Criticize my welds please

[Tractorguy24]

Today I MIG welded the stabilizer pads on the backhoe because they were cracked on both sides, but had not come apart yet. Before welding, I took the grinder and cut grooves along the crack about the size I expected the weld to be. I set the voltage just a bit above what the door chart said to make sure I get good penetration. Welder is a ESAB migmaster 250. When welding, there seemed to be some kind of a "flame" around the arc which haven't ever noticed before. I might be wrong but it also seemed to be louder than usual?
After welding, there seemed to be something like slag on top of the weld of which some came off as the workpiece cooled down.
Also the welds look kinda weird.
I don't think it is cast because there were a lot of sparks when grinding.
What did i do wrong? What should I have done different?
Thanks!

Pictures:

 

[Shield Arc]

Grinding a grove is a very good idea. The base metal might be, cast steel.
Your travel speed is way too fast! You need to slow down. When Mig welding I make very small movements.

 

[LD1]

Yea, slow down and snall steady movements.

It looks as though you held the gun in one spot for a few seconds, then quickly advanced 1/2" or so, then paused again for a few seconds, repeat repeat.

Either that or a whole lot of stitch welds, but it doesn't look like that.

You want a smooth uniform weld. Not something that looks like a bunch of ball bearings cut in half with alot of cold laps

 

[flingwing1969]

Yea, slow down and snall steady movements.

It looks as though you held the gun in one spot for a few seconds, then quickly advanced 1/2" or so, then paused again for a few seconds, repeat repeat.

Either that or a whole lot of stitch welds, but it doesn't look like that.

You want a smooth uniform weld. Not something that looks like a bunch of ball bearings cut in half with alot of cold laps

Both are correct. It looks like your heat is okay, you are getting penetration, but not moving steadily. You likely did delay failure with your welds though.

 

[Arc weld]

Kind of looks like cast iron with freeze plugs in it? Is it an engine block or something similar? Cast iron could cause the weld to do weird things too. Also if it is cast iron, you should clean it up with a file or carbide burr after grinding. It does look fairly heavy so preheat would have helped and it looks like there's another crack in the 2nd pic.

 

[Tractorguy24]

Kind of looks like cast iron with freeze plugs in it? Is it an engine block or something similar? Cast iron could cause the weld to do weird things too. Also if it is cast iron, you should clean it up with a file or carbide burr after grinding. It does look fairly heavy so preheat would have helped and it looks like there's another crack in the 2nd pic.

It's the stabilizer pad from the backhoe. Shouldn't be cast iron because there were a lot of sparks when grinding.

 

[Sonny580]

I have found that when grinding then welding, there is a lot of weird flame around the electrode.--I always thought it was the burning of the grit embeded by the grinding wheels abrasive.---Just my observation! thanks; sonny580

 

[BrokenTrack]

I have seen a lot worse welds that is for sure, and in one spot you actually did pretty good. These are between the two arrows on the right hand side of the photos. The arrows on the left hand side show some inclusions that resulted from slow travel speed as others noted.

As for what you experienced, a lot of it probably has to do with the steel being an outrigger pad and fouled with dirt. It may be from debris of the grinding wheel, but could also be from dirt ground into the steel too.

As for pointers, as others have said, slow down your travel speed.

But in just getting back to basics, you realize with wire feeders you PUSH the weld and not drag it? That is stick welding, not wire feed welders. Always push!

You also never watch where you have been, but watch instead the sides of your weld. Keep the width even and you end up with a nice looking weld.

Always watch for globular transfer (droplets coming off the wire and not spraying which means a lack of fusion).

ALWAYS use two hands, NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE, welds good one handed. People will tell you otherwise; their Grandfather's Great Uncle who welded nuclear power plants together...they lie. Use two hands.

Make a few practice runs before pulling the trigger; see if the weld is going to be comfortable for you before you are committed to it. As you get better, you can make longer and longer welds, but short welds (12 inches or less) are better well done, then a crappy one that is longer.

Never weave more than 3/8 of an inch, if you have to for a deep weld, run stringers, it is far stronger.

At the end of a weld. Wait a second, then squeeze the trigger for just a second to fill the crater that will inevitably form.

A ground weld never looks as good as a well made weld, but never be afraid to dig out a bad weld with a grinder and start over. Only you know what is inside, so do it right.

...
Don't take these pointers as an affront, your welds were not that bad. But if you realize that I mean these comments in genuine sincerity, and practice them a bit, I think you will be pleased with how much of an improvement you will see.

 

[BrokenTrack]

What shade did you have your welding lens at?

With wire feed you want it a little darker because it emits more light. I like shade 11, but having welded for years and now retired, my eyes are a bit bad. But the point is, if you are running 10 like for stick welding, it might be too bright and hard to see, yet shade 12 or 13 might be too dark to see too. So just realize adjusting your welding shade can make a huge difference.

 

[timswi]

I have seen a lot worse welds that is for sure, and in one spot you actually did pretty good. These are between the two arrows on the right hand side of the photos. The arrows on the left hand side show some inclusions that resulted from slow travel speed as others noted.

