Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey everyone, as you know I am a newb and each day I practice weld I have thoughts and ideas. Today I was practicing and lowered my amperage to find that my slag now pretty much falls off on its own.

My question is: Can we judge our weld by the slag? Another words, if the slag just about falls off by itself and is not burnt on to the point where we have to "beat" it off does that in fact mean that we have a "good" weld with enough penetration and adhesion?

Here is a pic of my latest practice (photo of bead pad), I think I am getting better now as I look at the pool and not my stick. Like I said, any good advice on how to hold the rod, stand, where to focus my eyes etc.. would be really appreciated. The other pics are of stuff I have made in the last week, the welding table I got from the local scrap yard and then purchased the casters. I think I will add a 1/4" top plate as I think the top is just a little to thin... will 1/4" be thick enough?

Thanks,
CrazyCarl

I don't know a lot, but it looks like you're doing very well. Which electrodes are you using? The Slag should easily flake off with 7018, when you get everything just right. Then write down what settings you were on and what you did for that to happen, lol.

iPad, tomorrow. I've got my chicken hammer, but I don't want to use it.
Try to overlap the rows, more than that. You don't want lines between them.

Which Amperage and Electrode size and Type did you use?

First on the welding table if you have the option of going thicker than 1/4 I would all the heat from welding will end up bowing the table top,
And for stick welding Jody makes a bunch of good stick welding videos showing ALOT of arc shots and positioning ect...
Another good one on YouTube is Chucke2009 look through his videos and find some stick welding how to videos he has a bunch as well

You can definitely tell how a weld went in by looking at the slag. But when It just peels right off like that, your travel speed and heat are set just right.

Hey Carl...Mike here...Im a newbie too...Your slag question..I'm of the understanding your slag tells a story...But different rods produce different slag signatures..excaliber rods..that are "fresh" produce a sweet peeling no "beatin" slag..you flick it or rake it off..an boom ..it's gone..seems to indicate proper heat and travel spead..The "TELL TALE of it is...How strong is it???Is it a structuraly sound weld??? How do we determine this???? You take a BAH an beat the livin shit out of it. Lookin good & bein good are two differant animals....In my world it has to LOOK good..But that don't mean squat if it don't hold...Slag does tell a tale for sure..But destructive testing is the bottom line...Heat a few..And beat a few...The look will come with exp...Jst another quip from the peanut gallery man...LOL..Burn on carl....(no pun intended)

Thanks everyone.

First answer is I am using 6013 "Lincoln rods" but they are almost gone (2 left out of 10lb).

I have watched almost all of Chucke20009s' videos.. he is the one who after the video series "torture testing a Chinese machine" (Longjevity 42i) I purchased a ForceCut 80i last week from Longjevity. I tried to reach him (Lance, ie Chuckye2009) but he has not replied to my private msg nor the public request for an update on the unit he tested and backed.

I don't know a "Jody" but will look today...

I have heard that 70 series rods are supposed to be very sweet but I guess in my mind, if I learn with the harder (to work with) rod then I will be able to lay a bead with anything. Today I do some more butt joints, T's and I think I am going to try a vertical (up and down).

I feel I have the right amperage, it is around 90-95 DCEP

For the table top, I can buy whatever... just heavy stuff for me alone to move! I can get 3/8 maybe that would be better. Once I get that cutter I will be able to make the table top.

One last question: I need inspiration!!! I wanna build something but not sure yet what, been thinking about a "windmill" with angle iron, flat stock and some thin sheet metal. Maybe around 15' tall with blades in the range of 12". Is there a section that talks about plans and things to make or is there a "book" that I can buy to just make some stuff and practice?

I have 6011, 6013, 7014 or 18 not sure and I just bought some 1/16" 6011 and some aluminum rods.. just wanna give that a shot!

I will try to get the puddles closer as to not have the gave, I will also beat the snot out of them when finished to test the strength. When they break (and they will) what do I look for? how do you see "penetration" because I see metal "sitting" on metal.

OK.. enough, I need my coffee.. too much thinking to damn early.. LOL

CrazyCarl

PS.. Don't hate me for the bike pic, just couldn't help it.

crazycarl wrote:Hey everyone, as you know I am a newb and each day I practice weld I have thoughts and ideas. Today I was practicing and lowered my amperage to find that my slag now pretty much falls off on its own.

My question is: Can we judge our weld by the slag? Another words, if the slag just about falls off by itself and is not burnt on to the point where we have to "beat" it off does that in fact mean that we have a "good" weld with enough penetration and adhesion?

