Welder Dufus

[Ramrod]

I own two welders and still can't weld! With the cracker box, I can stick heavy stuff together, but it's ugly. With the wire feed, I tend to spatter and stick while making ugly lumps. On the bright side, I am becoming an expert grinder! Is there any sage wisdom out there that I can glean, or am I doomed to learn from my mistakes?

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Ramrod
James 1:19

 

[DennyF]

Learn to cherish the Gorilla Weld: Ugly as hail and twice as strong as it is ugly...become one with the slag.

My dad and my best friend were both certified welders and always enjoyed critiquing my attempts with a buzz box or oxy-acetlyne torch.

Welded the blade on an ice scraper back onto the shank once. Both said they'd give it about a month. 25 years later she's still on there and just as purty as ever. ;o)

 

[Sean (TX)]

Its free take a look. I need to look it over to. I am a Dufus to LOL...Its not pretty but it will hold. Have a 110 or a 220? I would like to sell my 110 and get a 220....It might be a ugly bead but it will hold better. <img src="http://scosoft.com/s/b/62c94293.gif" width="15" height="15">


http://www.esabna.com/euweb/AWTC/Lesson1_1.htm

 

[Ramrod]

Both my welders are 220. My cracker box is ac only, may some day trade it for ac/dc version, as I think dc may be easier to handle. My actual interest is in welding light wieght sheet metals. That is a skill I have yet to come close to except when practicing on scrap. The actual weld on the antique part always looks much worse than my practice weld.

__________________
Ramrod
James 1:19

 

[pappyshorthair]

May help to think of stick welding as using a blunt club to melt big and wide. Mig welding is like using a sharp pencil ,using more movement .Keep America Strong- WELD IT

 

[9NJoe]

Hey Welder Doofus,

What kind of rod are you using in your arc welder? Try 6011 or 7014 it really depends on the rod.

Joe

 

[Ken(Ark)]

Most mistakes are in the ideology . Your not trying to fill up the crack . You are trying to melt the two pieces until the molten metal flows together . Slow down the speed and watch the "puddle" of melted steel . The best teacher would be to get the oxygen and acetylene torch and melt two flat plates together with no filler rod . There is not any noticeable slag , just the molten "puddle" to see and you can watch both sides melt together . The trick is to match the heat and speed to the metal you are joining together .

 

[TimW(PA)]

welder welder do your best
grinder grinder do the rest

A little saying a picked up from the welders when I worked at plant that repaired trains. I usually recited it while I grind down my gobs too...grin

 

[Anonymous-0]

I was always told that the difference between a " good weld" and a "bad weld" was 2 coats of paint!

 

[Gregg E]

Practice, practice, practice.
Get some scrap metal and PRACTICE.
Sounds like your not burning hot enough and moving to fast.

 

[TimW(PA)]

Ha ha ...yeah that too....

 

[Ramrod]

Thanks guys and dufi (plural for dufus?). I think I'll try turning up the heat on the mig and moving a bit slower, hopefully I'll blow no holes in what I'm trying to fix, and spend more time practicing.

I didn't get to be such a dufus by not practicing, that's fer sure!

____________________

Ramrod
James 1:19

 

[wfw]

one good way to get pratice is to take an evening class at the local community collage, fairly cheap and usually good instruction, I have done this several times for welding to actually build a couple of projects

 

[Tim...OK]

Remember,with the mig on thin sheetmetal,you can't just "weld" it,a finished weld is hundreds of little tacks than eventually make a weld..one to two seconds tacks is all you can do without burning thru,even on a good machine..

far as the arc,start with some fresh DRY 6011 rods,about 90-110 amps and practice,learn to watch your puddle.. old rods that have drawn moisture over the years are probably the biggest frustration for occassional welders..

Tim