23 replies to this topic

[Gaz66]

I'm relatively new to welding and I'm having difficulty seeing where the weld is being laid down.
I can see the weld pool ok but if Im doing a run I vere off and completely miss the joint.
Ive got an auto darkening visor and Ive tried all the settings I can think of but I still cant see "in front" of the weld.
Am I doing something wrong? Is the visor crap (exel) or is this typical?

[DeadSquare]

"Specsavers" ?

[Avtovaz]

strangely enough you still need to get enough light into where your welding. Use a torch or something. sounds strange but thats why.

[Gaz66]

strangely enough you still need to get enough light into where your welding. Use a torch or something. sounds strange but thats why.

Funnily enough I thought that wouldnt be necessary due to the amount of light given off by the arc, but.....I suppose thats the point of the visor, to filter out the arc light.
I give the flood light a try.

[sonikk4]

I always use an additional light where its dark to highlight where to go etc. Not failed me yet. Just be aware what you use though. I have a couple of magnetic battery lights so handy to attach whereas a mains powered light can be more awkward to use.

[stuart bowes]

you can get lamps with magnetic ends so you attach them wherever you need inside wheel arches or in tricky places like that where the sun doesn't shine (as it were)

 

more often I use a torch to shine from the other side and check for pinhole gaps

 

when going over it again later for those little gaps I generally get a sharpie and circle areas or underline bits, etc, because when you flip the mask down things look different 

 

I don't find that going in the right direction is an issue though, before I do each bit my hand is poised and resting at the right angle so that the movement just takes it in the right direction anyway (from my reading up and speaking to a few highly skilled fabricator friends, nearly half of the job is prepping the piece well to a good fit, half is being comfortable and leaning against something, having you hand well braced for stability, and whatever tiny percentage is left is the finer details of twiddling with the welder settings, movement patterns and so on)

 

not meaning to diminish how tricky it can be though I fully understand it is literally an art form when done well.  I myself have pretty much only just got to the point where I'm not constantly blowing holes and swearing 

Edited by stuart bowes, 17 July 2022 - 05:57 PM.

[sonikk4]

you can get lamps with magnetic ends so you attach them wherever you need inside wheel arches or in tricky places like that where the sun doesn't shine (as it were)

 

I don't find that going in the right direction is an issue though, before I do each bit my hand is poised and resting at the right angle so that the movement just takes it in the right direction anyway

 

more often I use a torch to shine from the other side and check for pinhole gaps

 

The last sentence above is a must on any butt joint if you have any doubts at all about your welding prowess. 

[Gaz66]

I myself have pretty much only just got to the point where I'm not constantly blowing holes and swearing

Im at swearing stage now.

[sonikk4]

 

I myself have pretty much only just got to the point where I'm not constantly blowing holes and swearing

Im at swearing stage now.

 

 

A tip for you if you are not aware. I use a piece of copper pipe, sliced lengthwise and then flattened. I then add a couple of slots for intergrips and then use this as a backing piece for any butt welding i do especially on floors. This helps you to prevent blowing holes through.

[Gaz66]

I myself have pretty much only just got to the point where I'm not constantly blowing holes and swearing

Im at swearing stage now.

A tip for you if you are not aware. I use a piece of copper pipe, sliced lengthwise and then flattened. I then add a couple of slots for intergrips and then use this as a backing piece for any butt welding i do especially on floors. This helps you to prevent blowing holes through.

Thanks for that tip mate. Can I use the flattened copper behind holes Im welding up, such as old bolt holes because at the moment the holes get bigger before they get smaller!

[stuart bowes]

when filling a hole, you can go around the outside of the hole with tiny tacks waiting for it to cool after each blip, once you've gone all round you will have strengthened up the edges and you should then be able to weld it in without it getting any bigger, and a bit of copper behind does help as above

 

if you trigger briefly just so the wire comes out a bit you can then rest that wire where you want the tiny little tack to go, then just fire it off for a nano second, that's enough, repeat all round (I think of it like those stick on hole strengtheners you get for putting documents in a lever arch file)

 

once you've done that try to keep the tip angled so you're building up the weld on the inner edge of the hole, build up gradually in short bursts from there until you've filled it in, not just up and up and up outwards.  because then you'll just grind it off and there's still a hole

 

always let it cool before doing the next bit, basically if it's still molten and you aim again and fire away, the wire coming out the end goes into the weld pool and bursts it like a bubble, that popping noise that lets you know you done f$% up.  and if you're underneath a car, you get showered with it lol

 

that's a tip I got from my local friendly MOT guy

Edited by stuart bowes, 17 July 2022 - 06:46 PM.

[stuart bowes]

and like I said above, prep prep prep

 

make your piece slightly too large, then hand file it down gradually till it's literally a perfect tight fit.  thin sheet metal you don't need a gap and a tight fit will massively reduce hole-blowing

 

it takes longer on prep but reduces time welding / grinding / welding / grinding etc, 100% worth the effort

Edited by stuart bowes, 17 July 2022 - 06:48 PM.

[Spider]

 

 

I myself have pretty much only just got to the point where I'm not constantly blowing holes and swearing

Im at swearing stage now.

 

 

A tip for you if you are not aware. I use a piece of copper pipe, sliced lengthwise and then flattened. I then add a couple of slots for intergrips and then use this as a backing piece for any butt welding i do especially on floors. This helps you to prevent blowing holes through.

 

 

I have various pieces of Busbar that I use, most flat, some with bends 3 mm, 5 mm, 1/4" and 10 mm thick.

Find a local Electrical Switchboard builder, if you look, you'll probably be surprised how many there are. They'll have a drum full of odd cut offs. Probably for a 6 pack, I'm sure they'll let you have a few.

[Avtovaz]

is your butt welding and your blowing holes, dont do continuous welds, pulse it. 

[stuart bowes]

 

I have various pieces of Busbar that I use, most flat, some with bends 3 mm, 5 mm, 1/4" and 10 mm thick.

Find a local Electrical Switchboard builder, if you look, you'll probably be surprised how many there are. They'll have a drum full of odd cut offs. Probably for a 6 pack, I'm sure they'll let you have a few.

 

 

I would never have thought of that, I work for an electrical contractor we must have piles of that out in the store room, under the 30 years of accumulated junk that's piled up..

 

we're having a cleanout soon I will definitely be keeping an eye out

Edited by stuart bowes, 17 July 2022 - 08:10 PM.