John, those are very nice welds, not something that I would care to doctor on. If you were upside down in some very uncomfortable position tacking something in then it may need a little cosmetic help when it is finalized. That is why we sometimes wash the weld with a tig, not for strength but for the cosmetic effect that are shown in the pictures....Ron(ruggs)
Fillets are the easiest to do. Though, it's not cricket to drag the cup along the "V". My bottom comment was referring to the great looking welds I have in places that won't be seen along with a couple of not so glamoris bumpy worms out in plain sight.
I think of welding as three P's Practice, Position and Product..... OK, OK the Product is a little bit of a stretch to fit my position on the subject.
Practice; makes permanent - at least it does with incorrect spelling and language. Practice makes perfect when you seek improvement and also mean experimenting with different settings.
Posittion; I can't weld overhead and have about quit trying. I'm not very good at vertical welds. Almost everything I do is down hand.
Product; Whether you can make good welds with a Harbor Fright welder or not, I believe you have to have a higher quality welder. I have a Lincoln Square Wave Tig 255 that's now about twelve or more years old and I love it and fear it. I love the pulser and adjustable clean and penetrate settings. I fear it because it's digital. I've been told when the board goes out, the thing is just about scrap and I couldn't afford to replace it.
The other part of Product is using the right tunstens and the right filler rod for the application. I also use gas lenses unless I need to get into a tight area. An auto-darkening helmet is great. Mine died so I'm back to head flipping while I throw pennies in the jar for a new helmet.... and not Harbor Fright.
Hi Guys,
Well i might be opening up a can of worms here,but the welds i have seen on some of the pictures are undercut and low acording to a fillet gauge.I was unfortunate for 28 years of welding and even some of mine im not proud of,but they held together.
The main thing to remember is to grind it clean and on aluminum after grinding the bevel then use a stainless steel wire wheel to remove the oxcide about an inch back from the weld area.
Alway on the finish weld leave a, what i call a crown it adds strength.
Ok now everyone can gang up on me and beat my butt or chew me out.JMO though!
Vince
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