lets talk about crappy welds

A

akayaker

Guest
Well I welded up my baskets today for my UDS build. I have to say... these look like crap. I don't think I would show them to anyone. That being said here are some pics. They look bad but they are stuck together and that's good enough for who its for.

Hey, It was my first time on a MIG. I knew I would burn through it with a stick.

The smaller basket base will be trimmed up.

I borrowed the basket design from Norcoredneck.

100_3905.jpg


100_3906.jpg


100_3907.jpg


100_3908.jpg
 
Brings a tear to my eye...someone that welds like me, OK , OK you are a little better!

If Mista has not thrown away the one I did for him he can post it and you will feel much better! :rolleyes:
 
Most importantly it holds Charcoal! Who cares what it looks like. It's now going to serve it's purpose :biggrin:
 
If your welds hold.........your good to go.

I took 2 yrs of welding in high school, did stick and mig welding.

My welds nowdays...aint real pretty but if I can get good penetration then I know they will hold.

Pretty welds I can do but if you cant get into the base metal...........their not going to work.

Your welds look fine to me.
 
Welding is a skill that can only be honed with practice.
I am a 4H leader, I taught 6 kids that aged for 10 to 14 how to weld and we built a 20' trailer.
It just takes time, like BBQBULL said if it holds its good.
Practice practice practice.
 
I'll take that anyday! Try tying your basket together "hole by hole", than tying it to a charcoal grate, "hole by hole"! LOL!
 
I see the fine innerworkings of an UGLY drum smoker. The welds may not be pretty but when that first bit of meat comes off of there I have the feeling they will miraculously become beautiful.
 
bbqbull said:
If your welds hold.........your good to go.

I took 2 yrs of welding in high school, did stick and mig welding.

My welds nowdays...aint real pretty but if I can get good penetration then I know they will hold.

Pretty welds I can do but if you cant get into the base metal...........their not going to work.

Your welds look fine to me.
Click to expand...


Bull gets good penetration........Pass it on!:wink:

Back on topic.......as long as the welds hold, that what counts. I've had to put lots of ugly welds on top of each other to make them hold. That's what the grinder is for............cosmetic repairs.:wink:

Looks better than my welds for sure!!! Nice job.
 
After 2-3 butts no one will know the difference. I'm glad God created grinding wheels myself!:biggrin:
 
Those looks like my welds. I welded the bolts onto my basket and cooked on it a couple of times. Thought everything was OK. Took it to the first comp and one of the leg bolts fell off. I had to put a beanie weanie can under the basket to hold it up:rolleyes:
 
That's what we we called gorilla welds back when I was a fitter, ugly as sin but strong.

Jeff
 
If I could do that, I would be proud. At least you attempted to make the welds. Good job.
 
akayaker said:
Well I welded up my baskets today for my UDS build. I have to say... these look like crap. I don't think I would show them to anyone. That being said here are some pics. They look bad but they are stuck together and that's good enough for who its for.

Hey, It was my first time on a MIG. I knew I would burn through it with a stick.

The smaller basket base will be trimmed up.

I borrowed the basket design from Norcoredneck.



100_3906.jpg
Click to expand...

They're bound to be strong welds, they sure have some big muscles on 'em....
1c947bcf.gif
 
I'm just glad somebody came up with the weldless basket.


Looks great to me...
 
Personally, I do pretty good stick welding thin steel with an old Linclln buzz box on about 50 amps and 1/16th rod. Yeah, I burn through occaisonally, but I can also fill up the hole if I haven't had too many beers.
 
Mark said:
Personally, I do pretty good stick welding thin steel with an old Linclln buzz box on about 50 amps and 1/16th rod. Yeah, I burn through occaisonally, but I can also fill up the hole if I haven't had too many beers.
Click to expand...

A tip on thin stick welding is to reverse the polarity on your machine, and use some 6013 rod. That would be electrode (working lead) negative instead of the normal electrode positive. This changes the direction of the electrons and keeps the heat primarily in the rod, not the workpiece.

TIG is the ultimate thin material process :biggrin:

foilweld.jpg
 
On my old stick welder, without any switch to reverse polarity, I'd have to switch the ground clamp with the stick holder. Would that really make a significant difference with a A/C welder?
 
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