Getting started

[ross1993]

Bought my self a Clarke at131 , got all the kit ordered 20kg of mild steel off cuts . I can start and arc and keep it going , going to try and lay a few welds on a flat plate . Anyone got any suggestions on what size plate , electrode and Amps to start with ?

 

[shedfull]

See the TIG and ARC tutorials on here v helpful when I got my tig set

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/tig-tutorial.htm

 

[ross1993]

6mm thickness plate clean the surface with a grinder to make it easier to strike up
3.2 6013 try between 110 and 120 amps
Keep the arc length tight (aim for around the thickness of the rod as a gap - in this case 3.2mm from the surface of the metal) If your too high the arc will be very bright and the welds tall and skinny, more sitting on top of the plate...
if your right handed, tilt the rod to the right at angle of around 70 degrees to the plate (tilt angle)

Hope that helps

Thanks for the help , just checked the steel I've got and biggest size off it or got is 5mm should I drop the amps ?

 

[ross1993]

dropped the amps to 90 , only just seen your post now , heres some pictures ,any advice ?

 

[ross1993]

not bad, not bad at all
Looks like it could do with the amps up and travel speed up a bit tho, arc looks a little wide, though no idea of the size of the plate (?)
top one isn't too bad, bottom one looks a bit...blobby like the weld is building up in lumps rather than a smooth flowed pool, so could be running slightly too low on amps

Bottom picture was done first ,didn't really understand the motion to be making with the rod and couldn't keep the travel speed consistent . Top picture is the most recent one , quite pleased with it , think I need to make the weaving less severe though

 

[ross1993]

Thanks for the advice , starting to get the hang of it , do you think I should continue to lay welds on a flat plate ?

 

[ross1993]

think ill do the lap joints , might help me weld in a straight line :P . as for t fillets and corner to corner , think im going to leave them for now until i get a bit better

 

[ross1993]

Right , had a go at a few more welds on a flat plate , decided they were looking quite good , so decided to try a lap weld and a fillet weld

first of all the lap weld

majority of the weld went okay ,not sure what has caused the blow holes though

as for the fillet weld , it was a complete disaster

anyone got any advice that could help ?

 

[ross1993]

ill give it another go .

forgot to say , lap weld was two 5mm plates , fillet weld was 3mm plate welded to 5mm plate .

 

[ross1993]

going to keep trying with the lap joints , think im going to have to buy a bit more 5mm plate though , going to take some practice this .

got quite a bit of 2 and 3 mm plate , could you advise me what sort of amps would be needed for welding with 2mm or 2.6mm rod ?

cheers

 

[Bill Edwards]

Personally I would stick to the 3.2 on bits of plat plate at the moment, try making a bead pad before you go into joints.

 

[ross1993]

2.5 should run...between 60 and 90 amps roughly

What brand of rods you using?

Using Clarke rods , can't comment on quality only rod I've ever used

 

[ross1993]

Think I'll use the rest of what I've got for now , then I'll get some esab rods

As a general guideline what size electrode do you use with what size material and what amps do you use

 

[premmington]

Siftrode 3.2mm 6013 is what you need for learning with.

2.5mm burn off to quick and there is a lot of slag to deal with!

Really 3.2mm at 120amps on 6mm ish plate.

Pad practise. Just keep running beads! Strike - run a bead and restrike.

Look at you welds, have another go and the arc length control will come (you will know this as the welds will start to look good).

Once you have mastered the control down hand, the rest will follow with practice.


I find MMA arc welding quite addictive.

 

[Richard.]

Don't try to weave!!!!
Keep a short arc length 2mm ish
Straight run 30-40 degree dragging angle
110-120 amps with a rutile 3.2
With your lap joint as your trying to weave the slag is then running in front of the arc then your welding over it causing the trap.
Excellent progress for your first attempts good mma welding takes skill.

 

[ross1993]

This is what my welds look like on a flat plate , used Clarke 3.2 6013 on 5mm plate at 105 amps . Could anyone suggest improvements?

 

[Kent]

I suggest looking at the pictures and reading the text that this Clarke 131 is too close to its duty to be running 3.2mm rods any length of time in practice, your welds are looking a little blobby and cold. Get a decent box of 2.5mm and drop the power back some (about 70-90) and try some 3mm plate I think you will see an immediate improvement

 

[ross1993]

I suggest looking at the pictures and reading the text that this Clarke 131 is too close to its duty to be running 3.2mm rods any length of time in practice, your welds are looking a little blobby and cold. Get a decent box of 2.5mm and drop the power back some (about 70-90) and try some 3mm plate I think you will see an immediate improvement

thats the duty cycle of my machine , I ran 3.2s at 105 for no more the 5 minutes .

ive got some 3mm plate and some clarke 2.5 rods , ill give them ago next time im out

 

[Kent]

View attachment 57779

thats the duty cycle of my machine , I ran 3.2s at 105 for no more the 5 minutes .

ive got some 3mm plate and some clarke 2.5 rods , ill give them ago next time im out

Going off what I see in the welds nothing to do what Clarke claim , many things effect the actual duty. Try some better rods like ESAB / Murex also

 

[ross1993]

Yeah think I will , seems to be what most people are saying . When you said the welds look cold and blobby , how would I go about amending that , turn amps up a bit ?