Welding Tips and Tricks

been having some issues going around tube think i am starting to get it worked out lol its frustrating the hell out of me any tips critiques pointers is appreciated

Personally it looks pretty good, if anything it is a little under filled (it could be the camera angle). Tubes are tough since your constantly moving. I usually get 2-3/nice tacks then try to go at least half way with one hand, then switch and use my other hand if I can't move the work piece....its all about body position.

You could rest the cup on the vertical tube, adjust the tungsten stick out to the proper arc length and walk around the tube as well.

thanks heres where i was at about a week and a half ago got in about an hours practice since this one put the one i posted in previous post down on Lunch break

Looks like a great start to me. It's all about practice. With tubing, you can't death grip the torch. You have to keep things loose so that you can constantly change your torch angle as you move around the joint. I do lots of dry runs each day before I start laying beads to get my fingers and wrist ready. You'll get there!

Zank has a good point about the dry runs....muscle memory really help and is often over looked. Even on the same joint configurations I do a dry run...it really does help figure body and hand position before you light up.

Not that bad

Zank and Rick already gave you good tips. Try to use less amps too, specially at the beginning of your training. It's always easier to learn when you can slowly move with your puddle and have enough time.

Some more practice today

I think your doing great!

There's nothing wrong with the "worst" weld you posted.

Practice makes pretty...

Pretty doesn't pay bills. Solid pays bills.

Focus on solid, and pretty will come. You're already almost there (hell, I'm hard put to make my welds look that good).

Steve S

I agree very nice..

They won't always be pretty, especially when your repairing instead of nice new material while sitting at a bench.

Keep it up!

Ex nail pounder whereabouts are you at near Chicago im n.e Illinois near the lake thanks for all the input guys

JDIGGS82 wrote:Ex nail pounder whereabouts are you at near Chicago im n.e Illinois near the lake thanks for all the input guys

I'm southwest near Joliet.

I live near Joliet also! The welds look fine imo. Not the prettiest but Ive seen slick lookin welds leak too! Can I ask, do u walk the cup or free hand?

Free hand

How many start/stops do you guys usually have when freehanding a smaller tube like this? I weld alot of tubing and have to weld 1.5-1.75" tubes in like 4 sections...

If i had a rotary or something i could get it in one shot... I think if i really reached i could get it in 2 or 3...

Thought about standing and just walking around the tube but my foot pedal limits that...

I'll stop and start as many times as it takes to be comfortable.

With hood time, start/stop point will stop being worry points.

In one case, I did three sch. 160 304 pipe joints in a highly restricted position replacing a diverter valve. I'll wager I had eight stops and starts on the root of one weld (that's less than one inch total weld!), to reposition the mirror, and it still passed x-ray and pressurization.

Work on your restart technique, where you FULLY remelt the puddle at your stop before you progress, and you won't worry about it any more.

Steve S