Welding woes

[BPB]

Now as I am sure is pretty obvious, I am pretty new to the welding and fabricating business. How much of a necessity is it to weld along the top perimeter the plating? I am really having issues. I have cleaned it multiple times with a wire wheel I just can't get a good bead to lay down. I can't get a puddle started without burning through the thin sheet metal. The area that is there is so small and tight to the top that I when I try to focus the puddle on the plate I can't get the puddle to move fast enough to penetrate the sheet metal. I am drawing a blank. Here is a pic of what's going on.

 

 

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Well, here is my unprofessional opinion...

 

Assuming MiG. Also assuming you have adjusted your heat accordingly. Its kinda hard to see your welds. but kinda looks like too fast a feed and too quick a motion. Maybe slightly too hot. I know this doesn't sound right initially, but if you think about it. Heat burns thru, so moving the gun faster across the steel stops burning, but leaves thin beads. So you turn up the feed to compensate. This leaves "bird $#!&" welds with little to none for penetration. I don't think you this bad, but maybe somewhere in-between. The welds appear to lack real good penetration. Not awful, but could be better. Again, I cannot see them great. I would strike the bead on the thicker steel first. Spend 75% of the time there and then swing out onto the thin stuff. Kinda like skipping a beat. Instead of swinging back and fourth, linger on the thicker steel. Every other swing of the wand hit the thin steel. With the heat down the more time on the thicker steel will allow for penetration while not burning thru the thin stuff.

 

If still you cannot get it you cannot get it. BUT be sure you seal up the joint with something or water will penetrate and rust between the sheets.

 

Since you asked, a couple other critiques...

 

Never leave the steel 90 degrees to the frame. It should be fish mouthed, to reduce stress fractures. Or at the very least angled. NOT doing so creates a stress point that will be easier to break as what you just welded in gives the area more leverage to break. IMHO, you should weld in some thing across the edges of what you already welded in. Also, you should have used narrower steel to allow for room to weld. the 1/2" narrower steel would have done nothing for strength but been much easier to weld.

 

No offence meant, just my opinion from afar. Other than that the spot welds look good and it should do what you need to re-enforce the entire area.

 

CW

[BPB]

So are you suggesting something along the lines of angle iron along the seem? I will leave my self some room on the other side. BTW all my welds were looking great and laying down goood untill I ran out of wire and decided to change my tip for the first time in probably 6 reels of wire.

[CWLONGSHOT]

I would start by grinding down the weld smooth and flush. Then see if you could cut out a "V" or birds mouth from the steel you welded in and remove it. Then weld it back up.

If that didn't work, cover the weld with a diamond shape sheet of steel and weld that in over top.

 

CW

[BPB]

I have everything ground down, THe birds mouth won't work, I would have to cut out the unibody to do that. The point of having the right angle is so that I had a place to weld my trackbar mount to. See here viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10347&start=75