More tig pics.

[Bulldog]

Hi guys,
I've got a nice job in the city of Albany. I'm building security bars for some apt. buildings. Well it would be easy to mig the whole thing but I need to practice my tig welding. Anyway I migged the bars themselves but I decided to tig the brackets. What I would like is any input that you guys may have. (You know constructive criticisum). Now I would love to be able to make some real pretty welds like some of you guys make but I'm a real newby to tig welding and doubt I'll make it to that level. All I need to do is make a sound good looking weld so when I hand the man his bill he's happy. I think the welds look pretty good not great, but they are alot better then they were a couple of months ago. I did take a 3lb. hammer to a couple test pieces and they stayed together. Bent the bracket but the weld held.I just grabbed a few and snapped pics. So what do ya think? Any pointers?

1/4" hr
150 amps( Max)
1/8 filler wire

[wb5jhy]

Looking nice Bulldog. I just met a guy in Baton Rough through a mutual friend that has one of those 250DX machines. Man that's a nice machine. He does some mighty fine work with it. Makes my 180SD look like po-folks box. :(

The third and forth bracket appears to have a bit excessive undercut but it maybe just coloration of the HAZ. Can't make out from the pics for sure which. Other than that they look great. ;)

Have fun. BTW how's little bull doggie doing? Has he taken an interest in welding?


Tom

[Paul Seaman]

Bulldog:
The slight crater at the end of the weld is the only help you need that is cured by rolling partially off the pedal then adding a last dab of filler and then rolling off the rest. A quick roll off without the dab will cause craters. The rest looks AOK!

[Bulldog]

Thanks Tom,
Yea that's one of the things I'm working on. I guess I need to add a bit more filler a bit more often. Well the Little Bulldog is doin great.He's 11 now and School is keeping him pretty busy. As far as welding goes he's slacked off a bit. Last summer he was a big help in the shop. He really has a good grip on what goes on in the shop. It's funny he would much rather work in the shop or go with me to a job then go to School. Anyway thanks for askin about him, he'll be happy that you were thinking about him!
Happy New Year!
Bulldog

[Bulldog]

Thanks Paul, I'll give that a try.
Bulldog

[Sundown]

PJ gave you all the info that I was going to, so I'll just say hi and wish you a happy new year. :)

[Bulldog]

:) Happy New Year George

[Paul Seaman]

Thanks George, and Happy New Year to all the welders of our fine forum group.

Peace to all.

[Danny]

Bulldog, were you traveling straight along the joint ,o r using an oscillation?

[Bulldog]

Come on Dan can't ya tell! **** I think I'm using an oscillation :o Now seriously I make a small rotation while moving the puddle forward then dip make a rotation move forward and dip. Of course I dip into the puddle as the torch goes past center on the way to the back of the puddle. I hope I'm making myself clear.
Thanks Dan,
Bulldog

[dyn88]

cleaning that joint with a grinder or sturdy wire wheel will get rid of that porosity in the begining of the pass, or easing into the pedal not stomping, make sure macine is set fo remote amperage control.. Due you have a foot pedal???

[Bulldog]

Dyn88,
Thanks for the responce. I don't think I have much of a porosity problem. I know that 1 of the brackets does show porosity but that was due to the fact I hadn't cleaned the filler wire. But anyway, I do have and use my foot control. I'll take it a little easier when starting out.
Thanks for the tip. Happy New Year
Bulldog

[Conrad_Turbo]

Bulldog:
The slight crater at the end of the weld is the only help you need that is cured by rolling partially off the pedal then adding a last dab of filler and then rolling off the rest. A quick roll off without the dab will cause craters. The rest looks AOK!

I seem to get the opposite sometimes when welding mild steel. I roll off the heat slowly to prevent the crater but then it seems to form a "pimple" at the end of the weld. Not enough to touch the tungsten...but enough that it's noticeable. Any reason why that could be? Just rolling off the heat too slow?

Happy New Years to all! The best cure for a hangover is welding. :D

[dyn88]

grind that little "pimple" off and you will find a pocket of air. At the end of the pass, as you ease off the pedal, go straight back through the pass about 1/4 inch and you should be fine.

[Billet Benny]

Hi guys,
I've got a nice job in the city of Albany. I'm building security bars for some apt. buildings. Well it would be easy to mig the whole thing but I need to practice my tig welding. Anyway I migged the bars themselves but I decided to tig the brackets. What I would like is any input that you guys may have. (You know constructive criticisum). Now I would love to be able to make some real pretty welds like some of you guys make but I'm a real newby to tig welding and doubt I'll make it to that level. All I need to do is make a sound good looking weld so when I hand the man his bill he's happy. I think the welds look pretty good not great, but they are alot better then they were a couple of months ago. I did take a 3lb. hammer to a couple test pieces and they stayed together. Bent the bracket but the weld held.I just grabbed a few and snapped pics. So what do ya think? Any pointers?

1/4" hr
150 amps( Max)
1/8 filler wire


I think you'd get better learning if you found a better job to practice with. That's a perfect mig job. Tig welding hot rolled steel, for me anyways, is a total pain in the ass. I hate it. It for this reasons and a few others that I have a deep hatred for hr crap. It's so dirty and really doesn't lend itself to teaching you the basics. I weld it, but I hate doing it. Find some cold roll, nice tube, or stainless to practice with you should see what's going on a lot better.