Critique my TIG please

[Texan1985]

I went to the local tech school for welding a few years back, I took a TIG plate class and have used it here and there since. There seem to be several different styles, the one I learned in class makes the welds look a lot different than some of the tig I've seen. Anyways, take a look at the pictures and let me know if there is something else I should be doing. This is 3.5" .250 DOM tube to .250 plate, both are mild steel and I ran one pass at 160-180and then a cover at 160-180 amps. Thanks!

[GNLWelder]

dosen't look bad

Welds look good and close. on your last picture it looks like you amost had a crater. when I come down on amps I either do a circler motion or add a little filler metal before stoping.

[PipeLayer]

I agree with GNL. Looks like you missed your tie in on that last pic.

[Bodybagger]

Surface looks really nice up to the start/stop.

However, surface appearance is only one of many variables and it is way down the list in importance. Enable x-ray mode on your camera for a more thorough critique.

[Merkava_4]

Looks pretty dang good to me. A little crater at the end but you'll fix that next time.

[Texan1985]

Thanks for the info. The starts and stops have been getting me here because I just got a thumb control and there is a little bit of a learning curve! I'll work on that. I'd get a pedal but most of my work will have to be done without it so I figured I'd try to learn the thumb control first.

[jackalope]

Texan,

With all due respect to some of the other posters, the start/stop is NOT the MOST important aspect of your welds. They look VERY good. The problem would be as someone pointed out, penetration. An x ray of the weld would be best. Actually, weld the sme thickness in coupons and saw in half to see what it looks like. The crater is NOT going to cause weld failure in this application. It would be stress and poor penetration.

Your class has done you well. Disect your next weld and see what the settings yield!

Good job!

Grant

[paulrbrown]

Texan, did you go to GTCC with Randy being the Dept. Head? I was there in 2000/2001. Paul

[Texan1985]

Texan, did you go to GTCC with Randy being the Dept. Head? I was there in 2000/2001. Paul

Paul,

Sure did. I was there 04/05. Randy is still the dept. head, getting older though!

[Blondie_486]

The crater would pose a problem if it were at the end of the bead, that's where the weld would crack especially on aluminum. Starting on the ends and welding towards the middle is a good practice to keep.

I used to weld frames for an aluminum dump trailer manufacturer in Randolph, Ohio and that's where all the weld failures would take place is if the crater was at the end of the weld. I used to help train the new hires on correct welding procedures as well as the actual assembly of the frames.

Your welds look as good as any I can do as stated before an x-ray would tell the tale if the welds had good penetration or not. It appears as if this is some sort of mount for a heim end or shock absorber I seriously doubt you'll have any problems with weld failure unless you're putting 10,000 ponies to it instantly.

The main thing here is to keep practicing. I find myself welding metals I haven't welded in years and I always get some scraps of the material and practice on them a bit before welding the actual project. Case in hand I hadn't welded any copper in 25+ years so I told the guy to bring me some scrap pieces to play with and it was a good thing he did as I had to play around with my gasses and ended up remembering last time I welded copper I used helium rather than argon. Second case in hand I also had another customer bring me a copper to steel application where I welded with silicon bronze filler and argon gas, a few practice passes and I was set to weld. So just remember you can never get too much practice.

Keep up the good work, you're doing fine!

[Texan1985]

The crater would pose a problem if it were at the end of the bead, that's where the weld would crack especially on aluminum. Starting on the ends and welding towards the middle is a good practice to keep.

I used to weld frames for an aluminum dump trailer manufacturer in Randolph, Ohio and that's where all the weld failures would take place is if the crater was at the end of the weld. I used to help train the new hires on correct welding procedures as well as the actual assembly of the frames.

Your welds look as good as any I can do as stated before an x-ray would tell the tale if the welds had good penetration or not. It appears as if this is some sort of mount for a heim end or shock absorber I seriously doubt you'll have any problems with weld failure unless you're putting 10,000 ponies to it instantly.

The main thing here is to keep practicing. I find myself welding metals I haven't welded in years and I always get some scraps of the material and practice on them a bit before welding the actual project. Case in hand I hadn't welded any copper in 25+ years so I told the guy to bring me some scrap pieces to play with and it was a good thing he did as I had to play around with my gasses and ended up remembering last time I welded copper I used helium rather than argon. Second case in hand I also had another customer bring me a copper to steel application where I welded with silicon bronze filler and argon gas, a few practice passes and I was set to weld. So just remember you can never get too much practice.

Keep up the good work, you're doing fine!

Thanks for the info. I'm starting to practice more frequently, I definitely do a little dry run on scrap before I weld anything together, it's helped me out before. In the past it may be 6 months before I pick it up the torch to use it. I'm trying to use it weekly now.