Thanks,
CrazyCarl

Nice bike first off. Second, like others have said the slag pealing off like a banana does in fact show good travel and heat, however a weld that you have to chip, not beat, off does not mean it is a bad weld. From my experience there are ALOT of normal weldors out there that do not have the slag peel off and their welds are holding just fine. Really, just because the slag comes off does not mean you layed down a deep penetrating bead or hit the joint like you should. You can lay a bead on the surface of your substrate and have the slag peel off but it is not a deep penetrating weld. What I am getting at is just because you can magically make the slag peel off behind you does not necessarily mean it was a perfect weld (think undercut, missed joint, porosity, etc).
Your practice beads look good by the way, keep up the great work.
-Jonathan

crazycarl wrote:...
I don't know a "Jody" but will look today...

Jody is the founder of this forum. His videos are available on the top of the page, under "videos", naturally, Or for a well organized mix of video and Q&A, visit the home page,

http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com

Steve S

As for the slag question, it's rare to get good slag peel on a bad weld.

A smooth peel, or an easy rake-off, indicates a good travel speed for the current, that does not make excessive ripples, overfill (roll-over), or undercut/underfill, which tend to trap slag and make it difficult to remove.

Easy slag removal does not "promise" a good weld, but if the parameters are set for the material and the rod, it's a good indication you've done well.

Steve S

Thanks,
I found his videos after some looking on YouTube... I have looked at his stuff before, just didn't realize who he was.

Thanks!

This is one of those things that I show in my demos for the students. Sometimes the peeling of the slag is a good indicator that the gap, speed, and amps where good on that weld, but the temp of you practice piece will play a part in this too. The hotter the practice piece gets the less you see that peeling. Also just a note on 6013. This rod is designed for sheet metal i.e lower penetration welding, so when you are using it on thicker material it will have a tendency to look like it's running kind of cold. We use 6013 just to start guys off on getting their rod started. We then use 7024 to build their confidence, then we kill their confidence with 6010 , then we use 7018 for everything else. I would suggest going to the 7018 now.

Dblcorona wrote:This is one of those things that I show in my demos for the students. Sometimes the peeling of the slag is a good indicator that the gap, speed, and amps where good on that weld, but the temp of you practice piece will play a part in this too. The hotter the practice piece gets the less you see that peeling. Also just a note on 6013. This rod is designed for sheet metal i.e lower penetration welding, so when you are using it on thicker material it will have a tendency to look like it's running kind of cold. We use 6013 just to start guys off on getting their rod started. We then use 7024 to build their confidence, then we kill their confidence with 6010 , then we use 7018 for everything else. I would suggest going to the 7018 now.

I not only like your progession (and the logic behind it), I love the descriptions!

If "slag" were an indicator of weld strength and consistency, then weld testing and analysis such as x-Ray, visible light, ultra sonic, acoustic and peel testing processes would no longer exist.

There is no such scientific testing method which judges the slag as to the integrity and quality of a weld. Otherwise my 12 year old would be building ships right now based on his 7024 "picture perfect" slag he leaves behind.

Dblcorona wrote:This is one of those things that I show in my demos for the students. Sometimes the peeling of the slag is a good indicator that the gap, speed, and amps where good on that weld, but the temp of you practice piece will play a part in this too. The hotter the practice piece gets the less you see that peeling. Also just a note on 6013. This rod is designed for sheet metal i.e lower penetration welding, so when you are using it on thicker material it will have a tendency to look like it's running kind of cold. We use 6013 just to start guys off on getting their rod started. We then use 7024 to build their confidence, then we kill their confidence with 6010 , then we use 7018 for everything else. I would suggest going to the 7018 now.

Thank you for the information.. I will get a box of each and begin playing around... ahh, excuse me. I mean "practicing"! LOL..

CC
HW!

I has never heard of such a thing, until I saw it, then did it myself.
I think this was 7024.


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That's what its supposed to look like!!

Good job!!

That's a pretty thing to see. Now you've got it.


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I was surprised to say the least.
Now tomorrow we'll see if I can do the same overhead. [CONFOUNDED FACE]

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79jasper wrote:I was surprised to say the least.
Now tomorrow we'll see if I can do the same overhead. [CONFOUNDED FACE]

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7024 is generally "self cleaning" or nearly so. You'll notice your bead wasn't dead straight and the slag still lifted for you.

Also the "2" in 7024 indicates flat and horizontal positions only - overhead likely won't be easy with a rod not designed for it

Keep at it and have fun

The overhead will be 7018. [WINKING FACE]

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79jasper wrote:The overhead will be 7018. [WINKING FACE]

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Ah, disregard then

Have a lot of experience with overhead or just learning?

This is an excellent video on it if you need one to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJW2SDSxL2M

Just learning.

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79jasper wrote:Just learning.

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Watch that video and just remember to keep lifting your arms - feels unnatural at first since you're pushing up instead of letting you arm drop.

Good luck and cover your head and arms

Hey thanks.
It'll be different trying to get "comfortable" with my arms. That's for sure.

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If you do it right, 7018 slag should peel of great over head.