My First Attempt at Welding! W/Pics (MadJack luvs da pics!)

[Bandit]

I know there are a lot of experienced welders out there that can critique my welds, so don't hold back. All help or suggestions are appreciated.

These are my first attmpts at welds before I attack the frame.
The first photo is a Lincoln 100 w/.030 solid wire set at D-3

The next photo is with Flux core .030 w/Argon Gas set at C-3

The next photo is the same as above, end weld


There seems to be good penetration, there is a good glow when I complete the weld and I can see it melting into the metal and the under side is discolored as the heat has penetrated through.

I still working on a steady bead, but I'll practice this some more.

I would like to know how I can prevent the excess slag or "Weld Balls" from forming or even sticking. I can not remove them without a grinder.
I would rather not have to clean all this up if I can prevent it.
I just picked up some Tip Dip and hope this helps. I'll try it in the morning.
I also thought about brushing some of the Tip Dip on either side of the area I am welding. Would this help.

[Boodro]

Ya might want to turn down the amps on your welder. It looks like your too hot, thats what usualy makes the splatters . I would turn it down 1 click at a time & do another practice run. Just make sure you move the stick from side to side as ya move over the joint , don't push the melting rod forward. You'll get a smoother weld that way. Thats just how I do it, keep up the practice , its all most there!

[doug hodder]

Just a thought...I'd try turning down the wire feed speed..and practice on a piece...it should be a steady sizzle...not a sputter...the sputter is what is blowing off the balls of material...on a gasless, you will have more sputter than with a gas shielded welder...your Lincoln 100 is a gasless isn't it? I welded my frame with a Lincoln gasless WeldPak 100 also...set the heat at D and the wire feed speed on 3 or thereabouts...I also wiggle the tip from side to side to sort of stitch the weld shut, not just one solid straight pass...get a piece of scrap and just practice burning a straight bead...try slower wire feed speed and work your way up...too slow and you'll almost vaporize the wire before it gets a chance to build up...too fast and it'll blow off chunks of wire...just need to find out what works for you and your machine...also wipe off all the oil prior to welding..just what I've found...I also just butt weld the frame...lots easier to keep square when welding up, then just cap the ends and grind to suit...Doug

[Hardin Valley Magic]

I know this sounds crazy but, when I was learning to weld the older guy teaching me told me to listen to the weld..
It should sound like bacon frying. That is when it's getting a constate penatration.

[doug hodder]

Bandit....tip dip can be used that way...just clean it all up when your done...but chances are that you are going to have to grind some anyway...I'd just hit it with a grinder, could get by with a sanding disk on it if the welds aren't too built up....tip dip is usually used an a gas shielded welder tip to keep crud from building up in the gas shield tip...not bad for a first timer however...it takes time...like I said, play with the feed speed...you won't get as much build up....PS...just reread your post...you need flux core wire for a gasless welder...not solid core..but that's just what I think....call the Lincoln distributor and ask them...my previous photo was with flux core wire and no grinding on it, and no gas...use gas on solid wire...and typically argon is for aluminum welding..at least that's how I've used it....there is a mix out there called Tri-Mix or there used to be anyway for general mild steel welding...again check with the local supplier...Doug

[Bandit]

I'm using Flux Core wire with the Argon shielding gas. This was recommended by a friend that has done a lot of welding with a Lincoln 100 weldpak. The Tri-mix, as I understand it, is for stainless steel and there's another mix for aluminum.
I will try a lower setting. The sound is a constant crackle, so I feel the feed rate is good and the penetration is good. It isn't popping and the wire is not pushing away from the material.
I may also try changing the polarity and see if that makes any difference.

It is too late to butt weld my material as it is already cut. I wanted to angle or chamfer the joints so that I would not have any open ends in the tubing. I'm using magnetic squares and using wooden wedges to square and level everything up. I'll post my technique in another post when I get the photo's taken, probably tomorrow night.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Jim Marshall]

Bandit, your welds look better than mine did. I also didn't know I couldn't run a long weld continuously. I am an ole wood butcher though.

[Leon]

It would help if you had someone that could watch you weld to see your technique, but from what I see you might have the tip too far from the weld which is allowing contamination when just using gas. You should be able to get a better weld with solid wire and gas than with the flux cored wire. It does look like your wire speed is too high. Also for MIG, an argon/CO2 mix would be a prefered gas for steel. If you run a single gas, CO2 is the recommended gas for MIG, not straight Argon as it makes the arc unstable. Argon is used in mostly in TIG welding, or MIG when welding aluminum. In my shop I use the mix on the MIG and straight Argon on the TIG. CO2 will give better penetration on the MIG while the mix will give a cleaner weld. The MIG is very sensitive to the gas being blown away from the weld. When I weld with the MIG, I have to turn off any cooler or exhaust fans that cause a draft near the weld or I will get discoloration and porous welds. Having the tip too far from the weld makes it even worse.

[angib]

Do you guys not have anti-spatter aerosols, or is that just a Brit thing?

Errr, just to be clear, the aerosol doesn't reduce the spatter, but it makes it easy to just knock the spatter off.

Andrew

[WarPony]

Bandit, I'm with Doug. I don't think you are supposed to use flux core wire with any gas. We have a small Miller MIG welder at work and use flux core wire and still get SOME splatter but nothing like what you have in your pictures. Keep pluggin' away, bud. You'll get it figured out.

[Denny Unfried]

Bandit,

Your spatter is coming from the flux core in the wire and the whole purpose of the gas is to be able to use the solid wire which doesn't need any clean up. As mentioned above - when it sounds like bacon you're really cooking.

Denny

[Bandit]

I'm using a 75% Argon and 25% CO2 mix, with the flux core wire. The gas just enhances the shielding of the weld, and flux core creates its on shield. So, I figure, the more you can insure that it is welding in the absense of the atmosphere, the better it should flow. I am welding in a shop in the absense of any drafts, so I think the shielding is staying put.
I'm going to do some more testing this morning with lower amperage.

[critter]

hey bandit,
your welds aint that bad just kept trying and youll get there.i would recomend that you make shure that you spot wled evervthing and try to keep the heat down to keep it from racking.the extra time you spend getting everything exactly square will pay off in the long run.dont trust those magnets the will let stuff move clamp everything down with visegrips or c clamps or something.when you first start its a good idea to check evey spot weld with a square you will be suprised how much it will move.lotsa luck! have fun!

[Lone Wolf]

Do you guys not have anti-spatter aerosols, or is that just a Brit thing?

Errr, just to be clear, the aerosol doesn't reduce the spatter, but it makes it easy to just knock the spatter off.

Andrew

No Andrew not just a Brit thing. I use it on any mig weld that will be seen.
As you said makes clean up easy.

[WarPony]

As far as the splatter goes, you can use either PAM or WD-40 around the welding area.