Welding Tips and Tricks

Please see photo attached. Why does the bead look "stretched" toward the left of the weld? It seems to even out and start to look like something normal on the very right, even though this too could use some work.

What's up with the "stretch"? It's 1/8" steel, 3/32" lanth, 3/32" 70S-6, pure AR, etc., etc. Fairly normal.

Jon

that looks like freeze lines. looks like your adding a lot of filler and going to slow.
pick the speed up and make smaller weld

also i looks (hard to tell) like you didn't clean the edge. 3c's of tig welding, clean clean clean.

You changed the angle of your torch as you went along, simple as that.

At the start, you had the arc pointed higher up the wall which is why the filler melted more evenly. At the end, you were pointing towards the bottom which is why the filler sagged.

Always practice run your movement to detect small changes in your torch angle and where you might be running out of room to slide your arm along. To me, it looks as though you moved the torch with yuor hand/fingers and did not slide along.

I would add with the oval cutout, there wasn't any material to conduct heat away from the puddle (on that side, towards the viewer), which is why it reached out and melted away the edge, and by the time you reached the end of the weld there is more heat in the base metal and the puddle wants to move around more then when you started

cj737 wrote:You changed the angle of your torch as you went along, simple as that.

At the start, you had the arc pointed higher up the wall which is why the filler melted more evenly. At the end, you were pointing towards the bottom which is why the filler sagged.

Always practice run your movement to detect small changes in your torch angle and where you might be running out of room to slide your arm along. To me, it looks as though you moved the torch with yuor hand/fingers and did not slide along.

Yep, agree.

Some excellent points, I must say. I would have never guessed - but that's why I posted.

Angle of torch and too slow with too much filler are both right, now that I think about it. I wasn't sliding my hand along the table. I was attempting to move the torch with my fingers and yes - the angle kept shifting. Sometimes I have so much pressure on my torch hand that when I attempt to slide it along, I get sudden jerking motions when my heavy hand finally frees up. I'll practice that.

As far as the puddle freezing and me moving too slow, yeah - that's right too. My rod was too big so it didn't melt properly, kept getting stuck and I was slowed up (or even stopped).

Just a slew of mistakes.

Well, at least the metal is welded and not coming apart.

But that's wild that you guys spotted those things, just from looking at a 2" bead.

Thanks a LOT!

Jon

Agree with cj. The combined angle of the filler and torch is supposed to be approx 90 degrees, with the torch more upright and the wire leaning over.

Best, Mick

ekbmuts wrote: But that's wild that you guys spotted those things, just from looking at a 2" bead.

Because it looks just like our own work We've seen these beads for years beneath our hoods.

To your point about pressure on your hand: hold the torch as you would a Child's hand; gently but with control. It's not alive nor will it bite you, so don't choke it. Stress in your mind about making a perfect weld translates to tension in your body. Breathe, man, it's only metal...

You should try moving things around to find the most comfort, best sight lines, and physically comfortable position to weld. It helps with strain on your neck, back, and wrists. TIG welding on the bench is about the easiest process physically on your body so exploit that.

Comfort comes with confidence. Confidence comes with practice. Practice takes time. So take your time while you weld and get comfortable. And you're right; its welded and won't come apart (^^above). Pretty comes later

Good advice, cj.

THKS again!

Jon

Okay.

I'm just going to say it.

That weld is probably pretty darn strong and what it LOOKS like is really not that big of a deal.

BUT I know how it is, we want it to look good, something other welders ooh and aah over.

I think the guys got you covered, I often when I can stabilize my magic making hand as much as possible, lean it on the cup, hold it with my left arm when fusing stainless, whatever it takes, run it through without the pedal down, can you make it from point A to B without shifting?

Welds look the best made in 1 motion with the same rate of speed and the same filler rate, that's what I think.

You also let off the heat quite suddenly at the end, that's why there's a little hole, you can either slowly let your foot off, or add some extra filler as you go to let off the pedal. I also notice you dipped into the open hole (Can't blame you) and that probably caused the more obvious change in bead pattern.

But hey, it's probably holding strong.

Olivero - Yeah, it's holding. Probably for ever. Thanks for your pointers though. Very helpful. One day. I'll post a weld that's strong AND good to look at!

Until then -

Jon