I made my first weld!...

[welderpunk]

We started welding tonight in my welding class.
This was my first time actually welding a bead.
Our instructor had us practice making lines of "puddle" for about an hr and a half.
I was doing allright but when we started adding filler, i started messing up, but i'll just keep practicing.
I welded a couple little pieces of steel together an called it a coster for cups(hahaha).
THEN, I was really getting into my welding using the filler rod and i noticed my pinky finger was getting hot,and hotter and hotter, then i couldn't move it. I looked up and my glove's pinky finger was flaming and was stuck to my other finger, i threw it on the ground and stomped it out.
Now i need a new right handed glove:mad: :eek:
LATER guy's!!~~~Andy~~~

[jgor]

Andy,

Great news on laying your first beads - it's a lot of fun isn't it?

I seem to see a lot of "glove smoke" myself when running GMAW/FCAW but haven't seen it with the other processes. Gets to the point where I'm fighting to finish the bead before the back of my hand catches fire. Maybe us newbies should invest in those aluminized gloves!:D

John

[jeffm]

good going WP, I did my first beads only a few weeks ago. I stuck a few pieces of sheet together, but didn't have the nerve to test it. So I just have a small pile of my first weld outside somewhere :)

Don't feel bad about the glove, I've got a habit of holding the filler rod only four or five inches from the puddle (instead of letting it slide) and that heats up a glove real quick. I've been doing gaff work on a movie lately too, I use my welding gloves for that, and those freakin lights seem to crisp gloves quicker then the torch!

have fun!

[Rocky D]

If you torched your right hand glove, then you must be left handed, right? It's tough for a lefty in right-handed world, but I can remember (being right handed myself), a few times that I just could not get into a position to weld and needed a left handed weldor to finish it. :D I have at times done a stick or MIG weld left handed, but not a gas weld or a TIG weld where ya gotta use two hands. Some guys can do it both ways, but not me.
How many lefties we got out there?:confused:

[R. Nelson]

Originally posted by welderpunk
We started welding tonight in my welding class.
This was my first time actually welding a bead.
Our instructor had us practice making lines of "puddle" for about an hr and a half.
I was doing allright but when we started adding filler, i started messing up, but i'll just keep practicing.
I welded a couple little pieces of steel together an called it a coster for cups(hahaha).
THEN, I was really getting into my welding using the filler rod and i noticed my pinky finger was getting hot,and hotter and hotter, then i couldn't move it. I looked up and my glove's pinky finger was flaming and was stuck to my other finger, i threw it on the ground and stomped it out.
Now i need a new right handed glove:mad: :eek:
LATER guy's!!~~~Andy~~~ Welcome to our world, it's great ain't it.

[Al T.]

I'm a lefty, and I use my right hand when the left can't get there.

[Arc Burn]

Wait till" overhead" day,you think your burnin gloves now!My gloves used to get so bad i couldn't move any fingers,i could barely hold the stinger,i would ask for new gloves but the boss's don't seem to care much so i would buy my own.

[welderpunk]

Ya, i'm a south-paw. I don't care how many gloves i'll burn though, i WILL be a MASTER WELDOR someday!!!!!
I could practice welding all night, it's fun, and it's pretty solitary too,which i like.
LaTeR guys ~Andy:D

[Rocky D]

Yep, it's all there...solitary....burnt gloves....the makin's of a good weldor! :D

[morpheus]

man, Rocky really wanted to make his point so much he said it 3 times :D

anybody else, been getting random emailings from the board like someone has posted in a thread and you're getting notified. I got the same one about 12 times the other night on a thread no one had posted on in over a month. was weird.

- jack

[Hobart Expert Rock]

MORPHEOUS...........NO BUT I'M CONTINUALLY GETTING SPAMMED FROM ANOTHER WEB SITE ON OF ALL THINGS COUPONS FOR GROCERY'S.......... NOT KNOCKING COUPONS BUT I DON'T EAT MOST OF THE STUFF THE COUPONS ARE FOR.............:mad: :confused: ................................ROCK
SSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.COM

[morpheus]

how's the class going Andy ?

- jack

[Franz]

I've known guys who employed an aluminum foil pinkey condom over the glove and claimed it solved a lot of the radiational heating problem. Never tried it myself, so I can't say if it works or not.

[welderpunk]

Well, i went to another class last night and we started stick arc welding, but i didn't start on it yet cuz i still need work on welding Lap joint welds.
I keep burning the piece on top, and i'm having big problems w/ it. Can anyone tell me how to do lap welds????
Later~~Andy

[morpheus]

that's interesting you ask about lap joints.

I ended up getting into a welding class after all and after the first week of just making passes on pieces of 3/16" plate with a stick welder I had convinced the instructor that I knew how to weld and he asked me why I was there. I told him that I was a decent weldor and that I wanted to be better, maybe even "good" at it. He's been putting me through some good practice stuff now.

