New to welding, feedback please...

[sw99]

Any welders out there that can help me with this?

I have had my beginner welder from Harbor Freight for a couple months now. I have been practicing here and there. I ground off the zinc plating and tacked both sides of these 1/4" plates from leftover hitch parts. I flipped it over to practice running a continuous bead to fill a seam. Probably my best looking bead to date. It feels super solid and I think I got good penetration but in reality I don't know what i'm looking for. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zzyzzx]

Looks nice!

Exactly which welder are you using?

 

[eljefino]

I myself am a rookie, worse than you, but have heard if you flip the piece over when done and see the backside glowing orange, you got good penetration. I've had this glow-through and, if I went much slower, blown holes through my work.

What rod? Was this laying flat on a table or inclined somehow?

 

[GutsyGecko]

Did you butt the plates up against each other? Or is that an open-root bead?

 

[sw99]

It's the 90 amp flux wire one - http://www.harborfreight.com/90-amp-flux-wire-welder-68887-8494.html

Paid $99 on sale (I have seen them as low as $89 IIRC) awhile back. Can't see much on the back side since it's pretty thick material for this little 90 amp welder. The wire i'm using is Lincoln .035 flux wire. It was at a very slight incline, resting on the ground clamp on the garage floor.

I am pretty impressed with this little welder for under $100. I was really thinking of trying out a lincoln 140 but I don't know if it's worth it. I hope to buy a 230V MIG eventually so I may just keep this until that happens.

 

[Chris142]

Put it in a vise and beat it with a sledge. If the metal bends its ok. If the weld breaks it's not.

 

[sw99]

Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
Did you butt the plates up against each other? Or is that an open-root bead?


I used my magnet to keep them together and tacked the backside. I then flipped the plates and ran the bead. Not familiar with open root but I'll look into it.

 

[sw99]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Put it in a vise and beat it with a sledge. If the metal bends its ok. If the weld breaks it's not.


Tried to break it and no dice. Feels solid!

 

[GutsyGecko]

Open root is when there is a 1/16 gap between the plates and you fill the weld into the gap. With proper penetration it is the strongest weld available.

 

[The motor guy]

It shouldn't be all uneven on the sides. Needs to be a nice straight line at each edge.

 

[sw99]

Originally Posted By: GutsyGecko
Open root is when there is a 1/16 gap between the plates and you fill the weld into the gap. With proper penetration it is the strongest weld available.


Ok, I just put them together and tacked them the best I could. I will try that the next time, makes sense for sure.

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
It shouldn't be all uneven on the sides. Needs to be a nice straight line at each edge.


Trying thanks though...

 

[GutsyGecko]

The open root will be hard. You have to take your time and form a key-hole to lay the weld into. If you stay on the edge to long you will just melt everything and ruin the plate.

 

[chainblu]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
It shouldn't be all uneven on the sides. Needs to be a nice straight line at each edge.


True, but for a self taught rookie-beginner, that ain't bad..

 

[sw99]

Looking at the bead closer, do I need to be drawing the weld pool wider with tighter circles or just concentrate on being more straight and consistent?

 

[expat]

I have PAID for worse welds than that!

1/4" plate, Try grinding the edges 45 degs down through half the thickness, you should then get full penetration.

Can you get a Gas kit for that welder?

 

[The motor guy]

Ok I've done about 150 of these. When you do the filler passes make sure you pause on the sides and this will help tie it into the metal. So pause on the sides and don't spend too much time in the middle. This will give you a nice flat weld. Keep doing filler passes until it's flush with the metal. Then when you do the cap, you can go slower on the middle and you still want to pause on the sides though, but going slower in the middle will make for more of a crown.

 

[4D-56]

Im WELL out of practice but have seem far worse. No undercuts to be seen, looks like good penetration.

I think I see more consistent feed & speed required?

 

[GutsyGecko]

+1 on the 45 degree grinding. You can even tack a plate behind it. That will give you a great v-groove with backing. Very strong also.

 

[Cujet]

That's the nicest Harbor Freight weld I've ever seen!

I do a good bit of TIG welding with my Miller Syncrowave 180. I also own the HF MIG, which I can't get to perform all that well. You've done better than me with that unit.

I have not been able to get the HF MIG to create much penetration. So, I'd expect that weld to be mostly bead, and not have full penetration. What's the other side look like?

Knowing what I think I know about that machine, I'd weld the other side too.

 

[Stelth]

That's a very good looking weld, particularly for that 90-amp HF welder. I had one of those, and I never got a weld like that.