Another weld critique thread.

[chad22]

I posted this pic in my backhoe thread http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/200605-backhoe-update-im-making-progress-4.html But thought I would post this specific picture of my welding here.

This weld was done at 115 amps using 6013 lincoln electric rods. With my lincoln welder.

I was wondering how I did with the weld?

Thanks

Chad

 

[rankrank1]

Picture is not zoomed in enough and at proper angle to tell a whole lot about the new weld quality with your "new to you" welder. From a distance though the new welds look much better than the old welds in the picture. Some of those old welds look rather sad - especially some of those down by the ground.

 

[RoMad]

Kind of hard to tell from the picture. For old stuff like your welding with a not too good fit i would weld it with 6011 or at least put the first pass in with 6011. One thing I can see is where you stopped welding. If you stop welding with the crater on the end like you did you have a weld that is very thin and prone to cracking from the end. It is better (at least this is what I was taught) to start and weld to the center of your weld and then go to the other end and weld back to the middle and stop. This will give let you have the same amount of weld on both ends and you can stop in the middle without creating a big crater. With very little practice you can do it without breaking your arc.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Amps are right, but it looks a little cold still.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Amps are right, but it looks a little cold still.

Welds on bottom (old ones) look like a death trap.

 

[chad22]

Welds on bottom (old ones) look like a death trap.

I totally agree. I didn't have enough amps to get the weld right.

That would explain why the welds broke when I went to use the backhoe the first time.

I don't know why I thought they would hold up. :confused2: I should have expected those welds to fail. Funny thing is, they all held up for at least 3 months until the day I fired it up and started using the hydraulics.

I guess the welds were just teasing me and was waiting until the day I started using the backhoe, then it was secretly laughing it's *** off. :laughing:

Chad

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

I don't think these will hold for long either. The pics aren't clear, but I see enough that worries me. Not safe for sure. No joint prep, no metal prep. Stops and bad restarts. Slag lines etc....6013 will lay in nice, and make a smooth weld, but theres more to welding than appearance.

 

[chad22]

I'm happy to report. All the new welds with the lincoln held up. I really tested it too. I lifted the backend of the lawn tractor into the air with the boom and stick and purposely dropped it down hard.

And repeated lifting it up with a jerky motion. Also took a sledge hammer to each of the new welds and wacked them hard about 30 times each.

The welds would not give.

Chad