IntaCooler

good improvment on the welds

TomBones

Ok, I cut a piece of pipe apart and welded it back together. Am I getting close? Think I just need more time welding now.

Captain Bondo

You're getting there... better...but still not quite right... what do they look like if you don't add any filler? I suspect you are pulling the hot filler rod back too far out of the shielding gas, and it is getting contaminated, and then you are dipping it back in.

Based on the size of the heat affect zone I doubt you are too hot at this stage...

TomBones

Here are two passses with no filler





Here are two more I did with filler but I made sure to keep the filler in as close as possible. I think that may have been part of the issue too because not pulling out was way better, as usual

Captain Bondo

You're getting there now... thise appear be to pretty close to serviceable. In the last pic you posted, to top right weld looks a bit hot, and the botttom left one looks a bit cold.

One thing to remember is that adding filler sucks the heat out of the pudlde, with stainless you just need to add enough to keep the weld form being seriously undercut, you need very little filler.
I have been using 0.035" mig wire for filler these days and it makes things much easier. It is much more expensive than 1/16" though so I'd practice a bit more with that first. You need to dip right at the very front edge of the puddle, try to avoid pushing the rod right into the center of the puddle as it will just add to much.



Couple other things:

See how the weld is still grey at the end? Either you are pulling the torch away form the weld as soon as you finish, or you do not have enough postflow to keep the weld shielded until it finishes cooling. Also back off the heat gradually at the end while moving the torch in a tiny circle- this will help avoid the "crater" at the end of the weld. This is VERY IMPORTANT when welding pipe becuase that crater is either as pinhole leak, or a pinhole leak/crack waiting to happen.

here is a major closeup of what my welds on 1.5" schd 10 look like when I fit thngs up properly...

TomBones

Awsome, thanks for the help. Unfortuantly, I cannot control pre or post flow with this welder or current. I have no thumb or foot control for it so I am stuck. I just want to try get the best weld I can out of it with what I got. Thanks again.

Toysrme

At the end give one last dollop of filler and pull the torch away at a slow pace like you were trying to break the arc. This will cut the heat input somewhat.
You're adding too much filler. Little dab.

---- welding with .035. You can't fill a groove with it and it doesn't eliminate any mre problems than it causes. Just learn to dip or walk the cup on a real size.

TomBones

What about tungstun size? I have been using 1/16" thoriated tungstun. What effects will going with smaller tungston show?

zccr-xsi

to have a good quailty weld it take alot of time and pratice dont worry the more u do it the better ull get and from pics to pic it looks like your getting the hang of it.

Toysrme

nothing if the tip is ground to a correct profile.
You have a 1/16" tungsten and a 5/32" tungsten sitting side by side. You grind both to a 15-22* point and trunctiate the end. They use the same torch stick out. Aside from the top end amperage what's the differance

Use whatever you want. If you're not going to be at the top end of that little welder then 1/16" will be fine. When it comes time for more 3/32" may be a bit cheaper tho. It's the most common size at any rate.

Technically the smaller 1/16" tungsten should provide easier arc starting at lower amperages. Personally, I've never noticed a differance to note. Engloid says is doesn't matter if it's ground correctly and my instructor always said the same thing too.