Tricks to make you welds stronger

[rswyan]

... Before the first arc is struck plan your moves, hook everything up and pantomine your moves. Make sure everything you have to reach is handy and the leads don't get in the way ...

As a follow-on to the above, one of the first things I was taught was to get as comfortable as possible in terms of body position ...

Hard(er) to concentrate on what you're doing if you aren't comfortable ...

 

[muddstopper]

We can add oxy/aect to this discussion. I suck at it, but I never had a welding tip and always tried to use the cutting nozzle. In many ways, I think gas welding is pretty much the same as tig welding. You have a torch in one hand and wire in the other hand, you heat and feed wire. More to it than that I know. but you still build a puddle and add filler, so almost the same.

 

[SPYDERLK]

And practice, practice, practice ...

There it is. -- I made my logsplitter when I was 35. At that point I had been welding for years doing little jobs. I was not a very good welder. When I finished the splitter I had become a pretty good welder. I look back at those welds and others done in that timeframe and marvel. I cant do as well now. ... Like swimming - you never forget. -- I may still know the moves but Im rusty due more rarely welding, The overriding factor tho is that I cant see like I could. Its a long way to get by that handicap.

,,,. One quality aid I havnt seen mentioned is to use a needle scaler to peen the weld and near area when youre done. This reduces the possibility of cracks forming.
larry

 

[chad22]

Clean off any rust, oil, mill scale off the pieces to be welded and...grind a spot for your ground clamp!

:thumbsup: Clean metal makes a world of difference when welding. I used to not clean the metal before welding and my welds never held up for long.

I then took the advice of cleaning the metal and it makes a lot of difference in weld quality. Get that metal as clean as possible.

 

[k0ua]

remember it's still hot after it stops glowing.

I learned that the hard way a couple of times:laughing:

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I learned that the hard way a couple of times:laughing:

Only a couple times? You're a lot quicker learner than me :laughing:

 

[k0ua]

Only a couple times? You're a lot quicker learner than me :laughing:

Yeah, I "inspected" those welds pretty darn quick.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Yeah, I "inspected" those welds pretty darn quick.

...followed by the clank of metal hitting the table as the glove gets slung off and hits the wall?
At least that's how it goes with me

 

[k0ua]

Sooner or later, I think everyone picks up the work piece without letting it cool long enough.. It is amazing how long a thick piece of steel can stay hot!

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Yep, and apparently it's longer than my estimate (or memory) on occasion