My first gas welds - Feedback?

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Well, I finally found a father/ son business who can teach me to weld. These are my first attempts at running a few lines using gas on some scrap metal. I got a total of 45 minutes of torch time, hopefully I'll be able to get a bit more next time. A lot of the time was spent covering safety, which makes me fell like I picked the right guys to teach me.In the first photo I burned through right at the start and getting a feeling for the puddle, rod and movement was difficult (as expected). I was outdoors and it was really really windy.The second photo is my attempt at one final long run. It's 5 1/2", and it felt like it took forever. I had to stop about 3/4 of the way to get a different grip on my rod. I had my hands rested on a 2x4 and the wind had died down. It felt pretty good all in all.I signed up with this forum a few years ago and read so much info and advice, but never got around to actual welding. Some of it must have stuck because I had a really weird feeling like I'd done this before.The guys didn't really tell me how I stack up to other first timers, although the son said, "you did this?" when he saw my final weld, so I'm guessing I'm not the worst he's seen.I feel like I've got to learn to keep my heat focused in one small area, the puddle got really big a few times (torch too far away?) and maybe use a bit less rod (to reduce the width of the weld) or move faster.Any other feedback?Hot damn that was fun! Attached Images
Reply:Looks great for a gas weld first time..Probably better than what I could do now.....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:Thanks. I'm really looking forward to my next lesson.Do you think it's worth buying a small gas setup or should I put my $ towards a Mig or Tig purchase?
Reply:Try as many processes as you can and see what works best for you.Its a good start.  Addicting aint it?DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Not bad at all. Good to see you learning the basics. I don't think enough people learn to gas weld. The basics you are learning apply to electric arc welding, heat control, speed, filler added. If you can weld with gas, tig will be easy. Same principles just an electric torch instead of gas.I agree that you should try as many of the other methods as posible. Think about what you might plan to want to build. This will help to figure out what method may work best for you in the long run. You can do almost any thing with a gas torch. A lot of guys build home build planes with gas welding so its plenty strong. That said I don't think I'd pick it to build a 10,000 Lb trailer if I had anouther method available.Keep you eyes open, you never know when that deal may come along on a nice used machine you can get cheap. My 1st AC/DC stick was a brand new thunderbolt that a guy dropped in the store. Picked it up for $25. Case looks like h*ll, but it wellds like new.
Reply:Bang510I wouldn't run out and buy a small o/a rig.  They are of limited use for any real welding.  The small tanks are expensive to fill and you don't get much welding or cutting time from them.I have a set but can't remember the last time I actually needed to use them.  I know it's appealing to get something to weld with for under $300 but I think you are better off saving the money until you have seen all the options.
Reply:The guys said they will introduce me to all the processes which is much more than I expected. The downside is they can only teach me on Saturdays for an hour or two, and I'd like to get more practice in during the week.The primary goal is to learn how to weld for most automotive applications (intake and exhaust manifolds, muffler system, body repair, etc.) I think I'd most likely be working in aluminum and stainless.The secondary goal is to design and build some modern steel furniture for myself.Everyone talks about TIG as the "craftsman's" weld, and it sure is good looking, but I've seen some pretty outstanding MIG stuff in these forums too.I don't have access to 220v, so whatever machine I get needs to work off standard household current, at least for the moment. Can you run TIG on household current?Lately, the Miller Passport Plus seems like the right fit (dual voltage, spool gun ready (aluminum), portable/easy storage, etc), but I've never seen what a spool gun can lay down or if it's too limiting to do stuff like exhaust headers.It sounds like if I can find a really really cheap o/a rig (but with full size bottles) it might keep me on the path to TIG if I decide to get there. I don't know if I'd be overspending if I bought Miller, but I like to buy machines that exceed my current skill so I can grow into them.I don't know anything about AC/DC Stick, so that's another consideration I guess, or is stick more for heavy industry?Sorry for the rambling questions, any further guidance is much appreciated.I think I'm beyond addicted, I actually had a welding dream last night, i got it bad.CoryLast edited by Bang510; 03-16-2008 at 07:18 PM.
Reply:Pretty good start. Watch the puddle of molten metal and when you see a semicircle dab in the filler. You want a perfect stack of dimes . Heck I can't see that good you did fine keep it up. Easy to say but practice does help.  What pressure were your at ? Nuetral flame ?  A burn through is a holding the heat a concentrated point to long you will need to have a rythem of whip out the torch to cool with the filler.on the thin stuff .  I was told a good prerequsite for tig is oxy fuel first.
Reply:Mig would probably be the best for auto body work. A small 110v mig and alum don't work quite as well as you might like to think. The rest of you guys correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't had one for years. Alum needs a lot of heat to weld. Yes you can get some nice 110v / 220v machines but they tend to be pricey compared to 220V only machines. Stick is better for thicker metals generally. You probable can get 220 at the house, if you can get to the pannel. I ran my 220v mig in my old apt. by making a 50' extension cord and pluging it into a plug that I had installed next to the panel. Ran the cord out the window to the drive and worked there.
Reply:Originally Posted by 560DennisPretty good start. Watch the puddle of molten metal and when you see a semicircle dab in the filler. You want a perfect stack of dimes . Heck I can't see that good you did fine keep it up. Easy to say but practice does help.  What pressure were your at ? Nuetral flame ?  A burn through is a holding the heat a concentrated point to long you will need to have a rythem of whip out the torch to cool with the filler.on the thin stuff .  I was told a good prerequsite for tig is oxy fuel first.
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWMig would probably be the best for auto body work. A small 110v mig and alum don't work quite as well as you might like to think. The rest of you guys correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't had one for years. Alum needs a lot of heat to weld. Yes you can get some nice 110v / 220v machines but they tend to be pricey compared to 220V only machines. Stick is better for thicker metals generally. You probable can get 220 at the house, if you can get to the pannel. I ran my 220v mig in my old apt. by making a 50' extension cord and pluging it into a plug that I had installed next to the panel. Ran the cord out the window to the drive and worked there.
Reply:am new and addicted too.get an o/a setup. you can play with it for hours and it will lead you into tig. you can cut steel with it. dont skimp, get good stuff, spend more than you think you should.