which welding method is best

[hat]

electric arc welding
I was welding two pieces togeather, welding in a circular parrern. My weld was good, and under a pressure test, it cracked but didn't break. Then some kid welded it with a crescent pattern and the metal started to crack AROUND the weld, but the weld itself was fine.

So was it my weld, or is crescent welding simply stronger? What's the best method if anyone knows any others?

[spud107]

it depends on what your welding, spot welds are another way i think.,

[hat]

Welding two pieces togeather, butt weld.

If I was spot welding I would use a spot welder ;)

[spud107]

are these the same/similar to a mig welder?

[hat]

Not exactly sure what a mig welder is. The way our arc welders work is we connect a ground do a big piece of metal and we put a welding rod in a clampish device connected to the arc. We put the pieces we are going to weld on the piece connected to the ground. Touch the welding rod to the piece... current flows... welding happens. As we weld, the welding rod gets shorter and shorter. It melts, that's how we weld (we don't melt the two pieces togeather, although the pieces we are welding DO melt, 6000 degrees is a lot, although its mostly from the welding rod)

[spud107]

mig welder is same concept but instead of a rod theres wire fed from a reel that travels thru the cable to the end where the rod would be,
but iv used one you mention, just wasnt sure if it was same,
id weld all the parts of the metal that contact each other all the way round, try not to let it heat the metal in one place for too long, it can weaken it,
dont have it turned up too high unless you plan on cutting through the metal lol
but you can spotweld with that too if needed,

[hat]

Yeah but what meathod is strongest... circles... crescents?

[spud107]

well the cresent weld didnt break but the metal did?
a good weld will usually be stronger than the metal its holding together, , ,

[hat]

I did the circle weld and the weld cracked a bit, not broke
Some other kid did the crescent weld and the metal broke a little bit but not the weld

So I'm asking if either one of the meathods is better than the other, but it was done by two different people

[spud107]

so if you welded your bike frame together what method would you trust when flying down a hill at about 45mph?

[hat]

Like I said I did the circle weld and another kid did the crescent weld. It's very much possible the other kid is just better at welding than I am.

[JC316]

Arc welders are tricky, you may have just put too much on there and thats why it cracked. Since yours survived the pressure test and the metal was intact, I would say that your method was better than the other guys, he got too hot and screwed the metal up.

Again, ARC's are tricky, I much prefer wire welders, but I think that your circle pattern was fine.

[hat]

Arc welders are tricky, you may have just put too much on there and thats why it cracked. Since yours survived the pressure test and the metal was intact, I would say that your method was better than the other guys, he got too hot and screwed the metal up.

Again, ARC's are tricky, I much prefer wire welders, but I think that your circle pattern was fine.

you fail
MY weld cracked, HIS was just fine, I did circles, HE did crescents, and I want to know if the crescent method is simply stronger or if he just owns me at welding

[Solaris17]

i learned both ways but w put emphisis on cresent welds im pretty sure the teacher said it was stronger but like JC said arcs are tricky depnds on ampreage how long you put it their etc.

[hat]

I was using 125 watts im pretty sure

I welded it once on 110 and it straight up broke, 125 and it only cracked, the other kid welded it on 125 as well with crescent and the weld didnt break

K so crescent is stonger ill try that

[blkhogan]

I have been welding for years mig, tig, arc so on. I have always used cresent shaped patterns with anything butt welded. You have to be careful with your temps. Dont leave your tip (depending on what type of welder) in one place for to long. After the metal gets hot and cools it becomes what is called "work hardened". After that it becomes much more brittle. What type of metal were you hackin on? If you ever get a chance practice on some stainless steel. You can make very good money if you are good at stainless.

[hat]

prolly cold-rolled steel or some kind of aluminum.
Crescents it is. Now I know exactly what to do tomorrow after school... try it with crescents.
Also I would use up what was left of the welding rod welding over my weld... cos I had a really good weld going but it looked like it just barely filled the gap between the two pieces (we grinded them down to a point, not like a pencil, you know what I mean...) is that bad?

[Solaris17]

you making knives or something?

and as blk said if you can do stainless well than other metals will be pretty easy...and i dont thnk youll be working on aluminium with an arch welder that wont work...thats a tig welding thing.