Welding Tips and Tricks

Ok all you master welders out there. I need some help developing a good looking and sound weave. I can run a good looking stringer, but when I try to weave it looks like a bland man did it. Can yoiu fine revered folks give me some practice tips?
I'm using A Lincoln Power Tig 255, CK17F torch, 2% lanthanated 3/32 tungsten and just practicing on mild steel.

prebres wrote:Ok all you master welders out there. I need some help developing a good looking and sound weave. I can run a good looking stringer, but when I try to weave it looks like a bland man did it. Can yoiu fine revered folks give me some practice tips?
I'm using A Lincoln Power Tig 255, CK17F torch, 2% lanthanated 3/32 tungsten and just practicing on mild steel.

Can you post a picture? Weaving is all about consistent hand/torch movement paying close attention to make sure you don't weave too far into your base metal. You could also walk the cup....

Practice, practice, practice...just like a stringer need the seat time. Also a pic would help, we could base our replies on what we see

As, DSW likes to say on Welding Web. It's all about being able to read the puddle. Just watching the toes melt and then immediately moving to the other side of the weave. Don't waste time in the middle. Watch some of Jody's videos and in the welding lens view, focus on the very outside front edge of the puddle after the rods is added. Also if your own puddle view is not as clear as Jody's video you may want to consider trying a different hood. They can make the world of difference.

The first questions I have is why are you weaving and what is the joint configuration? I am not a pro at weaves or walking the cup with tig but will help if i can.

southpaw,
That is correct to a point. Watch the edges break down but make sure it fills before one moves on. Just breaking the sides down can lead to undercut. I only mention this because I had a conversation with a member here about weaving (specifically SMAW) and we were talking about how some teach the 1,2,3 count method for a 3G groove test. While I recommend this as a starting poing it is all about watching the puddle, see the edges break down and then fill in before you move on. I was helping a few and they religiously stuck to the 1,2,3 method because that was taught to them and it was hard for me to convence them that is not necessarily correct. Watch the puddle. Ok I am done
-Jonathan

When watching the videos, It looks like a counting method would work. But if you watch carefully. You will see Jody occasionally pause or slow down/speed up his welds. That's because hee is just watching the puddle. Now replay these little sections and see if you can see why. This might help in learning to read the puddle.