Hi Everyone!
My name is Jayd and I'm joining in from Australia (Brisbane) and have recently purchased an AC/DC TIG/Arc inverter machine (200 amp) and am gradually trying to teach myself to weld... Watching many youtubes, asking a few other hobby-ist friends and hoping to benefit from some of the awesome knowledge contained in this forum.
I've been trying to work on both some stick and tig practice and will post a few weld shots and ask a few questions on what I need to tweak to get the desired result soon... If the image attachment worked you should see a pic of the welder below.
I think these are only available in Australia... brand is CIGWeld and is owned by ESAB. Seems a nice little welder so far!
Thanks in advance for any assistance given!
Cheers!
thats a nice machine.
make shift welding tables, certainly been there.
there is the fairly cheap little folding hafco welding tables. i think machinery house sells them over there.
keep with the stick welding. it looks like you are on the way.
get good at stick welding as it really helps when it comes to tig welding.
also get used to cleaning your material. its critical in tig, so might as well do it for stick as well.
make shift welding tables, certainly been there.
there is the fairly cheap little folding hafco welding tables. i think machinery house sells them over there.
keep with the stick welding. it looks like you are on the way.
get good at stick welding as it really helps when it comes to tig welding.
also get used to cleaning your material. its critical in tig, so might as well do it for stick as well.
tweak it until it breaks
Hey BillE.Dee and Tweake!
Thanks for the welcome and Billie - you called it... A neighbour from across a little stretch of water has already replied
Thanks Tweake - yeah I know the Hafco brand but I think I'm gonna make a weld table as a little project. A mate has access to a large bed water cutter so I'm planning on getting some 6 or 8mm plate maybe 1.2m x 1.2m - and then I'll get a grid of holes popped in it for clamps, and may get a few slightly undersize holes put in and then drill and tap for some different bolt down clamp options. RHS frame...
I got the welder a couple of months ago and have already built a work bench which came out pretty good (a mix of stick and tig) - and a little wall mount holder for a couple of 9kg gas bottles (couple of pics attached).. the little projects were great as they made me weld a lot!
As for stick welding I totally agree with you - and I'll 'stick' with it
I actually find stick super satisfying - probably because it IS kinda hard to get good at, and it's unforgiving. When I crank out a nice stick I think it's the most satisfying thing ever!
One of the attached pics shows some undercut which I get occasionally... any ideas on a cure? I figure slowing down a bit helps but any other ideas?
I'll be after some vertical up advice soon so I'll probably post in anther thread I've seen on that..
Chat again soon and thank you for making me feel welcome!
Thanks for the welcome and Billie - you called it... A neighbour from across a little stretch of water has already replied
Thanks Tweake - yeah I know the Hafco brand but I think I'm gonna make a weld table as a little project. A mate has access to a large bed water cutter so I'm planning on getting some 6 or 8mm plate maybe 1.2m x 1.2m - and then I'll get a grid of holes popped in it for clamps, and may get a few slightly undersize holes put in and then drill and tap for some different bolt down clamp options. RHS frame...
I got the welder a couple of months ago and have already built a work bench which came out pretty good (a mix of stick and tig) - and a little wall mount holder for a couple of 9kg gas bottles (couple of pics attached).. the little projects were great as they made me weld a lot!
As for stick welding I totally agree with you - and I'll 'stick' with it
I actually find stick super satisfying - probably because it IS kinda hard to get good at, and it's unforgiving. When I crank out a nice stick I think it's the most satisfying thing ever!One of the attached pics shows some undercut which I get occasionally... any ideas on a cure? I figure slowing down a bit helps but any other ideas?
I'll be after some vertical up advice soon so I'll probably post in anther thread I've seen on that..
Chat again soon and thank you for making me feel welcome!
- Attachments
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- Stick fillet practice. I occasionally get undercut which is maybe travel speed and amps too high?
- undercut.jpg (37.39 KiB) Viewed 883 times
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- Gas bottle holder pre-post painting. A mix of stick and (mainly)TIG
- gas bottle holder.jpg (99.24 KiB) Viewed 883 times
TraditionalToolworks
- TraditionalToolworks
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Weldmonger
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Posts:
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Joined:Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:49 am
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Location:San Jose / Kelseyville
Welcome,
That 7018 fillet looks good!
That 7018 fillet looks good!
Collector of old Iron!
Alan
Alan
Thanks Alan!
Actually you just reminded me ... I meant to mention the rod I used... It was a 6013 which seems quite common over here in Australia as a general purpose rod. Is that the case in the USA or is 7018 more common as a bit of a 'do it all' rod?
Actually you just reminded me ... I meant to mention the rod I used... It was a 6013 which seems quite common over here in Australia as a general purpose rod. Is that the case in the USA or is 7018 more common as a bit of a 'do it all' rod?
nice bottle rack.
thin wall tubing can be tricky.
the stick weld, looks a tad hot and looks slow.
check arc length, drop amps a tad and pick up the travel speed a bit.
you can see where you slowed down, the puddle got wider and undercut got worse.
thin wall tubing can be tricky.
the stick weld, looks a tad hot and looks slow.
check arc length, drop amps a tad and pick up the travel speed a bit.
you can see where you slowed down, the puddle got wider and undercut got worse.
tweak it until it breaks
I’d make a slight commentary difference to what Tweake replied.
