual welding meant to be used, rather than practice, just fyi. Keep it consistant!! Try laying stringer beads up against each other if you think of it next time.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:awesome thanks for the input guys, i will fiddle around with it more tomorrow.welderboy - yeah, I got dumped on like crazy, but it was about 15 minutes after I came in to post the pictures. I had already pulled everything back into the garage . It was raining slightly the whole time I was out there though.Zap - I plan on it, for sure. "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:1/8" 7018 can be run from 90 to 160 amps.  CRANK it up!Try 150 on flat 1/2" plate, it should be no problem.  If your rod is that wet, put in the oven at home for 2 to 3 hours on 300.  Then it shouldn't stick.  This is DC + electrode?  What machine?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Here are some 1/8" 7018 on 1/2" plate.The colder beads start narrow.  The 150 amp one starts great.Invertec 350 pro, arc force -5 except for the 160 amp one, I turned it up to +5 or the bead would have been really wide.  That is why there is some spatter on the last one too.DavidGonna post this under mig tig and stick.Last edited by David R; 10-08-2007 at 03:32 PM.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:awesome, i plan on trying a bit more heat tonight. Thanks for the pics, those help a lot!also, I am using a Lincoln AC-255 "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:Silky, those welds look pretty good to me. I am going to have to say listen to Dave and Welderboy.... I rarely do stick. So, I am here learning through your post, too.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:I agree that you are a little cold.  The look good though. One thing, PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE NOT WELDING ON TOP OF THAT WINCH???????????Come try it out and stay a while.
Reply:Originally Posted by rustywranglerOne thing, PLEASE TELL ME YOU ARE NOT WELDING ON TOP OF THAT WINCH???????????
Reply:HAHA no, not at all. Thats a Ramsey. I only weld on top of Mile Marker winches . But I rednecked up a welding table out of a couple 5 gallon buckets with a 2" thick concrete garden stone on top (not much room to work, but enough to practice on). It even converts into a half-hight table with a seat! Very versatile. I am thinking about marketing these things. here it is in action:Last edited by silky; 10-09-2007 at 12:23 AM. "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:Ok here are some welds from tonight. The three on top were the final three, with the plate flipped around. There is quite a bit of spatter, and i was having a bit of trouble keeping the speed steady. But here they are:7018 on 1/2" @ 150: "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:Looking better.  More heat helps.  Try to keep the arc short, real short then you should have less spatter.  What machine are you using?Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I think the bottom pictures look fine .... The top two pictures look like you had the amperage turned down too low.Personally I think to learn welding you need about a 1/2 hour or so of instruction and a lifetime of practice.NOOOOOOOOO don't everybody gang up on me!  LOL . .. ....I mean basic technique, takes about a half hour. Learing all the ins and out of being a "Good" welder learing different materials, rods, processes, Gases, etc is an unending process.As .... everyone always says here ....practice, then practice somemore.Washman
Reply:yep, thats what I am trying....practice practice practice. I really appreciate all the input!I am using a Lincoln AC-225 "Ask not for whom the bone bones, it bones for thee" - Bender
Reply:Originally Posted by silky  I am using a Lincoln AC-225