Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm a new welder at 61. I had a mobile base project for my woodturning lathe that I was going to save money on doing myself instead of buying. I was going to make it with flux-cored wire welding so I first bought a HF 120. This would have saved me around $150. But, TOO much splatter with the AC welder so looked on CL and found a deal on a Lincoln 180HD and returned the HF.

I practiced on the Lincoln with flux-cored and it was night/day difference compared to the HF. Then I kept seeing everyone saying MIG is the way to go so I bought a cylinder and filled it with C25. I again practiced with MIG and the welds look OK but at times I can't seem to keep a straight line now. Never had this issue with flux-cored. With MIG I can see the puddle well but not the work pieces. I have an inexpensive HF blue-flame helmet.

I did almost all the welding required for my project and most welds look OK but some I didn't maintain a 100% straight line.

I ordered a new helmet, bought some silver-streak welding pencils, and may try more ambient lighting on my next trial. Can one use the nozzle end against the workpiece as a guide - or is that a no/no? Any other suggestions?

On the woodworking forums they say woodturning is entering the vortex The lathe is only a part of your investment - there are so many tools and fixtures to buy. So far welding has the same "vortex." Right now I'm probably $300 over my break even point. Guess I need to find more projects.


Thanks,

Mike

your on the right track Mike, dump the HF helmet and upgrade. I have the Vulcan for home use along with several others, my 2cd go to is a pipe liner with a shade 8 gold finish Miller lens and a 2.5 cheater, it's to light for arc welding sometimes but works great for me with tig or mig and lens's and all can be had for around 80 bucks. I have to have a back cape, any ambient light coming in from behind makes it hard for me to see. I make the capes out of old welding jackets and rivet them on. I don't need much ambient light to weld as long as I am not getting back light but when I was still using shade 11 filters I sometimes would use one of the cheap quartz work lights, cant say it helped a lot but it was something.
I really like the silver streak pencils but you can get silver artists pencils that are much more durable and when you lose one it doesn't hurt as much. I still use soap stone most of the time but sometimes on clean metal I use the old fashioned wax pencils in yellow, lumber crayon would probably work too.

I would say you are doing a good job at figuring out what to do, better than I did, I welded with to dark a filter for years before my dim little bulb lit up.

I feel your hobby pain, I like wood working to, aint good at it but I like it, like welding is great therapy. it's pretty hard for me to worry about whats going on at work or around me when I am trying to fit something up or lay something out because being poor at math and geometry it takes both of my functioning brain cells to stay on track.

I wish you luck but it sounds like you have a good handle on it and just need some seat time. it wont be long and you'll be on here starting a tig thread

A helmet with a good view is always great, but it also just takes a little time to interpret and get accustomed to what you are seeing.

Just for kicks a friend of mine tried welding a little with my mig machine for his first time ever. He was totally disoriented and freaked out by the whole experience.

Had a chance tonight to try out my new helmet. What a difference. Now I removed another excuse for poor welds. Actually my weld with better sight did look better.

Another thing that I think is hurting my welds is I’m doing them on the ground on my knees. Is there a welding table for hobby welders that can be put away when not being used?

Thanks

Mike

You can make one out of scrap wood. Or metal. Your first table is a project unto itself. MDF will withstand enough for a first table. Even 1/8 steel is more than enough to get you off the ground. But if you insist on welding from a kneeling position then I recommend

https://www.walmart.com/ip/2-Foam-Kneel ... 3=&veh=sem

2 for $6

mbg wrote: Another thing that I think is hurting my welds is I’m doing them on the ground on my knees.

Shame on you! You're 61 dammit! You should know better than that by now You're giving us old farts a bad reputation-

Get off your knees, grab a fold-up WorkMate or similar, lay a sheet of wood and metal over it and weld in the most comfortable position you can. You're not being paid, so make it as easy and beneficial on yourself as you'd like.

But Poland is dead right, building your own welding table is a rite of passage and a great project to start with. Plenty of examples on here, the internet, and so on. A welding cart too

For a small and store-able welding table

On the high side is the MILLER 30FX FOLDING ARCSTATION WORK BENCH sign up for IOC's email newsletter and get $$ off your first order

Still a good buy Stronghand Tools Weld table

Thanks for the table suggestions. That Miller table got me thinking. For my woodworking hobby I have two Kreg "Mobile Project" centers ( https://www.kregtool.com/store/c64/work ... ct-center/ ) . The tops are plastic but I could attach MDF easily to the top. Maybe even steel with standoffs (might be too heavy).

I have been using a cast iron top made for a 17" wood bandsaw. It's a little small at 24" x 17".

Mike

I found that putting a cheater lens in my helmet made a world of difference, just another concession us old farts need to deal with.

ljdm1956 wrote:I found that putting a cheater lens in my helmet made a world of difference, just another concession us old farts need to deal with.

Wonder if this is part of my issue too. I wear contact lenses. Instead of bifocals I have one contact for distance and the other for closeup. Right now I'm at the point where I only wear one contact. Maybe I need reading glasses with one lens?

Although, last night I could see the puddle and components pretty well.

mbg wrote:

ljdm1956 wrote:I found that putting a cheater lens in my helmet made a world of difference, just another concession us old farts need to deal with.

Wonder if this is part of my issue too. I wear contact lenses. Instead of bifocals I have one contact for distance and the other for closeup. Right now I'm at the point where I only wear one contact. Maybe I need reading glasses with one lens?

Although, last night I could see the puddle and components pretty well.

You need bi-focals in both eyes to detect depth, I would think.

Or this: https://www.eastwood.com/adjustable-ste ... m8QAvD_BwE

pgk wrote:Or this: https://www.eastwood.com/adjustable-ste ... m8QAvD_BwE

I couldn't believe it but the other day I was looking at CL and found a never used Miller 30FX folding table. Was listed at $350 (higher than retail) but went back/forth with the seller and got it down to $100! Ends up the seller is a salvage guy.Can't wait to try it out this weekend.

mbg wrote:
I couldn't believe it but the other day I was looking at CL and found a never used Miller 30FX folding table. Was listed at $350 (higher than retail) but went back/forth with the seller and got it down to $100! Ends up the seller is a salvage guy.Can't wait to try it out this weekend.

Epic find!

I make my own table from scarp iron

Dave

mbg wrote:

pgk wrote:Or this: https://www.eastwood.com/adjustable-ste ... m8QAvD_BwE

I couldn't believe it but the other day I was looking at CL and found a never used Miller 30FX folding table. Was listed at $350 (higher than retail) but went back/forth with the seller and got it down to $100! Ends up the seller is a salvage guy.Can't wait to try it out this weekend.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

pgk wrote:Or this: https://www.eastwood.com/adjustable-ste ... m8QAvD_BwE

Thats the table I use. Bought it at Harbor Freight. Fantastic table for hobby-burnin'.