We frequently say “undercut” but what in actual fact is happening is “under fill”. Think of it this way: if you travel too quickly, the rod does not have time enough to deposit filler, leaving an “undercut” edge. If you are not feeding the rod into the puddle quickly enough, you get a long arc and too hot an arc, leads to “undercut”. In both examples, it’s really you not feeding and moving slowly enough to let the deposition occur as needed.
And for that fillet weld, be sure you move the rod top to bottom; don’t just drag straight in the seam. That does not deposit filler on the vertical edge. A slight tick-tock motion up and down as you travel forward will get you straight.
For the experienced, vocabulary is easy. For self-taught, sometimes changing how you think about it can help correct the technique. Get your eyes in a really good position and focus your sight on the edges of the puddle. You’ll begin to see when to move, how to move, and where you rod tip needs to loiter.
Best of luck and welcome-
We frequently say “undercut” but what in actual fact is happening is “under fill”. Think of it this way: if you travel too quickly, the rod does not have time enough to deposit filler, leaving an “undercut” edge. If you are not feeding the rod into the puddle quickly enough, you get a long arc and too hot an arc, leads to “undercut”. In both examples, it’s really you not feeding and moving slowly enough to let the deposition occur as needed.
And for that fillet weld, be sure you move the rod top to bottom; don’t just drag straight in the seam. That does not deposit filler on the vertical edge. A slight tick-tock motion up and down as you travel forward will get you straight.
For the experienced, vocabulary is easy. For self-taught, sometimes changing how you think about it can help correct the technique. Get your eyes in a really good position and focus your sight on the edges of the puddle. You’ll begin to see when to move, how to move, and where you rod tip needs to loiter.
Best of luck and welcome-
Thanks heaps Tweake and CJ!
I tried both of your suggestions a few times each - and ended up getting slightly better results going a little slower trying to concentrate on fill... The 'under fill' explanation makes sense to me... I suppose the arc is gouging to a degree AND gravity is trying to suck the pool away from that top edge - so ensuring I pause/slow a little to fill that top weld toe and maybe point the rod up towards the vertical face a little (I may have been a little too 'upright' with my rod angle - I need to make sure I'm 45 off vertical at least) makes sense...
I did some practice last night and didn't quite eliminate the undercut on a 2F weld but it's definitely getting close! More practice on the way. I'm happy with my beads in general but want to get rid of the under fill / undercut so they're as good as I can get em!
6013 rod / 2.4mm (3/32") at 85 Amps was what I welded at.. 5mm mild steel coupons..
I think next I may try:
- back off amps slightly
- angle my rod a tiny bit more towards the vert plate
- really really watch the puddle on the vert plate
Any comments? I should maybe jump this to a new thread in the stick welding area soon I think
Next is vertical up fillets which i SUCK at... they seem very tricky...
I tried both of your suggestions a few times each - and ended up getting slightly better results going a little slower trying to concentrate on fill... The 'under fill' explanation makes sense to me... I suppose the arc is gouging to a degree AND gravity is trying to suck the pool away from that top edge - so ensuring I pause/slow a little to fill that top weld toe and maybe point the rod up towards the vertical face a little (I may have been a little too 'upright' with my rod angle - I need to make sure I'm 45 off vertical at least) makes sense...
I did some practice last night and didn't quite eliminate the undercut on a 2F weld but it's definitely getting close! More practice on the way. I'm happy with my beads in general but want to get rid of the under fill / undercut so they're as good as I can get em!
6013 rod / 2.4mm (3/32") at 85 Amps was what I welded at.. 5mm mild steel coupons..
I think next I may try:
- back off amps slightly
- angle my rod a tiny bit more towards the vert plate
- really really watch the puddle on the vert plate
Any comments? I should maybe jump this to a new thread in the stick welding area soon I think
Next is vertical up fillets which i SUCK at... they seem very tricky...
- Attachments
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- Vert face shown flat here (piece rotated)... hard to photograph the undercut but it is pretty slight.. maybe 0.5mm
- Inked2F fillet top view 2_LI.jpg (31.82 KiB) Viewed 828 times
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- Normal view of my test fillet
- Inked2F fillet_LI.jpg (50.47 KiB) Viewed 828 times
nice going.
just be aware that vertical up with 6013 can be a nitemare with some rods.
there is a wide range of 6013's around and they can behave totally different with out of position welds.
just be aware that vertical up with 6013 can be a nitemare with some rods.
there is a wide range of 6013's around and they can behave totally different with out of position welds.
tweak it until it breaks
Cheers Tweake
Yeah okay I'll keep that in mind then (re the 6013 and vert up).. Whilst I'm definitely no master welder I'm reasonably steady and no matter how tight an arc I hold, and how well I prop - I just can't really get anything half decent looking going vert up with 6013... I've got some 7018 rods so may crack those open and give some vert fillet another go!
I'll start a new thread on it in the stick area when I do and post a couple of pics if it goes wrong... or right !
Yeah okay I'll keep that in mind then (re the 6013 and vert up).. Whilst I'm definitely no master welder I'm reasonably steady and no matter how tight an arc I hold, and how well I prop - I just can't really get anything half decent looking going vert up with 6013... I've got some 7018 rods so may crack those open and give some vert fillet another go!
I'll start a new thread on it in the stick area when I do and post a couple of pics if it goes wrong... or right
!