Looking better. The first bead on top with the big valcano sized hole at the end is from dirt or slag included in the weld. When you get to the end of the bead, pause for a second or two and let the weld build up. The top two beads of the bottom group look good. It should be a bunch of Cs instead of a bunch of Vs. Vs mean you are going too fast. <<<<<<<<< It should be (((((((( or CCCCCCCCC Porosity and undercutting are generally opertor error. 1/8" 7018 can be run from 110 amps up to 165 amps depending on how thick the base metal is. I try to stick to 135 to 145. All welder machines are different and so are brands of rod. I use Lincoln rod which seems to like 10 more amps than the rest. I thin its time to join a few pieces together. Have fun! David
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/asse...teels-excalibur-excalibur10018-d2mr/c2410.pdf Read this guide. It will explain everything you need to know about stick welding. Use 3/32 Fleetweld 180 for sheetmetal. 40 amps.
Yep, perfect. 7018 seems to run on vertical welds, maybe I should try a few different rods to see how they work. <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6IeX6gbRsJMj1wPwLjDOV-4BpFZPVMsAsIdfA-OyIm8?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-u1CRvfPmkl0/UaFgIlB6fvI/AAAAAAAAE9g/Tena3rBrgfM/s800/welding3.jpg" height="451" width="800" /></a> Some of these worked pretty well: <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8vo1hxUakDHl8H1CeaZGyO4BpFZPVMsAsIdfA-OyIm8?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l3sP4czzhio/UaFgJf1g-uI/AAAAAAAAE9o/kdeYEdNBtFA/s800/welding4.jpg" height="451" width="800" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/n9JRWoXd1Xpo4NJsWVk66-4BpFZPVMsAsIdfA-OyIm8?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hYusRBEPAIs/UaFgGXIDp4I/AAAAAAAAE9Q/vDeFU_mc0Ug/s800/welding1.JPG" height="451" width="800" /></a>
60xx rod will burn away(thru) a lot of crud and corruption, However, every bit of contamination from mill scale, paint, rust, grease, what ever is gonna wind up in the weld (and weaken it). 70xx series electrodes are not as forgiving as the 60xx are and require clean bare steel and proper storage. 60xx will tollerate some moisture, not wet. 70xx needs to be completely dry and stored in a rod oven @ 450f (and don't use the oven for cooking or warming up lunch.) ps: the exception is 7010 or hyp can be stored the same as 60xx.
To the guy trying to weld with 7018, It looks to me like you're running a bit cold. Also, try to put a wiggle in your grip as you drag the rod. It will flatten out and widen your puddle just a little bit. I'm not suggesting you weave it, just slightly move the rod back and forth as you're dragging. 7018 should be kept dry, but 225 is hot enough to keep it dry if it comes out of a sealed can. I don't think you're going to buy a rod oven, so just buy as little 7018 as you can and keep it as dry as possible. A Reheat oven-- once the rod has been compromised with moisture it can be reheated dry, but only once-- a reheat oven is 500 degrees. Not your household oven. That rod offgasses. But in the home/hobbyist case, opening a sealed can of rod and keeping it in a sealed rod caddy is good enough for a few days. You might get some porosity, but not the sort you're getting now (which is horrendous). 5P can handle moisture. In fact, it has a certain moisture content in the covering to allow the arc the driving force it needs. We have, in the past, soaked it in water when we were running it really hot. This also works very well when using it to arc gouge when you can't be arsed to set up a cutting rig. It is messy. This isn't a code weld, no one will be looking at your rod oven log or mill certs. Do try this: fire up, let the puddle get started, then give it a little wiggle as you drag it. And maybe turn it up 5 amps. Your travel speed is fine, I think, but your puddle will smooth out if you're a little hotter and moving more consistently. You won't have those big 'V's frozen in it. I assume your dragging it and not pushing it, but I didn't ask.
Keep in mind 7018 is an all position rod but you can only uphill it when welding vertically. If you downhill it you'll get shit for penetration and you won't deposit enough metal. 5P is easier to downhill, perhaps the single easiest weld you'll make, and with a couple passes you'll have enough metal to hold anything. Just make sure you turn it up and move.
