Trying for a decent bead!!!!

[Freddytk421]

Try welding two pieces together with a small gap. go slower and clamp the piece where the part your welding is off the table because it will suck some of the heat out. Those welds are not too bad for just starting out but its easier to make a nicer bead if there is a gap for it to go in. don't even use the 1/8 rod with that machine. 3/32 is the max. try going slower than you think you should and speed up on the next one if it was too slow.

[barracuda]

Dustendee you also want to weld from your thicker material to your thinner material when welding different thicknesses of material. hope I have been more help than hurt.

[barracuda]

I'm not if my last replie went through or not , not real with this computor stuff. Also would recomend a backward (c) motion when welding I found it to be best to at bottom of (c) & motion up that way when you do weld a T-joint or a lap weld you start your bead on the lower or flat piece of material first. I'm a bit rusty with stick welding mostly use mig, but technic is basic no matter if you are gas , arc,mig or tig. I hope I disscribed that right.

[Dustendee]

Freddy, barracuda, what should I look for in the molten metal? in other words when do i know when to go forward........when it puddles a little? and in what motion is best?

[Freddytk421]

Just drag it with no weaving. weaving is if you want to keep something from getting too hot and you want all the heat you can get with that machine. just go slow and straight. thats what I do on that model on 1/4 inch. Its hard to tell with that one because the slag builds up and you cant see the puddle, "use the force luke". Just try going extra slow as practice.

[Dustendee]

HA! Thanks Jedi master I will practice, practice, practice until i get my LC520D and practice more and with that little box i will go slow.

Thanks!!

[arandall]

I'm no expert either, but the top pictures do look like you need more heat. - and maybe slow down a bit.

Cheers,
Art R.

[Dustendee]

Yeah, it probably needs more heat this little HF 80 inverter welder is still an awesome buy in my opinion its just so small and compact and to a more experianceed welder could probably form a better bead with that thing i just need to slow down like you said and practice. Thanks for your advice!

[tking]

My comment after seeing the pictures is that you need more heat - just like others have said. Higher setting if possible, or drop down in rod size. Also, make sure you have a bare metal surface. One of the HF $9.99 angle grinders with some cutting and grinding wheels is an absolute must. I have 7 different angle grinders and 2 of the cheepies from HF and haven't killed one yet. I still am tempted to buy another one every time I see them.

[Hamstn]

Yep more heat. The third picture has a good weld for the last bit of the bead. The heat had time to build up in the metal.

I would just practice on a flat piece before moving to a joint weld. Just lay bead after bead close together and try to cover the whole piece with weld. Build a pad so to speak. Just keep running beads and you will get the hang of it. Turn the amperage up or try a smaller diameter rod.

As far as trying to do any motion at first is daunting. Hard to explain but if your angle is correct you can sort of just let the rod burn down and it will move forward, leave a good bead with out moving side to side or forward and backwards. Then you can add a "C" or figure 8 motion to build up a wide gap, pad ect.

Keep up the good work