Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello [emoji112],

This open joint weld (No Filler Rod ) is my first time touching the machine and I was wondering if I can get
Some feedback on how to get better.

This is 4mm mild steel, 85 AMPS, 10 Lpm (20 CFH), 2.4 mm tungsten 2% lanthanated

I’m on an import machine (Tig Lift)



I’m really loving the process of learning how to weld and hope to purchase a better machine in a few months.

Any feedback would be helpful

Cheers

Sonny

Sonny,

Not sure if this will be helpful or not, but it looks concave which means the heat is too hot. Running a bead on an edge like that usually requires less amps.

Try the same amps on the face, or bump it down to maybe 75 on the edge. Doesn't look too bad, IMO, but the trick is in integrating the filler. The coordination of adding filler into the weld puddle and keeping in consistent is a learning process, IMO.

Yea, it's tough to tell on such an "odd" practice weld like that. Try welding up lap/butt/filler joints and see where that takes you. It doesn't look bad at all, no major visible porosity, no orange dust of death...you're off to a great start!

TraditionalToolworks wrote:Sonny,

Not sure if this will be helpful or not, but it looks concave which means the heat is too hot. Running a bead on an edge like that usually requires less amps.

It's concave because it's open joint with no filler. Only the base metal available to fill the joint. The heat is fine as demonstrated by the weld color and original edge retained.

What you do need to do, Sonny, is to clean the metal better, inside and out at least 1/2" from the weld area. You failed to mention cup size? 20 CFH is a lot unless you're using a #10 or larger cup. Rule of thumb is 2x cup size.

Thanks everyone for your help! Apologies ... I used a number 8 Cup. So that means 16 CFH?

And as far as cleaning, I just used a flapper disc until it was shiny ... but I did read that I needed to also use acetone.

I’m going to give that a shot and try again ...

Again thank you [emoji120] for the super fast feedback ... I’m using the Extra Time I have to get in as much “Hoodtime” as possible [emoji41]


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Oscar wrote:Yea, it's tough to tell on such an "odd" practice weld like that. Try welding up lap/butt/filler joints and see where that takes you. It doesn't look bad at all, no major visible porosity, no orange dust of death...you're off to a great start!

Hey Oscar,

I’m actually reading a book and I just started doing the practice welds he recommended, next up is using filler wire flat and then those other joints ...

I think I’ll skip ahead [emoji41] and try your suggestion tomorrow ...

Thanks for the feedback

Sonny


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cj737 wrote:It's concave because it's open joint with no filler. Only the base metal available to fill the joint. The heat is fine as demonstrated by the weld color and original edge retained.

I stand corrected, but admit I don't think I have ever tig welded an edge with no filler, I have done it with filler and get a bead.

One of the few placed I don't use filler is on the outside corner of a miter when using tube, I don't grind the edges of the outside corner and just tig the outside edge and it leaves a nice small bead.