[NCK.Ag.Services]

My apologies for the exaggerated delay. Posting pictures up got pushed to the back burner lately. Make hay while the sun shines so to speak. Enough with that. Here's some photos. Keep in mind this pipe is rusty and had no prep, no bevel. I am definitely interested in constructive criticism. Selling my welder is not an option unfortunately so if the quality or lack thereof would justify such a move I guess we're SOL and will have to figure out how to improve.


This is 6011 downhill at ~95 amps. Ranger 305g set to cc downhill with arc force at +4.




Here's my 7018 uphill at 105 amps. Arc force was at -2 if I remember correctly.




Thanks for any advice you can give to help me improve what I am doing.

[Otto Nobedder]

Hey, that's outstanding, considering the metal you're working with!

Rust is not your friend.

Try that again with a proper prep to clean metal, and you might surprise yourself!

I can't offer any real constructive critisism until I see the same welds on clean metal (variables of rust/contamination removed from the equation), but those both look rock solid to me.

Steve S

[NCK.Ag.Services]

I wouldn't know how to act with clean prepped metal. This is 2⅞ horizontal welded to 5½ vertical. As I said before I am hand fitting these with my plasma. This pipe is everywhere out here and readily available from the oil fields. Its about all I ever get to work with because its substantially cheaper than new pipe.

[Otto Nobedder]

If all you're building is fences and parking barriers, you have NO worries with those welds. They're rock solid for the purpose (and look damn good for the metal you're working with).

If you want to move to the "next level", you'll need to sort out some prep work, so you're only working with clean steel. I think you have a solid start with what you've shown.

Steve S

[DylanWelds]

It looks like your going just a bit fast. I would try holding your sides longer and skipping across the middle. Each time you take a step try to hit the same place on the side you did before and it will come out looking more uniform. Looks pretty good though just keep at it. 6011 before will burn off rust but I would still at least wire virus the surface before welding on that

[NCK.Ag.Services]

This is what I am building. Doesn't look like much but each post is six to seven feet down in the ground. Can't get a cement truck here so its all filled back up with sackrete. These three post holes took an entire pallet of 80 lb bags to fill. There's 27 more just like this plus 400 feet of 2⅞ set vertical on 16½' spacing that were saddled and I laidsections of 2" across the top to make a rail so I could span a slough area. Its been a lot of work but its almost done and it'll be a nice pay day.

[NCK.Ag.Services]

Bump....more feedback would be appreciated. Pics of the welds are on page 3. Thanks.

[Superiorwelding]

Bump....more feedback would be appreciated. Pics of the welds are on page 3. Thanks.

6-7 feet in the ground, what are you trying to stop, semi's? Reminds me of a fence here locally, it is designed to stop 80,000lbs at 50 mph.
Anyway, looks good. A little more practice and you will be welding those joints in your sleep. I really can't offer much advise, those pipes are so rusty that there is really nothing more you can do. Keep it up man!
-Jonathan

[NCK.Ag.Services]

I agree its ridiculously overkill. I just build it how people want it built. This is what they wanted and what they're willing to pay for so its what they get. The ironic part is its just for cattle. I've been around their cattle.Their cattle are calm and laid back.

[Otto Nobedder]

I agree its ridiculously overkill. I just build it how people want it built. This is what they wanted and what they're willing to pay for so its what they get. The ironic part is its just for cattle. I've been around their cattle.Their cattle are calm and laid back.

Maybe they're thinking of bringing in a champion bull for breeding stock? I've seen a 1200# bull take down a pretty solid fence...

[AKweldshop]

Hey Nick.
I know the secret to your success.
Those 7018 welds are just right.
No dropping , no holes.
Just clean that $&£%# metal, and you will be making perfect welds.
That 7018 puddle can't flow out and wet in on all that rust.
Clean that steel, and you'll shock yourself.

John

Btw,
Steve.
We used to have a 2400# bull.
Won many blue ribbons .
Wish I still had a pic of me sitting on his back as a little kid.

