Want to go into business..

**MadMax** · 09-02-2005, 07:39 PM

I'm thinking about going in business..just wondering if you think my weld's are safe and sound looking..

-Max.

**MadMax** · 09-02-2005, 07:45 PM

Ok, just kidding

. I was cleaning the shop and remembered that I welded on that scooter when I first got my C&H fluxcore 80. Heres some welds I did today on my MM135 on .125 mild. I havent really welded with MIG, or even tig for that matter in a few months, MIG being about 5-6 months

. I already found the flaws, but if you feel like pointing them out, go ahead, it'll still be appreciated

. Just keep in mind it's been a few months, lol. I must say though, it's crazy what a little bit of preparation will do, obviously there was little-none on the first 2 welds up top. We (my friends and myself) didn't know the importance back then, being only about a year and a half ago, haha.

-Max

PS. I'm not going into business, that was just a joke.

**MadMax** · 09-02-2005, 08:15 PM

Here's another. Turned up the wire speed a bit..iffy about the results

. Oh, and yes, I realize I should start at the VERY beggining of the coupon, but hey, I'm a slacker when it comes to practice

I need a wire wheel for the grinder..so hard to come buy around here though.

-Max

**Brandon H.** · 09-02-2005, 09:20 PM

Go for it man, you really got me though on the first post with the crapy welds

**hankj** · 09-02-2005, 09:24 PM

Max,

Knowing your age, I was certain that you were kidding. Your welding has improved greatly since the "scooter" days, though!

Hank

**david_r** · 09-02-2005, 09:50 PM

Max,
You still have that CH welder? I'd be interest in how your beads have improved with it. A test of the weldor vs. the welder if you like.

**Mowerpan** · 09-02-2005, 10:57 PM

I got a little crappy C&h fluxcore welder and if your a good welder and know how to weld, you can put down a pretty **** nice weld with one, you just cant expect to weld 3/8 in a single pass and have to know its expectations and go slower so you get better penetration.

**MadMax** · 09-02-2005, 11:01 PM

This is kinda older, and on crappy metal, but still not too bad for the C&H FC80..

-Max

**gti_02** · 09-03-2005, 01:07 AM

Max,

Your pretty beads look a little shallow. I was always taught that you never want a concave bead profile. Maybe more wire speed or slower gun movement?

**Mowerpan** · 09-03-2005, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by gti_02

Max,

Your pretty beads look a little shallow. I was always taught that you never want a concave bead profile. Maybe more wire speed or slower gun movement?

Nope that's how it should look.

**hankj** · 09-03-2005, 07:30 PM

It's real hard to see bead profile in a picture. But, gti's right - a fillet weld bead should never be concave, and each leg should be the same length as the thickness of the material behind, or below it. Flat to slightly convex is what you want.

Ain't this metal meltin' stuff fun?

Hank

**gti_02** · 09-04-2005, 03:31 AM

It's real hard to see bead profile in a picture. But, gti's right - a fillet weld bead should never be concave, and each leg should be the same length as the thickness of the material behind, or below it. Flat to slightly convex is what you want.

Thanks for the comment Hank. After I posted I did some back-up research beyond what I was taught at university to figure this out. Ideally you want a fillet convex or flat at minimum. A concave fillet weld is more subject to cracking under fatigue.

It all makes sense until you start thinking about radi as appiled in machine design, and so on. My machine design professor (whos first real-world job was heavy eqp. weldment & design) told us that a butt weld with a cap was better than a butt weld ground flush. Two weeks earlier he had taught us about radi and stress concentrations. Confusing and conflicting? Yes. But true.

Hank is right, it's hard to tell by the pictures.

**MadMax** · 09-04-2005, 09:27 AM

They're flat, I turned up the wire speed on the last few I did to get a more convex profile. I think a few may be a weee bit concave (the first ones) but the others came out alright after I turned up the WS a bit.

and each leg should be the same length as the thickness of the material behind

I am a bit confused by this though..

Thanks for all the comments!

-Max