Search found 11 matches

by StratoGeezer
Wed Dec 30, 2009 6:29 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Tube Steel Weld Test - Day 4

Okay - I'm probably getting ahead of myself - but as an experiment, and knowing I still need to practice - I welded some square tubing stock together in several different configurations shown below. The strength of the welds seems decent - as I could not break them apart with hammer and vise, anyway...
by StratoGeezer
Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:52 am
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Re: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start

Okay - I'm going to boost my gas back up slightly to 20ish to hopefully combat the porosity. In terms of increasing penetration - I believe I was on setting 4, which is the highest. Maybe I can reduce the wire speed a bit - I think I may have increased it to just above 30. I feel 1000 times better t...
by StratoGeezer
Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:00 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Re: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start

Thanks - I think I'm getting close. Any idea what causes that porosity? I'd assume that would equal weak points in my welds.
by StratoGeezer
Tue Dec 29, 2009 3:26 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Day 3 Welds - more progress

Hey guys - wow - seems it really helps if you can actually see what you are welding!! :D I ditched the auto-dark mask and got a #9 and #10 lens (together less than $5), and put them in my cheapie mask. Works great. I mean what a frickin' difference! The #9 allowed me to see better, but I bumped up t...
by StratoGeezer
Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:11 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Day 2 welds - some definite improvement...and room for more.

Okay - day 2 welds are somewhat better. The hand position suggestion helped. Less popping - but my beads zig-zag, instead of being one solid line. Also - my auto darkening mask still gets so dark it's hard to see much at all. The adjustments are for sensitivity and delay only - no shade adjustment. ...
by StratoGeezer
Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:15 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

Re: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start

Jhic91 - thanks. Appreciate the detailed guidance and videos very much. I will practice welding straight beads on a single piece of metal in the way you've mentioned. I wonder if my 20 psi gas flow may not have been enough too? Anyway - back to practicing - and will post some photos of progress. Tha...
by StratoGeezer
Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:30 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start
Replies: 15
Views: 5803

My First Welds - Ugly but it's a start

Okay - I know these first welds are super ugly.. :oops: ..but besides that what guidance would you give in terms of making adjustments? Starting from the left - these are my 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th welds. Although none are close to "good" - they actually got a lot stronger as I went along. T...
by StratoGeezer
Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:06 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?
Replies: 13
Views: 5823

Re: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?

Okay - so now I'm convinced that I should invest in the gas bottle after everyone's comments. Thanks to all. Here's a really good video demo of the Hobart 140 MIG Welder in 2 parts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb-MO1dEesE and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy75q-QSIjI It's interesting that they s...
by StratoGeezer
Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:53 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?
Replies: 13
Views: 5823

Re: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?

Great - thanks much. Looks like you're just ahead of me in terms of getting started. Thanks for providing the photo examples. I'm thinking the Hobart 140 is for me - and I may spring for the gas bottle as well, based on what these other guys are saying about how clean the weld will be when using gas...
by StratoGeezer
Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:25 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?
Replies: 13
Views: 5823

Re: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?

Guys - thanks for the speedy responses. My shop is being set up in the garage - I was planning on taking the welding out into the driveway, simply because I figured the fumes with our without gas may be too toxic, even with the garage door open. (My family has a bunny hutch also in the garage too - ...
by StratoGeezer
Thu Dec 10, 2009 7:16 pm
Forum: Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
Topic: Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?
Replies: 13
Views: 5823

Getting started in MIG welding - gas or no gas?

Hi - I'm just getting started in welding. Specifically I want to build a go kart as a starter project - and once I've developed some skill, I may move on to building a hot rod eventually. I've been advised to start with a Hobart 140 MIG welder - which I believe can weld with our without gas. I've he...