First Beads II

Boyracer · Mon Jul 27, 2015 1:49 pm

This last photo was with .093 scrap plate. there were no recommended setting so I used a voltage setting 3 and wire feed of 70. One side I kind of welded up hill. There were some holes in the plate so I plugged the,

Mon Jul 27, 2015 8:33 pm

Again, well done!

There are a few things to work on, but they're just "practice, practice, practice," such as keeping a constant speed (for a consistent bead width), and closing the tail end of the weld cleanly with a stop, pause, and shoot (commonly called "buttoning off".)

If these are indeed first attempts at MIG welding, you're off to a roaring start.

Steve S

Boyracer · Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:49 pm

I noticed on the back of this plate that there where some arc strikes were there was an insufficient ground.

All I have used this welder for before was to tack. Then it went somewhere else for welding.

Boomer63 · Tue Jul 28, 2015 8:12 am

Boyracer wrote:I noticed on the back of this plate that there where some arc strikes were there was an insufficient ground.

All I have used this welder for before was to tack. Then it went somewhere else for welding.

That happens. Try using a clamp, and make sure that the table you are using is free of spatter and slag. Grind it down!

Always pay close attention to your gun angles. Ask about proper angles if you can't find anything from Jody's videos. Look for consistency; things like size of weld, width, crown, etc. Practice in all positions; don't forget the horizontal! That is one of the more difficult. Practice in vertical up and down - gun angles are the same for both. Learn the difference between 'work angle' and 'travel angle' and why they matter so much!

Ask questions!
Gary