[NCK.Ag.Services]

Thank you for the feedback and the compliments on the weld. I am not overly proficient or experienced with low hydrogen rod. I honestly did not know the surface rust made that much of a difference. There I go again showing my lack of knowledge.
I carry a right angle grinder with me in the truck all the time. Would a wire brush would to clean off the surface rust or does a person need to get at it with the grinding disc to expose clean fresh metal?

[AKweldshop]

Ok,
A wire wheel on a grinder, will shine it up some, but nothing beats a grinding wheel.
Some times I do all three, wire wheel, grinding wheel, and flap disk, mirror shiny.
Just try it.
If you have super clean metal, well, you'll be happy.
Try it with clean metal, then get us a pic.

John

[mike boyer]

Hi Mike...Mike here...LOL..was that an echo??? Let me start by sayin..I'm a newbie welder & no pro by any stretch of the imagination....But I do know metal....Tool maker/machinist is my forte....The guys that are answering you did the same for me less than a month or 2 ago....That being said..Gotta agree with Steve & others....Considering what your working with..Ya really cant get much better..The weld bead itself looks great...On the matter of grinding to get clean metal..U gota consider "wall thickness" when you get there..Me..I would take a scrape piece..AND GRIND to clean metal..See what the difference in wall thickness is...weld it up..And if your happier with the "appearance" of the actual bead..Your happy..Right..But..All things considered..Is it a stronger joint because its better looking..?? I think not..Are you goin for aesthetics or structural integrity???..if you."cleaned it up.."a little" the puddle mite be able to FLOW & TIE IN a "little better"..But..WHAT have you accomplished..???? From the material i'm seein...Ya cant do a whole lot with it..(bro..Polishin a turd..dont change nothin..It's still a turd).. What do your welds on GOOD metal look like??? If what I'm seein on that crap pipe are any indication..Your a pretty good arm..Don't sweat it bro...finish your job..Get paid...AND RUN LIKE HELL....LMAO....if what your workin with is comin out THAT GOOD...your nailin it...My 000.2 cents..

[NCK.Ag.Services]

Thank you guys for all of the feedback. I am just about done on this job. It has been a handful to say the least. When they spec'd out what they wanted, I told them it was going to end up costing double what a normal fence would cost. They said this is what they wanted so it's what they now have. They are very happy with the results and even more so given that my work through the nasty slough area passed it's first test with flying colors. This slough is a 400 foot wide choke point in a reasonably large drainage system that extends for about 15 miles south and several miles in either direction. They had 5.5 inches of rain a couple weeks ago and it hit my pipe/rail/panel concoction pretty hard. The debris on the swing panels was about thirty inches high from the water flow and it worked exactly as it was designed to do. It's easy to get mired down in the minutia like "are my welds good enough" but it is truly satisfying to build something different to try to solve a problem, see it tested, and have a positive outcome.
Regardless of that, this thread is about welding. I truly appreciate the compliments and feedback you have offered. I really had no idea how my welding was...I just knew my stuff normally withstood the rigors of whatever I built it for. The kind words are much appreciated. As for the wall thickness and structural integrity of the pipe, it's most likely a lot better than a person would think from seeing photos. Some of the pipes that I get have deeper pitting on the surface and I don't use those. These pipes would clean up nicely. I have one more set of corners to weld in tomorrow so I'll try to hit it with the grinder. Hopefully the wind will blow a good bit because the mosquitos are absolutely awful on this job. They were attacking right through my bug spray yesterday and the wind seems to be the only thing that keeps tehm at bay. I'll try to snap photos of the pipe when it's cleaned up for reference.

[Adam's Got Skills]

Practice makes perfect....First off i used to think I was never gonna be able to weld like jody! An i still probably can't!lol...but Im closer. The one thing I learned is that I like the Lincoln excalibur rods the most for 7018. The 6010/6011 i run at 95 amps for an 1/8" electrode. An u can run the 3/32" xcaliber 7018 at the same heat. Now 1/8" 7018 i like 120 amps. I learned that for vertical I move just a little faster and with a weave pattern or Z weave u only hold it on the sides just passing over the middle. When u hold the sides it fills in the middle. Some people have told me to run vertical cold. But u want to run it the same heat as flat! When u finally get the hang of it u will be blown away that u thought it was hard! Good luck...but practice it