Can anybody diagnose this?

[MarkO]

I should probably introduce myself... I've been lurking here for a long time. Welding is a hobby, I'm a computer programmer by day. But for some strange reason I really enjoy making metal stuff. Jeep skid plates, CD racks, weather station masts, whale sculptures, you name it and I'll find an excuse to weld it. I'm sure nobody else here knows what I'm talking about.

Anyway, I've been working with a Miller Dialarc HF I bought a few years ago but only recently started using. I'd been using a little Craftsman MIG for 8 years until it crapped out. I've gotten to the point where my TIG welds are finally starting look 1/2 way decent, but sometimes I get this strange cracking look to the bead. They aren't really cracks in the normal sense, they are solid (as near as I can tell) and raised up. Rather than try an explain it, I've attached a picture.

In short, what causes this, is it bad, and how do I prevent it?

[bjdenommee]

fell out of the closet did ya, I think that what you may be seeing is slag, or rust form not complete cleaning.

Nice to meet you

Bernie

[brianw]

Mark. it looks like those "cracks" are made by your filler material. You may be taking the filler metal out of the puddle to slowly, part of it is still melted and leaving little trails. Try a dabbing motion or changing filler metal size. Your other welds look good so it may be you were in a less comfortable position, one of the keys to starting tig is being as comfortable as possible. Good luck. BW

[Guest]

I see you do a side to side motion...try a back and forth motion in line with your weld joint...you can clean up those what looks like dribbles off the wire. Also are you left handed? Right handers weld from right to left...not that it makes any difference...just curious....I have run on situations where I couldn't get a weld in, and had to call in a left-hander.

[MarkO]

Thanks guys.

I spent about a half hour playing with pieces of scrap and I couldn't make it happen no matter what technique I used or how fast or where I dipped the rod. Then I turned over the pieces (now one piece) and started on the back side. First bead finished and there were the "cracks". The difference was the back side didn't have all the mill scale cleaned off. Mystery solved.

Mill scale... I hate that stuff.

So you were right, Bernie. I have to spend more time prepping. Bright shiny metal...bright shiny metal...bright shiny metal.....

Rocky - I'm right handed, but I'm making a conscious effort not to favor one hand over the other. I realized early on that it would be advantageous to be comfortable either way. I know it can be done, I taught myself to use a mouse left or right handed when my right wrist was starting to bug me years ago.

[Hobart Expert Rock]

MARKO.......WELCOME ABOARD.........GLAD YOU SOLVED YOUR MYSTERY.............ENJOY THE SITE..........ROCK.........
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[cope]

Originally posted by Rocky D
I see you do a side to side motion...try a back and forth motion in line with your weld joint...you can clean up those what looks like dribbles off the wire. Also are you left handed? Right handers weld from right to left...not that it makes any difference...just curious....I have run on situations where I couldn't get a weld in, and had to call in a left-hander.

Rocky, I'm glad that after 33 years of welding I found out that right handers weld right to left. I do both depending on what I am welding. I am somewhat ambidextrous, so maybe that's why. If you saw my penmanship, you might think I was writing lefthanded.