I recently discovered this crack on my DRZ subframe bracket....I'm going to have someone at work TIG it for me. I'm wondering if it is best to break it off completely, or if I can get away with grinding away most of the material, and doing it from the outside, rather than having to remove the swing arm to do it from both sides.... The crack is not all the way through. I think the tab is 3/16". <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50049382@N07/8855634359/" title="IMG_0399 by anonymousse-ity, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8413/8855634359_1daf86f499_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="IMG_0399"></a>
I would tack the piece in place, grind off old weld and tig. Not on the bike, there s no access on the inside. Both sides need to be done. The outside could be cleaned up and tigged vertical up. david
I'd groove the crack and weld it. But be sure to wrap a wet rag between the frame and swing arm to sink the heat away from the swing arm seal. Remember; the seal is in the crack between the frame and SA, the rag has to be pulled in snug or you'll melt the seal anyway. I'd use the rag soaking wet, not rung out. The TIG will have plenty of amps to melt the puddle. YMMV, yada yada................ Insulate any wiring that's hiding behind the frame rail too.
Don't you think he should weld the other side? And I'd lay quite a bit of weld in there, it seems that piece might be strong enough for its intended purpose since the weld held and base metal cracked. How about some sort of gusset?
The base metal will always crack before the weld does. grind a bevel and do a full pen. weld. Or replace that part of the frame, as far above and below the point of failure as practical, and reattach the swingarm mounts. use an insert in the replacement tube at both ends and plug weld. no circumferential weld. TIG would be the prefered method. ps. do not neglect the ends of the crack, if full pen weld is chosen. To do so would allow the crack to continue on around the back side, if it hasen't already done so
That would require removing the swingarm. If I was racing it might matter, but it's only the subframe bracket.
Thanks, some good advice in there. Most of the porosity was due to prep, I did a couple welds this afternoon with better cleaning of the metal and got very little porosity. But it is old 7018, and this is just practice. I'm using an old AC buzzbox welder, so I can only adjust the amperage in 15 amp intervals, but it does seem like it needs just a little more- I feel like I'm putting down plenty of metal, but the bead is a bit too tall and has those Vs. That's 1/8" rod at 145 amps, I'll have to try higher next time. I had ok success with fillet welds this evening, just need practice to keep a more consistent motion and speed.
Zak, try just going a little slower. 145 amps is correct if its really 145 amps. Slower will get rid of the Vs and add more heat. You have it. Testing different amps to see what it does using your own mind is the way to go. AC can run a little higher than DC. Good clean ground? Good clean metal? Spring for some 7014 or 6013, Tractor supply or farm supply has it. Both are AC or DC rod. More pics please David
Yeah, we don't use 7018 here unless it's good, clean metal. In nukes it's all you'll use. Today I had to weld a pipe support from angle that was left outside for who knows long to metal that has been around since 1942.I used 6010, red rod, because that rod really blasts through the crud. You are getting it, though. Many people who have spent 5 days in a booth can't do as well as you. I haven't struck an arc in 2 months. Had to borrow a hood. No welding gloves, no welding jacket. I had a pair of sleeves in my bag from days gone by. And I had to do it in an ignorant position. You can work is very slow here. Not just because of what they're asking us to do, but because we're doing them.
Ok, here's a camera phone pic of something I did last night, 3/32" 7018 at 100 amps. There's some undercutting on the vertical plate. Ignore the crappy vertical weld, that's from a few days ago, I keep cutting pieces up and welding them back together. I got a bit of 6011 and 6013 that I'll try when I get a chance. <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tPUx0FYYwPeYk3BGVq_zye4BpFZPVMsAsIdfA-OyIm8?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_bNOVSvsj5E/UaVs-E_NIwI/AAAAAAAAE98/u9dDBlV-WSU/s800/welding5.jpg.JPG" height="451" width="800" /></a>
Undercut: the most common reason is your rod angle is incorrect and/or you're long arcing. If your rod angle is wrong you will melt the base metal but fail to deposit any metal in that area. You should try and vary your rod angle and pause for a bit, let the metal pile up behind the rod. remember, what's happening behind your rod, in the puddle, is most important. You need to look ahead so you keep your rod in the groove, but those are just glances. You really need to pay attention to what your puddle looks like. nice work!