Criticize my welds please

[Tractorguy24]

Don’t know what shade i had. I have a cheap Autodarkening helmet and I just set it to whatever feels right. Probably around 11.
What motion do I use to weld stringers?
Thanks for your detailed post!

 

[Arc weld]

I missed where it said backhoe stabilizer. I think preheat and a little hotter would have helped. Turning up the voltage will flatten out the bead but doesn't add more amps. Wire feed speed adds amps (heat) but they both have to be in the right range to work properly. I' don't currently do a lot of welding but when I do I always set my heat on a piece of scrap to get it where I want it.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Well said. Great pointers to be sure, especially two handing the weld process--I'm guilty of not doing that.

Thanks. I was put with a lot of new welders at the shipyard, in part because I remembered where I came from. Every welder out there starts out the same...making horrible welds, and I remember my ugly welds for sure. Only through patient welders did I learn (albeit slowly).

Sometimes I wish I could reach through the computer and say, "here, let me show you", just so people would get better at welding so they can fix and make new things. It is not a "look what I can do" thing, but rather, "look what you can do if you only had a few pointers" type of thing.

But after retiring, other than making a few things now and then, I have no real interest in welding as a sideline. The ships I welded are still sailing the 7 seas, I am okay with that.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Don’t know what shade i had. I have a cheap Autodarkening helmet and I just set it to whatever feels right. Probably around 11.
What motion do I use to weld stringers?
Thanks for your detailed post!

Well after years of inhaling toxic gick from welding smoke, I just make the straightest line I can, but I shake so bad that it leaves a nice little ripple behind it! Sadly there is 100% truth to that, but really just a little back and forth will get you where you want to be.

When I first was welding I used circles, or little c's to get a consistent width and those nice row of slid coins that make a weld look nice. It is however, hard on your wrist if you do it all day long.

You are probably okay on your shade, just mentioning what could have been an issue.

As a side note, thank you for being so great about this. It is nice to point out helps without someone getting upset. Again, your welds are not that bad. I have seen far worse for sure.

 

[fried1765]

Thanks. I was put with a lot of new welders at the shipyard, in part because I remembered where I came from. Every welder out there starts out the same...making horrible welds, and I remember my ugly welds for sure. Only through patient welders did I learn (albeit slowly).

Sometimes I wish I could reach through the computer and say, "here, let me show you", just so people would get better at welding so they can fix and make new things. It is not a "look what I can do" thing, but rather, "look what you can do if you only had a few pointers" type of thing.

But after retiring, other than making a few things now and then, I have no real interest in welding as a sideline. The ships I welded are still sailing the 7 seas, I am okay with that.

From Belfast to Bath?
That is a long drive, if you did it every day.

 

[BrokenTrack]

From Belfast to Bath?
That is a long drive, if you did it every day.

I am a bit north of Belfast so it was 1.5 hours...one way. 15 Hours of commute time per week, 750 hours a year just going back and forth to work. That sucked, but watching the USS Zumwalt sail out to sea was rewarding enough.

I might have always remembered what it was like to make sucky welds, but I also knew why I had to make good welds no matter where I was assigned; 300 sailors that could face battle or 50 foot seas. Good welds always mattered.

 

[flingwing1969]

Good pointer BrokenTrack.

 

[sandman2234]

Good pointer BrokenTrack.

I will second that!!
David from jax

 

[Tractorguy24]

How I might tell the difference between mild steel, cast steel and cast iron?
Thanks!

 

[Will S]

How I might tell the difference between mild steel, cast steel and cast iron?
Thanks!

This might help you:

Spark testing - Wikipedia