I bought the $50 one that Jody reviews and have been using it for 3 weeks now and have no complaints with it!

Good pitch, salesman.

I agree with the blasting suggestion.

Looks a lot better...
To me, the beads look tall. Which means you’re not getting enough penetration. Turn your heat up a little bit and see if you can get the beads to lay down.

I would say slow your travel speed (how fast you move the gun) as well. Watch the puddle build to the width you want and then move forward. Try diff movements as well, I like circles with MIG. I use a #9 shade, I could not see that well with a #10 and if you have a #13 wow it's like closing your eye...

When does this come out for the Wii?

I tested for a TIG welding job at a local sheet metal place on Monday and will start my first job as a welder on Jan. 4th. I had to test on 20ga stainless, something I have never welded. Smooth as silk... well, for a noob. I loved their setup an ESAB machine, like it a lot more than the Lincoln mach...

I agree with brian...
I just finished running 3/32 308 rods in class and never went as high 75 and not on ac.

Don't bend the electrode if you are not comfortable with it. Put the rod at a 90 degree angle to the pipe and try a small weave.

I love a bigger hood!! If it does not flip all the way down or if it's not right on, I can still see. A smaller lens, to me, seems like it has to be almost in perfect position to see.
I want a blue lens and they only seem to come in small, so I guess I will get used to that, once I can find one...

For me, holding longer in the puddle allows more filler metal and less undercut, also your heat may be a little high. At the end of a joint, I find that pulling off of the metal and allowing the puddle to cool and then striking again, a couple of times allows it to become flush.

Our school hired a lab instructor who failed his "interview" bend test.

I think romij forgot to site his sources... "Inconel alloys are oxidation and corrosion resistant materials well suited for service in extreme environments. When heated, Inconel forms a thick, stable, passivating oxide layer protecting the surface from further attack." Taken from Wikipedia...

3/32" (0.2cm) gap 75-85 amps. whip out and into the puddle let the puddle freeze before coming back into it. Keep your "fire" on the backside of the plate.
This has worked for me...

Why, scientifically, is a weave used instead of a straight beads on caps?

From behind the lens or of the lens?

One of my instructors has one of these and it rocks. Does anybody have an extra they would be willing to part with? From multiple google's I have yet to find one for sell.

If the backing strip sticks out pretty good on each side, start your bead at the end of the strip so you can judge your rate of travel and get the correct bead width.
I like 1 root and 2 hot passes. I also use a wire wheel on a 4in grinder and have had no issues in nick breaks.

I kind of went there myself. I miss me some Gutherie's!!!
Where are you at now?
Gene is suprising me, in a good way!!
War Damn Eagle!

Hang a "practice" piece up and give it a go until you are happy with the penetration and looks.
Leather sleeves make a HUGE diff. or a thick cotton shirt.

For supplies other than gas and electrodes, I use a web site that way I don't have to worry about whether or not they have it in stock or not...

http://www.toughweld.com/

For just beads on pipe, does size of pipe matter? 6" diameter
no backing or open root, I am just working on beads on pipe.
3/16" 6010

On 3/8" steel we have our machines set at 135amps. (I am in school for TIG right now) I noticed that you have the machine (and you stated) at 50 but that's % how many amps is it actually? Also are you melting your tungsten or does it look the same when you stop the arc as before you started? Wh...