Do these MIG weld beads looks fine? (3/16" steel with 75/25 gas and .030 wire)

[waid302]

On my Hobart 187, the setting calls for Voltage tap 6 and wire feed of 60 for 3/16" steel with 75/25 gas and .030 wire. Below are some samples I just ran.

Do they look fine?

When I end the weld, I this big round puddle thing - yellow arrows. Is this normal ?

[Welder Dave]

The crater is normal. How much stick out are you using and are you using a pushing technique? Slight weave or small circles can also help.

[OPUS FERRO]

waid302

When I end the weld, I this big round puddle thing -
yellow arrows. Is this normal ?

Your puddle terminations [yellow eye] is normal. Are you whipping,
oscillating - or is your hand just shaky . . . ?

Drop your coupon size to 1/8" and turn up the heat - run as steady as
you can. Red-hot and burn-thru is OK - just turn the heat down.

[For now] you want the bead profile flat/smooth, and most important,
focus on how the edge of the bead 'wets' into the parent metal.

Oscillating/manipulation comes later . . .

hth


Opus



.

[waid302]

The crater is normal. How much stick out are you using and are you using a pushing technique? Slight weave or small circles can also help.

I am using "e" curls technique and I think I was pulling. I am going to be welding this 3/16" bracket on an axle and want to do lots of practice on 3/16" coupons and get it right.

Waid

[BD1]

I am using "e" curls technique and I think I was pulling. I am going to be welding this 3/16" bracket on an axle and want to do lots of practice on 3/16" coupons and get it right.

Waid

I'm sure you know how to setup, square, and tack , right ? Just saying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OPUS FERRO]

waid302

I am using "e" curls technique and I think I was pulling. I am going to be
welding this 3/16" bracket on an axle and want to do lots of practice on
3/16" coupons and get it right.

"E" curls' are what girls get in a Salon . . .

You can barely run a bead - you don't know how to tack - and you know
nothing about weld joinery . . .

I'd start here [I subscribe to the school of brutal candidness] - this is how
you learn [what] to weld . . .

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...SO0BIwQ4dUDCA0

Because - I have made a good living - fixing your best of intentions . . .

hth


Opus



.

[Welder Dave]

Try pushing and it should help. You can read books and watch video's till you're blue in face but better welding comes from actually doing it. Books and video's can help with technique. Having someone experienced in person is the best option.

[vpd66]

I am using "e" curls technique and I think I was pulling. I am going to be welding this 3/16" bracket on an axle and want to do lots of practice on 3/16" coupons and get it right.

Waid

How thick is that axle tubing? I'll guess its thicker then 3/16". You should run that weld hotter then the 3/16" setting and a straight push. You need to get good penetration into the tube. You have to try and avoid getting a cold lap weld. A cold lap weld is one that looks good but is just laying on the joint with no penetration. I would have tacked that bracket on the ends not in the middle of the weld. The crater on your test weld needs to be filled. Look up crater fill on how to do this.

[waid302]

How thick is that axle tubing? I'll guess its thicker then 3/16". You should run that weld hotter then the 3/16" setting and a straight push. You need to get good penetration into the tube. You have to try and avoid getting a cold lap weld. A cold lap weld is one that looks good but is just laying on the joint with no penetration. I would have tacked that bracket on the ends not in the middle of the weld. The crater on your test weld needs to be filled. Look up crater fill on how to do this.

Thank you for constructive feedback.

The 3/16 bracket is tacked with my Hobart 187 set at 6/60. I will remove the bracket and retack it on the ends. The axle tube is about 1/4". My Hobart 187 chart recommends increasing the wire speed for 1/4 material with setting of 6/70.

I don't want to warp the tube by putting in a lot of heat. Should I set my machine to 6/70 or use the last volt tap which is 7 and keep the wire feed to 60 ?

Thank you.

Waid

[Welder Dave]

It's more important your piece is tacked in the right place than where it's tacked. You can add more tacks if need be. Do some practice welds. To limit heat you can weld a little, let it cool and then finish the weld. I don't think you'd have much of a problem if the tube is 1/4". Your weld only needs to be 3/16" from the inside corner to the outer edges on each side.

[G-ManBart]

I'm not being mean, but if you have to ask these questions you shouldn't be welding anything to an axle tube that takes any sort of load or stress at all. It simply isn't an area for beginners.

[vpd66]

Thank you for constructive feedback.

The 3/16 bracket is tacked with my Hobart 187 set at 6/60. I will remove the bracket and retack it on the ends. The axle tube is about 1/4". My Hobart 187 chart recommends increasing the wire speed for 1/4 material with setting of 6/70.

I don't want to warp the tube by putting in a lot of heat. Should I set my machine to 6/70 or use the last volt tap which is 7 and keep the wire feed to 60 ?

