Weld Critique, advice needed on how to improve my welds.

[Sharp]

hey guys i'm new here, seems like a ton of good info!!
well i have a small lincoln SP 135T i mainly do fabrication for my jeep and other hobbies, like offroad buggy/carts.

here is a pic of one of my welds, it's done with straight CO2, .030 solid wire and was made going right to left. and i'm right handed.

what can i do to improve, the look and strength, it was on 3/16" plate and i'm sure i got good penetration.

http://groups.msn.com/TheMINIHummer/longarms.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1325

Thanks

[banzaitoyota]

I would swich to 90/10 gas

[Sharp]

the gas change will only change the looks right, not the penetration, if so i'm happy with the cost savings of CO2

[Guest]

Nothin' wrong with that weld, Sharp. Keep doin' what you're doin'. Looks like you got it dialed in right good.

[Dan]

Originally posted by Sharp
the gas change will only change the looks right, not the penetration, if so i'm happy with the cost savings of CO2

For a 135 amp machine 90/10 is only going to be a good gas for sheetmetal. 90/10 would be poor choice for short circuit transfer on 3/16". Reason being is because in short circuit transfer mode as the CO2 content decreases in the shielding gas so does the depth of penetration.

Based on the picture I see it looks like you are doing pretty good with the CO2. Your pulling the weld so this will give you your best penetration. I feel with this size of machine if you were to change your gas to any argon/CO2 mix that you would start having lack of fusion issues on this material thickness.

Beside what you are currently doing, the only productive change that would make sense, would be to use a self shielded fluxcore wire instead.

[Sharp]

Other then out of position welding and welding outside, why would i change to fluxcore? will it be superior as far as fusion goes? i have some .035 flux, i used to use it all the time,but i hate the mess it leaves.

[Guest]

I think what Dan means is that to change to fluxcore, you save on gas. As far as weld strength, it's a toss up. You don't want the mess...stay with CO2. Most novices have difficulty setting a machine on CO2...you clearly have a good setting and good hand.

Send some more pictures....we get bored just reading all the time

[Jerry]

Hello Sharp, Welcome aboard your weld looks nice. One thing I have to interject here is with a smaller machine joint preperation should be a main priority. What I mean is a very cleaned surface such as all mill scale removed, rust etc.. Beveling the joining metals will also help in welding with maximum penetration. Another way to add may be to weave a weld into the joint instead of pulling straight along.

Good luck but the weld looks nice buddy

[Sharp]

Jerry, what kind of pattern do you mean by weaving, i did uses anti-clokwise circles when i did that one.

[Guest]

You mention counter-clockwise motion going from right to left....In that direction I use clockwise motion to prevent undercut at the top side of the weld. So that when you swing out to penetrate, from 6 o'clock to 12 o'****, your fill is traveling downward, from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock. When traveling from left to right, then I use the counter-clockwise motion.