AHP 201xd first beads critique

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These are my first TIG beads. Alphatig 201xdAbout 130amps at 110v.Foot pedal.I have numbered this session’s beads in case anyone cares to make any observations.I feel i have a long way to go. how do “they” get those  beautiful cone arcs that the pro welders show in the different videos i have watched-practice practice practice. There are no welding schools in my area.





Thank ps for looking
Reply:I have a list of  questions. How thick is the plate? You need on amp per .001 thousand of material. Am I seeing it right as it appears that you vee grooved the plate? If the plate is light gauge do not groove. Did you cool the plate between passes? Not doing so will change the heat parameters to the point of wasting time practicing on a moving target. Start with a flat plate and just run one bead at a time. It does appear that you are putting too much heat into the plate. Remember that "heat" is a combination of amps and travel speed. Happy practicing.
Reply:Thank you for responding. These are flat , i think cold rolled steel coupons i bought from weldmetalsonline. I was practicing just laying beads.One thing i have learned the hard way is about heat. After a pass, i will have one glowing piece of metal. This is because i am a newbie and mostly because I had the torch just a few degrees off vertical, directing most of the heat into the piece. I have since angled the torch more off vertical. Thanks for the tip about allowing to cool somewhat because i didnt realize the overall immediate relationship with heat.I started adding filler wire and noticed a couple of things. If my amperage wasnt dialed in high enough, there would not be sufficient heat to create a weld puddle in which to add to the puddle. And, My gas was not on long enough in post flow to keep the electrode bright and shiny and the end weld intact. I made all these filler welds on one electrode, which was a feat, until i didnt clean in the free space between welds and things went to hell.The other hard lesson is the meaning of cleanliness. Everything has to be bright and shiny or the arc will be fubar  and a waste of time. While welding next to a previous bead, that area has to be at least brushed off or else.I started adding filler here, and instead of stacking dimes, I am stacking garbage can lids but its a start, (high frequency). LolThere is one short bead that lower left that i last did in between to beads without cleaning to prove my dirty surface theory.

thanks for the feed back.  

Originally Posted by arcflash

I have a list of  questions. How thick is the plate? You need on amp per .001 thousand of material. Am I seeing it right as it appears that you vee grooved the plate? If the plate is light gauge do not groove. Did you cool the plate between passes? Not doing so will change the heat parameters to the point of wasting time practicing on a moving target. Start with a flat plate and just run one bead at a time. It does appear that you are putting too much heat into the plate. Remember that "heat" is a combination of amps and travel speed. Happy practicing.
Reply:I scrounged around for scraps in the barrel at a welding shop so i guess this around 1/8” or a little thicker, 134amps, no pulse, 5sec post. (Tungsten has remained clean and shiny since i increased the gas!) Cleaned extra well plus wiped with acetone. TIG eureka moment for me.First two welds of the day. Thought i would take a picture and send it to my father in law before i manked up the coupon.


Reply:Those are looking much better. Pulse should not be used by anyone learning to weld as it keeps you from learning the basics. Top bead looks pretty consistent. Keep up the good work.
Reply:

Originally Posted by arcflash

Those are looking much better. Pulse should not be used by anyone learning to weld as it keeps you from learning the basics. Top bead looks pretty consistent. Keep up the good work.