Welding Rods for beginners

[Spanner]

That's what i was suggesting above. Plate-over the weak/thin areas and weld to more consistant thickness steel.
Appearance? Don't grind it much. Leave it 'obvious' and solid-looking. It's a mower not a Michalengelo.

 

[square1]

The first picture I believe should win a prize as world's ugliest weld..

I can run uglier welds than that with both eyes open and no hands tied behind my back!

 

[LD1]

I sometimes forget to turn on the mig gas.

Hey, think of it this way....all those holes....

IF you ever do get any more stress cracks, the holes will keep it from spreading further

 

[cabover4us]

My best friend that I run team with, we occasionally get into purchasing wars, the last one being on the New York State Thruway around Buffalo. We were buying 110volt buzz boxes, he bought a Hobart 140 with argon and I a Lincoln 140 with the same. Can't cut metal with looking at it, so also purchased a Lotos 8000 plazma cutter, he bought a 6060. All this stuff arrived, I like him standing there looking at the boxes wondering, what do we do now? New automatic helmet was nice addition, works incredibly well. Done a few projects so far as with Scott, the latest being making new backhoe mounts for my 855 john deere, the mounts are unavailable, thank you john deere. So, brother in law traced my mounts as templates, we cut them out, just tacked them last week, finish welds this week. Some more drilling of main frame brackets to accept large steel pins. Have enough steel left over to make two more, probably wait for cold weather for those other two. Not a welder, just a guy learning as I go

 

[PJSprog]

Not a welder, just a guy learning as I go

I think that probably describes most of us here.

 

[Deere Dude]

I can run uglier welds than that with both eyes open and no hands tied behind my back!

I can't count the number of welds I did that seemed pretty nice but I missed the seam totally. Big puddles are my friend.

 

[Big Barn]

I can't count the number of welds I did that seemed pretty nice but I missed the seam totally. Big puddles are my friend.

Don't be afraid to readjust your helmet settings (if variable) and reposition your HEAD (angle of viewing).

Also you could tell your friends the welding arc revealed "hairline cracks" not visible to the naked eye and you thought it best to deal with them before they got worse.

Terry

 

[lilranch2001]

I know it's been said a hundred + times on different threads, but a basic welding class at your local vocational school is worth every penny spent on it

 

[Big Barn]

I know it's been said a hundred + times on different threads, but a basic welding class at your local vocational school is worth every penny spent on it

An excellent option but it depends on your area. The ONLY introductory welding classes available where I live is offered at our vocational college.

Priced at $795 for 30 hours of instruction for any ONE process. MIG, SMAW (stick) OR TIG. A little too pricey for fixed income seniors like myself.

Try to find a competent welder that's willing to spend a little "one on one time" to get you started in the right direction. Shield Arc and others have mentioned this before.

YouTube is another option although I am hesitant to suggest it as there is so much BAD info out there. Welding Tips and Tricks is my favorite. I've learned more from watching Jody in two years than almost 50 years of welding on the farm.

Terry

 

[lilranch2001]

Yea I suppose so...
I think I paid $45.00. 40 years ago for my vocational basic class and it was worth like I said every penny of it
The teacher was a drunk at the time but he was also an ex ironworker that could weld virtually anything even a drunk state and I learned in immense amount of knowledge from him and went on to become a very good welder for a construction company.