Five years later, my welds still suck.

[Missourian]

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

 

[Missourian]

I'm going to grind on it some more.

 

[Manonthestreet]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

You're fired

 

[Natural Citizen]

Join the club. lol.

I never could weld worth a darn either. Same thing, just don't ever really do it all that often.

I cracked an exhaust manifold a while back and took it to a welder to deal with for fifty Federal Reserve Notes. I wasn't even gonna try it.

 

[Rawley]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

Pretty ugly, but if it's solid, it's a winner in my book. Kudos.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Pretty ugly, but if it's solid, it's a winner in my book. Kudos.

Yep. Good enough for gubment work anyway...

 

[shockedcanadian]

I look at home FYI projects as that which should be ranked on a continuum from 1, basically serves its functional purpose, to 5. professional contract level improvement.

If your fence works due to your efforts you served the purpose.

 

[JGalt]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

Sorry for laughing. But you did better than I could ever weld.

 

[progressive hunter]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

thats the problem with small projects,, youre finished by the time you get your shit together,,

best thing is to collect scrap metal and go artist with it and weld up some monstrosity of different thicknesses that takes days to complete,,

you get experience and then you can call it art and sell it to some sucker

 

[Yarddog]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

AWWWW did you use flux core wire? or solid wire with shielding gas? That was MIG right?

 

[Yarddog]

Join the club. lol.

I never could weld worth a darn either. Same thing, just don't ever really do it all that often.

I cracked an exhaust manifold a while back and took it to a welder to deal with for fifty Federal Reserve Notes. I wasn't even gonna try it.

Welding cast Iron is so tricky because its pourous and can crack while cooling. All I know is you would have pre heated it as well with a torch. Good call not to try it.

 

[Missourian]

Join the club. lol.

I never could weld worth a darn either. Same thing, just don't ever really do it all that often.

I cracked an exhaust manifold a while back and took it to a welder to deal with for fifty Federal Reserve Notes. I wasn't even gonna try it.

Same. I'd never trust my welds to anything important.

 

[Missourian]

Sorry for laughing. But you did better than I could ever weld.

I'm considering going back to JB.

 

[Missourian]

thats the problem with small projects,, youre finished by the time you get your shit together,,

best thing is to collect scrap metal and go artist with it and weld up some monstrosity of different thicknesses that takes days to complete,,

you get experience and then you can call it art and sell it to some sucker

You know how rural Missouri is. Every third person can weld. Not enough suckers.

 

[Missourian]

AWWWW did you use flux core wire? or solid wire with shielding gas? That was MIG right?

Flux core. 110v Harbor Freight special.

 

[Yarddog]

Flux core. 110v Harbor Freight special.

It's not your welding thats the problem. Looking at that steel, it's pretty thick and trying to weld on it with a 110 machine your obviously not getting enough penetration. The thickness requires more amps. its an ill fated venture for anything over 3/8 thick IMO. It wouldnt be too much to invest in a 220V machine but then of course you would have to use either a generator with a 220 outlet or make a long extension. But it's really worth it to own one.
Flux core was the right idea, it also gives you better penetration than the solid wire, but there is one problem with that. If you weld over your old flux core welds too many times with more flux core you end up with brittle welds. Its a chemical reaction , I forget the proper terminology right at the moment. I believe if you grind your welds down really well you can weld over flux core 2 or three times tops and it will be ok, but if you continue to do so you will get brittleness and cracking.

Solid wire with shielding gas does not have this problem but its slightly less penetration and it can be tricky if its windy outside.

 

[Yarddog]

Flux core. 110v Harbor Freight special.

Aww its the hydrogen absorption in the metal that causes this problem with flux core, if you go over with multiple passes. But if you have to do it, the best you can do is grind away the weld surface pretty well and then good luck.

 

[Yarddog]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

Maybe consider making some gussets for strength there,, out of a slightly thinner steel so that you give it some strength from a different angle. It might not crack anymore.

 

[Robert W]

View attachment 1156129

My biggest problem is... I don't weld enough.

I'm just not fabricating big welding projects.

Once or twice a year, something breaks, like the arm detaching on this patio chair, and I pull out the welder and join it back together.

Sure, it's joined, and it's solid ... happy dance.



But man. What a terrible looking weld.

Link to former terrible welds.

Try dropping the output of the welder and be more patient.

 

[Yarddog]

Try dropping the output of the welder and be more patient.

Yep, most people who dont weld a lot, start moving along before they have a good weld pool going. It takes a little patience at the start of your weld and then a nice slow consistencey