Weld critique
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Weld critique
Hello everyone. Recently I built my self a bumper and tire carrier. And after reading another persons post on their tire carrier and some discussion on the strength and quality their welds. I started thinking about my own in the same light. I am every bit of a novice in the world of metal and welding fabrication and this is my first such project. So I was looking for some feed back from some of the more seasoned members on the welds below. Certainly dont want my tire falling off while driving down the hwy. I understand its pretty hard to tell with certainty how good these welds are by a picture, but any feedback would be great.
All done with a Harbor Freight 210 mig, with .35 lincoln flux core wire.
The majority are looking about like this, some worse.
All done with a Harbor Freight 210 mig, with .35 lincoln flux core wire.
The majority are looking about like this, some worse.
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Welds look good..
My only comment would be to do some weld prep. Grind the mill scale off. I also dont see a heat affected zone in the pics. That is a good way to tell if you have good penetration on your weld
My only comment would be to do some weld prep. Grind the mill scale off. I also dont see a heat affected zone in the pics. That is a good way to tell if you have good penetration on your weld
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Technique is good, coverage is ok, but you need to slow down and turn your amps up some. Go a bit wider and slower so you actually penetrate rather than just layer welds on the surface. The welds shouldn't be flat, you should have to grind them flat.
Take a grinder to them with a flap disk and lets see how they look ground even with the steel. Ability is definitely there.
Take a grinder to them with a flap disk and lets see how they look ground even with the steel. Ability is definitely there.
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Technique is good, coverage is ok, but you need to slow down and turn your amps up some. Go a bit wider and slower so you actually penetrate rather than just layer welds on the surface. The welds shouldn't be flat, you should have to grind them flat.
Take a grinder to them with a flap disk and lets see how they look ground even with the steel. Ability is definitely there.
Take a grinder to them with a flap disk and lets see how they look ground even with the steel. Ability is definitely there.
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Or you can weld some stuff together, cut it in half perpendicular to the weld and try and see how much you got. Whenever I weld I like to take a sample of the material and weld it, then try and break it with a vise and a monkey wrench or hammer. If you can stand on the end of a monkey wrench holding onto a 2"x1/4"section of flat stock butt welded to another then you'll probably be ok
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I would second the comment about not seeing much of a heat affected zone. Welds can look great, but with no penetration, they are a ticking time bomb (speaking generally, not to your pics). I would like to see some more pics of your tire carrier and bumper.
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Thanks Guys for the feed back! Much appreciated!
I do know that most of my welds on this project have/had a fair amount of heat stain, although you don't see it in these pics... And unfortunately this project is 95% complete now, ive already preped the carrier and bumper for paint. I was just waiting on some warmer weather to be able to thrown down some bed liner. But after some of the fee back here, I may go back, grind off a few of the welds that I am not as confident in and hit them again, as hot as I can with out blowing out.
Heres links to some more pics I took during the build... Unfortnately I didnt take a lot.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/ho...20988/index22/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/ho...20988/index19/
I do know that most of my welds on this project have/had a fair amount of heat stain, although you don't see it in these pics... And unfortunately this project is 95% complete now, ive already preped the carrier and bumper for paint. I was just waiting on some warmer weather to be able to thrown down some bed liner. But after some of the fee back here, I may go back, grind off a few of the welds that I am not as confident in and hit them again, as hot as I can with out blowing out.
Heres links to some more pics I took during the build... Unfortnately I didnt take a lot.
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/ho...20988/index22/
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f58/ho...20988/index19/
#11
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Depending on what I am welding I always look for the blueing. Normally it is a 1/4-1/2" away, but on some of the thicker stuff I have welded it has been as much as a 1" + away.
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