So, I get to MIG weld using some Hobart Ironman 250's, very nice machines, and powerful compared to my Hobart Handler 175. But I've spent hours and hours now practicing butt welds, t-joints, lap joints, vertical up, vertical down, horizontal butt (or whatever it's called). I must say that while I don't produce perfect looking welds everytime I am a MUCH better weldor and produce higher quality welds more consistently. I keep meaning to take some pics of my welds from class but keep forgetting my camera. Just the consistent practice alone is worth the price of the class ($100 for 3hrs of one night a week for 13 weeks) but the amount of wire/gas/power/steel I've used up is considerable if I were just practicing at home.

I finished up and installed a projector mount to hang a projector from the ceiling at church and used my vertical down skills last weekend and was quite proud of my abilities. :D

Amazing what a little instruction will do if you're willing to listen.
I must say that i find it sortof odd that people pay to be in a class to learn something and don't really listen to what they're being told ... but oh well.

But getting back to the lap joints, they are also a problem to me.

I seem to have an either/or type problem. 1 - I will get the weld to flow out evenly and nicely but I'll burn away the leading edge of the top piece (which my instructor says is a bad thing) or 2 - I'll be so intent on not burning away the top edge that I'll not be able to weave any to get the weld to flow out evenly and will end up with a "cold lap" situation on the lower edge of the weld.

stick with it though, with practice you'll get it !

- jack

[Rocky D]

Jack (earlier..) th computer must've hiccuped, is why there's three redundant replies.

Lap welds. The finished weld should be convex flush at the top and no undercut or cold lap. Quite often you use the top layer as you filler metal...how deep you burn into it will depend on how much of it you need to fill in your weld. You should be able to see this as you weld....but sometimes you can't and you go by "feel".

Hope this helps.

[morpheus]

thanks Rocky, any chance you could take a pic of one for me ? as they say, a pic is worth a thousand words :D

- jack

[welderpunk]

Ya, a pic would be cool!!!
I always burn the heck out of the top piece.
I seen one guy tac weld it first and then get a bubble going from the tac weld and it seemed to work out good.
LAteRz~~~~Andy

[Rocky D]

Sure, Jack...what thicknesses do you want? How about varying thicknesses? I'll have to see what I've got....Andy, what thicknesses have you been having trouble with?

[welderpunk]

it's only tin/scrap about 1/16, seems to burn easy. Can't wait to see pics of how Rocky The Great does lap welds!!
Later--Andy

[Hobart Expert Rock]

HAHAHA..............ROCKY THE GREAT..........I THOUGHT IT WAS SENIOR ELDOR WELDOR........... LOAD THOSE PICTURES UP MAN..... IF MIKE SHERMAN IS ON AND HAS TIME ALSO THESE TWO GUYS CAN STRAIGHTEN YOU OUT............. ANDY..............:D ROCK
SSCOTT@MILLERWELDS.COM

[morpheus]

Originally posted by Rocky D
Sure, Jack...what thicknesses do you want? How about varying thicknesses? I'll have to see what I've got....Andy, what thicknesses have you been having trouble with?

thanks Rocky. we generally only weld on 3/16" plate in my class.

- jack

[Rocky D]

Andy, I apologize, I forgot to ask you what process you are using...so today I made two lap joints on 321 SS with GTAW. The first set of plates are .045" thick. The angle of attack is like you would do a fillet weld...after that's what a lap weld it, a small fillet.
This is hard to make it convex from this angle. You will see the difference later on the .064" plates where I use the over-the-top attack angle.

This first plate is the thin one showing the tacks, before weld

[Rocky D]

This shows the weld in progress...notice how far into the top plate I burn. No filler is added.

[Rocky D]

This shows angle of attack.

[Rocky D]

Close up of the finished weld...on the left side I got sloppy and it started to get concave...not good. The right side is ok, also notice the irregularity of the ripples....partly caused by the angle of attack and gas pressure.

[Rocky D]

Now for the correct way of doing a lap...first the tacks

[Rocky D]

Ths angle of attack

[Rocky D]

Weld in progress...notice the tack is smaller than the weld, so when you weld over it, it won't show.

[Rocky D]

Finished weld before wire brush

[Rocky D]

Finished after wire brush....no filler added.

[Rocky D]

Another view....

Laps in all processes should look similar.

The mention of "Rocky The Great" is really not true....any skill that I may have comes from the "Great Skill Giver" in the sky, without whose help I would not even be writing this message, to Him should go any praise. But thanks anyway...:)

[Rocky D]

I was using about 50 amps, with a gas backup...the copper thing they're on is a purge block of porous bronze...and the torch gas I don't know, cuz I just listen to the gas coming out, and if it sounds right, then that's it. Tungsten is 3/32" but it would have been better to use 1/16". 2% thoriated, diamond ground.

Rocky the Meek?

[morpheus]

thanks for the pics Rocky.

I'm really confused now though, your lap welds look like mine before I started welding class and the instructor told me it wasn't good to do them like that. Let me take a picture of one of mine. It'll probably be tommorrow before I can find one to take a picture of. Thanks though Rocky.