As for what you experienced, a lot of it probably has to do with the steel being an outrigger pad and fouled with dirt. It may be from debris of the grinding wheel, but could also be from dirt ground into the steel too.

As for pointers, as others have said, slow down your travel speed.

But in just getting back to basics, you realize with wire feeders you PUSH the weld and not drag it? That is stick welding, not wire feed welders. Always push!

You also never watch where you have been, but watch instead the sides of your weld. Keep the width even and you end up with a nice looking weld.

Always watch for globular transfer (droplets coming off the wire and not spraying which means a lack of fusion).

ALWAYS use two hands, NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE, welds good one handed. People will tell you otherwise; their Grandfather's Great Uncle who welded nuclear power plants together...they lie. Use two hands.

Make a few practice runs before pulling the trigger; see if the weld is going to be comfortable for you before you are committed to it. As you get better, you can make longer and longer welds, but short welds (12 inches or less) are better well done, then a crappy one that is longer.

Never weave more than 3/8 of an inch, if you have to for a deep weld, run stringers, it is far stronger.

At the end of a weld. Wait a second, then squeeze the trigger for just a second to fill the crater that will inevitably form.

A ground weld never looks as good as a well made weld, but never be afraid to dig out a bad weld with a grinder and start over. Only you know what is inside, so do it right.

...
Don't take these pointers as an affront, your welds were not that bad. But if you realize that I mean these comments in genuine sincerity, and practice them a bit, I think you will be pleased with how much of an improvement you will see.

Well said. Great pointers to be sure, especially two handing the weld process--I'm guilty of not doing that.

 

[Tractorguy24]

Don’t know what shade i had. I have a cheap Autodarkening helmet and I just set it to whatever feels right. Probably around 11.
What motion do I use to weld stringers?
Thanks for your detailed post!

 

[Arc weld]

I missed where it said backhoe stabilizer. I think preheat and a little hotter would have helped. Turning up the voltage will flatten out the bead but doesn't add more amps. Wire feed speed adds amps (heat) but they both have to be in the right range to work properly. I' don't currently do a lot of welding but when I do I always set my heat on a piece of scrap to get it where I want it.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Well said. Great pointers to be sure, especially two handing the weld process--I'm guilty of not doing that.

Thanks. I was put with a lot of new welders at the shipyard, in part because I remembered where I came from. Every welder out there starts out the same...making horrible welds, and I remember my ugly welds for sure. Only through patient welders did I learn (albeit slowly).

Sometimes I wish I could reach through the computer and say, "here, let me show you", just so people would get better at welding so they can fix and make new things. It is not a "look what I can do" thing, but rather, "look what you can do if you only had a few pointers" type of thing.

But after retiring, other than making a few things now and then, I have no real interest in welding as a sideline. The ships I welded are still sailing the 7 seas, I am okay with that.

 

[BrokenTrack]

Don’t know what shade i had. I have a cheap Autodarkening helmet and I just set it to whatever feels right. Probably around 11.
What motion do I use to weld stringers?
Thanks for your detailed post!

Well after years of inhaling toxic gick from welding smoke, I just make the straightest line I can, but I shake so bad that it leaves a nice little ripple behind it! Sadly there is 100% truth to that, but really just a little back and forth will get you where you want to be.

When I first was welding I used circles, or little c's to get a consistent width and those nice row of slid coins that make a weld look nice. It is however, hard on your wrist if you do it all day long.

You are probably okay on your shade, just mentioning what could have been an issue.

As a side note, thank you for being so great about this. It is nice to point out helps without someone getting upset. Again, your welds are not that bad. I have seen far worse for sure.

 

[fried1765]

Thanks. I was put with a lot of new welders at the shipyard, in part because I remembered where I came from. Every welder out there starts out the same...making horrible welds, and I remember my ugly welds for sure. Only through patient welders did I learn (albeit slowly).

Sometimes I wish I could reach through the computer and say, "here, let me show you", just so people would get better at welding so they can fix and make new things. It is not a "look what I can do" thing, but rather, "look what you can do if you only had a few pointers" type of thing.

But after retiring, other than making a few things now and then, I have no real interest in welding as a sideline. The ships I welded are still sailing the 7 seas, I am okay with that.

From Belfast to Bath?
That is a long drive, if you did it every day.

 

[BrokenTrack]

From Belfast to Bath?
That is a long drive, if you did it every day.

I am a bit north of Belfast so it was 1.5 hours...one way. 15 Hours of commute time per week, 750 hours a year just going back and forth to work. That sucked, but watching the USS Zumwalt sail out to sea was rewarding enough.

I might have always remembered what it was like to make sucky welds, but I also knew why I had to make good welds no matter where I was assigned; 300 sailors that could face battle or 50 foot seas. Good welds always mattered.

 

[flingwing1969]

Good pointer BrokenTrack.

 

[sandman2234]

Good pointer BrokenTrack.

I will second that!!
David from jax

 

[Tractorguy24]

How I might tell the difference between mild steel, cast steel and cast iron?
Thanks!

 

[Will S]

How I might tell the difference between mild steel, cast steel and cast iron?
Thanks!

This might help you:

Spark testing - Wikipedia