First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

Hey everyone, just got my smiley welder all set up yesterday, couldn't really wait to try it out, so I ground the paint off of a bracket I had lying around and tried to lay a couple beads. Keep in mind this is my first time TIG welding so don't be too brutal.

I was using 1/16" tungsten with 1/16" filler rod and the amperage was 80. The metal was wirebrushed and cleaned with acetone after every weld.

pics:
http://f10.putfile.com/thumb/7/19211423763.jpg
http://f10.putfile.com/thumb/7/19211430198.jpg
http://f10.putfile.com/thumb/7/19211432226.jpg

You might not be able to tell much from these pictures, and the reverse side doesn't really tell you much at all because I didn't take the paint off off the backside. But if you can, does anyone have some tips for me?

To me it seems like the welds are sitting on top of the metal too much, like maybe I'm moving along too fast or something?

let me know,
thanks
Sky

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

Try a 3/32 Tungsten.

I never use a 1/16 anymore!

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

Cool, I might try that, I think I've got a 5/32" tungsten as well- think that might be a bit much?

also I found this forum, www.weldingweb.com, I just registered and haven't poked around too much, but they seem to know what they're talking about.

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

it kinda looks like your just melting the filler on top of the material??

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

The upper left weld looks like you are headed in the right direction. Did you say you cleaned AFTER each weld? You should be cleaning it before you weld. Maybe just a misstype :P

5/32 tungsten is Fing huge. I've never used anything that big ever. Try some 3/32 and maybe bump the amps up to about 100-110. Try to add a little more filler at the end of the weld to fill that crater and you should be mint.

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

Awesome, thanks for the info, yeah I cleaned the metal before and after all welds. and i know what you mean about adding more filler at the end. That crater is horrendous.

EDIT: oh yeah and the other tungsten i have is the 3\32 not the 5/32 sorry.

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

Haha I was wondering why you would have tungsten that huge :P Might be harder to fill the craters because you don't have a remote amperage control but you can play wit changing the torch angle and arc length at the end to try and taper the heat back a little bit.


Sidenote: I just noticed that this :7 is titled "hotrex" LMAO.

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

I use 3/32 tungsten as well.

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

this is 3/32 tungsten root passed 100 amps 90 amp cover pass 18cfm gas gas lense and 2 steel reserve 40s.
1/16 308l filler. i cant use 3/32 rod it comes out like hot ass.

Attachment 33212
Attachment 33213
Attachment 33214
bonus collector action
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...0/000_1233.jpg

boner material
Attachment 33215

Re: First welds with Smiley welder, give me some tips.
 

stay sober kids. dont be like uncle hotrex