Thank you.

Waid

If it were me welding it with that machine I'd be on the highest setting. I'd weld it with a straight push no weaving or whipping. Do one weld at a time and allow it to cool between welds to avoid warping. Even if you do get a little warping (which you shouldn't on 1/4" wall tubing) you can always heat the tube with a torch to straighten it.

[robert-r]

You can practice by making a few brackets/tabs and welding them to a scrap tube of the same thickness. Then spend some quality time with a BFH and go full animal on them. See how well they hold up. After that, cut the welds, polish and etch them to see how much penetration you are getting.

[Welder Dave]

What is the axle off of?

[G-ManBart]

What is the axle off of?

Going off other posts, likely a street rod he's building

[Welder Dave]

For something going on the road I agree with you, it's not a DIY project. It's illegal to weld on steering or braking components. For something like axle tubes get someone very experienced do the work. It's a huge liability issue.

[waid302]

For something going on the road I agree with you, it's not a DIY project. It's illegal to weld on steering or braking components. For something like axle tubes get someone very experienced do the work. It's a huge liability issue.

Yes it's a street rod. The Mustang Axle is going to go in a 1938 Ford Pickup. To tall, look under your car, your control arms and other welds and you will think it's all marginal but they hold fine. I don't want to insult any one here. With all due to respect to the the experts here, if you guys had to build a car, every thing would be wiped down with acetone, everything would be heavily welded all brackets will be 1/4 to 1/2 thick and compact car would weight in 10,000 lbs. More is not always better. Below is picture of a part of Mustang control arm on left and aftermarket one on the right. The factory one has over 200,000 miles on it. The factory was about .110" thick Sheetmetal and after market one is 3/16". The factory bolt is 12mm (.472) and the after market one uses giant 5/8" (.625). I located one of my old friend who is a welder at Ford Motor Company for over 30 years and he said nothing wrong with my MIG welds. I still have long ways to go with my TIG welds.

Thanks

[Welder Dave]

Is your friend going to assume liability for your welds? Ask him how much liability insurance Ford carries and how much it costs them. There are people on this forum that build race cars. I think you just insulted them. More is not always better but EXPERIENCE is! The thicker bracket in your picture above looks like it is more prone to cracking than the thinner original. See if you can figure out why I say that?

[waid302]

More is not always better but EXPERIENCE is! The thicker bracket in your picture above looks like it is more prone to cracking than the thinner original. See if you can figure out why I say that?

Agree experience is important. That is why I will have my friend present when I finish MIG weld everything. The thinner metal will flex and not break. This is why I will also use heim joints will rubber insulator and not urethane which will allow everything to flex and not bend and break.

[Welder Dave]

It's not to do with flexing. Flexing will lead to metal fatigue. Urethane is preferred for suspension bushings. Even if they were the same thickness why is the original a better design and less prone to cracking?

[Dan's_Soup]

Not that I have a horse in this race, but I am genuinely curious as to the reason. My guess is the design of the bracket. The original Ford control arm allows the force to dissipate throughout the bracket somewhat evenly, whereas the after market has a prominent 90 degree stop. This is where it will be prone to cracking.

Am I close or far away?

[12V71]

Not that I have a horse in this race, but I am genuinely curious as to the reason. My guess is the design of the bracket. The original Ford control arm allows the force to dissipate throughout the bracket somewhat evenly, whereas the after market has a prominent 90 degree stop. This is where it will be prone to cracking.

Am I close or far away?

I think you are close regarding another person's analysis... But really? this is a 1600LB street rod, not a a heavily loaded truck. I've done a bunch of Mustang II kits on rods with a Miller 211 and .030 wire, like was mentioned above "check out the really crappy welds on a factory built car" and they stay together.

[OPUS FERRO]

waid302

I am using "e" curls technique and I think I was pulling.

If your weldment is compact enough to position - I would TIG
tack - and weld everything flat with .035 Dual Shield.

MIG welds are problematic on short bead, even if experienced.

hth


Opus



.

[Welder Dave]

I think Dan's Soup is on the right track. From a metal forming stand point the aftermarket bracket, although thicker, does not have the required minimum inside radius on the bend. There's almost no radius at all and looks like the die to form it came to a sharp point (leaving a visible crease) which could lead to premature cracking. Compare the inside radius on the original and the difference is quite evident. I've seen mild steel even with a large radius get cracks on the ends from forming a 90 deg. bend. This is on the suspension so will be subjected to cyclic loads. Kind of metal forming 101. Making it out of thicker material makes it even more prone to cracking with such a tight bend.

[Dan]

The way the flanges of the aftermarket bracket extend up past the web section creates a stress riser at the bends.