I'm with you though Rocky, all praise/glory belongs to the one on the Throne :D

and Rocky, the instructor started teaching me how to TIG weld tonight, my first time at it ever. Personally I think I wasn't too bad at it all things considered. I'd never even brazed before. it's fun, very tedious though. my neck hurts from bending all over to be able to see the weld clearly. I can't seem to figure out the method to when to add the filler though since the puddle is molten without filler at all. it sure is fun though :D

- jack

[Rocky D]

Jack, you add the rod when the puddle starts to sink, dip the rod to make it convex....then get quickly into a rhythm. The sinking is barely perceptable...this is where practice comes in.

[welderpunk]

Hey thanx for the pics Rocky!
I got a couple questions still:
Is it harder to weld laps using oxy/axcetyleyne???
I'm just having a heck of a time doing these.
My teacher tells me to hold my torch on the bottom piece about an eighth away from the wall of the other piece and to use a rod.
This does NOT seem to work, i just keep burning things up.
Thanks again ~~Andy

[Rocky D]

Originally posted by welderpunk
Hey thanx for the pics Rocky!
I got a couple questions still:
Is it harder to weld laps using oxy/axcetyleyne???
I'm just having a heck of a time doing these.
My teacher tells me to hold my torch on the bottom piece about an eighth away from the wall of the other piece and to use a rod.
This does NOT seem to work, i just keep burning things up.
Thanks again ~~Andy

Again, the angle of attack is crucial, here. Has he not done it for you so you can see how he does it? A good teacher will step in an show you the movements, torch angle and flame to use, and just how to dip the rod. Don't be afraid to ask for help.... that''s what he is there for.

I haven't done a lap with O/A for some time now, but I will today and I'll try to see if I can shed some light on how to do it....who knows, I may have to ask you for some help! But don't give up, remember I told you there would be some frustrating times. :D

[welderpunk]

frustrating times indeed!
He showed me once but maybe i'll have him show me again tonight.
Thanks for all the help!
~~Andy~~

[Rocky D]

Andy, maybe this will make you feel better...This first run is with #3 Victor tip, gas A=5, O=40. As you can see, I burnt it up!

[Rocky D]

After that debacle, I went to the chart...which told me for 1/8" material. to use a #2 tip with gas A=3, O=3. Oh, and I cleaned the tip. All that made a big difference. The top piece tended to burn away quick, so I compensated with a 3/32" rod, and kept it in the puddle stirring it up as I went along. Also I kept the flame away from the top as much as I could. Still, far from perfect, but better. In real life, you will probably never use oxy-acetylene to do this type of weld.

[Rocky D]

...and here's the whole plate. It is difficult when you haven't done it in 40 years, so you shouldn't feel too bad. But while you are in the class give it your best shot!...then just a little more..:cool:

[welderpunk]

Hey,
I had my class tonight, and after 2hrs of doing lap welds,i finally got it down!
Rocky, your welds look good, I'm glad i'll never use O/A in a job
My teacher said my welds looked good, they look like the ones in your pics!
There is this 21 y/o guy in my class who can make better welds than my 30 year expierienced teacher, the kid is amazing,never welded before either.
WELL, one hurdle is over!
Thanx for all the help~~Andy~~

[Dan]

Rocky

Some of the guys that I work with produce TIG welds that look like those.

It has been at least 14 years since the last time I did any gas welding, which at the time I was using it to do some body work on my 1963 4 X 4 Willys Jeep pick up. I restored the truck from the ground up. I installed New brake lines , wiring, and gas lines. Rebuilt both differentials, and even re-arched all the leaf springs. The motor only had about 15,000 miles on it from a recent rebuild so I left it alone. Even painted the entire truck myself. Then 4 years later I got married and ended up selling truck because my wife thought it was to old. It was quite a project for a 20 year old to take on, but I had the supervision of my Dad who until 1980 was a professional automobile and diesel truck mechanic. He started work for GM back in the early 60's, but in late 1979 he was in a severe car wreck that made working on vehicles almost impossible for nearly 5 years. By this time he decided that he liked farming much better.

Sorry guys this didn t have much to do with welding did it.

[cope]

Originally posted by Rocky D
After that debacle, I went to the chart...which told me for 1/8" material. to use a #2 tip with gas A=3, O=3. Oh, and I cleaned the tip. All that made a big difference. The top piece tended to burn away quick, so I compensated with a 3/32" rod, and kept it in the puddle stirring it up as I went along. Also I kept the flame away from the top as much as I could. Still, far from perfect, but better. In real life, you will probably never use oxy-acetylene to do this type of weld.

Rocky, I bought my first O/A rig in 1970 and it was all I had for nearly a year. Made my 1st cylinder cart using 12 ga. and did all the welding using the torch. Its true that now most people never learn O/A; too bad because it would make them better at GTAW.

[Arbo]

I too started out with nothing but an OA rig. I kept practicing and kept getting better at it, but never perfect. There is not much to be said about the appearance of most OA welds, but if done right, there isn't a thing wrong with them.

[bigred04]

wow those are some pretty welds nice consistincy, are you employed as a welder.

[bigred04]

sorry wrong post

[bigred04]

gf

[Stu Bass]

Take an old pair of welding gloves and cut off a finger that will slip over your gloved finger in question. Stu