Started welding the s today. Only had a little time so i didin't get far but here is the first piece. I would love some feedback from you welders out there negative and positive...but try and remember i just started welding a few weeks ago. Here are a few pics.












I had a harder time with the left side of the plate (wheel well side), i was getting a lot of popping, and some burn through on the plate, I couldn't get a good puddle going to work with nor a nice sizzel. I tried adjusting the voltage and the ground but that didn't seem to help much. I think i was getting some contamination from the undercoating in the wheel well. I could smell it burning as well as seeing it smoking. The right side, top, and bottom went much better but they were actually done before the left side. I will be grinding everything down once i finish all the welding. BTW I am using a lincoln ProMig 140t with AR/Co2 gas.


Pics of the cart i made from an old bed frame i had lying around. It was my first project b4 i started the S

 

looks like ur stopping and starting quite a bit

 

yeah, I tend to stop and check my work instead of just continuing to run the bead. Thats just cuz i have a hard time seeing if i staying on track. I'm so concetrated on watching the molten puddle that i am afraid i might weld off my line so i stop to make sure i am on track.

 

Mig weld w/a 75/25 mix?

Heat looks about right, I personally would have practiced more, instead of learning on the car.

If you are having trouble seeing, adjust your visor some, if it's adjustable.

Also, you can pull/push technique, or just use whatever rhythm works for you and gives the best results. Looks like you have the basics down, now just work on refining them.

Best of luck.

 

Feather the ends of your beads with a grinder and tie them in better. Try to stay straight with the pass too as it will be stronger. It's hard for me to tell from here, but you may not be getting enough penetration in some of those welds. Try turning either the voltage or wire speed down and set in the puddle a little longer. If you see the puddle swirl in a circle you have complete penetration, although it's hard to watch all that when you first start. Just don't blow out. You may be able to avoid the crud in your welds too if you clean the surface with a solvent. 80% prep, %20 welding. Clean = Strong.

I hope that's not too critical. You look like you're starting off good. Mig is easy to master with a little practice.

 

turn up the juice.

 

spend the money on a good helmet.. I was TERRIBLE at welding till i spent enough money to actually be able to SEE what i was doing. now its passable, haha

 

I have an auto dimmer and it is GREAT

 

Yea, after a second glance, it looks like a few of those welds are sitting on top of the metal. Like sgt said, turn the wire speed down a tad, and see if that helps.

Also, go to a metal shop, or even a muffler shop, they usually have scrap metal laying they around they will sell for CHEAP or even give away. Worth practicing on to figure out your technique.

As for cleaning, I use Acetone I bought @ lowes/home depot. That with a wire brush or some 80 grit works fine if the surface is in rough shape.

 

Thanks everyone! This is good feedback. I did prep the area but I guess not well enough. I have been using denatured alcohol to clean the metal in addition to gringing it with a 120 grit flap disk. I had been praticing on scrap metal as well as getting pratice by building the welding cart pictured above. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me in this learning process. The constructive feedback enables me to understand what I am doing wrong as well as how to rectify my tecnique