Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey, Jody here....I thought I would list a few videos that are in the pipeline just to get the conversation started about suggestions for future welding videos.

1. Thin wall alloy steel tubing bicycle frame welding with er70s2 as well as weldmold 880 tig rod. And destructive testing of the welds.

2. Thick aluminum fixture stand using aluminum mig and a Lincoln 350mp push pull gun. Pulse on Pulse settings etc.

3. fabricating a boom arm for a wire feeder. I am going to be able to reach 2 welding tables without every moving the millermatic 250 machine again...sweet!!
I recently learned about a feeder kit that uses the drive motor and rollers from your existing miller or lincoln mig welder so you can mount the feeder overhead and reach over 20 feet in any direction. lets see how that goes.

I would like to hear some other ideas too,

Jody

You should do a video on uphill open root with 6010 as well as downhill open root with 6010. These two methods are very useful to know how to weld with and are still widely used in repair structural and pipe setting among others. You do a great job explaining how to weld and I think these are two topics that aren't touched on at all in your vast video stash.

I'd like to second a vote for the 6010 open root video. I still think it is one of the hardest things to learn. Especially uphill on pipe.

I had a boiler hand teach me 6010.

I could do it before, but I had troubles w/ up versus down, whip and pause, etc.

I wish I had a video of what he showed me. I now do 6010 roots at 105A for 1/8 rod. Up? Down? Doesn't matter.

If the gap's close, the rod does the work, and all I do is push.

Hey Jody I think it would be cool if you did a video or two on rigging some odd ball materials like hastelloy b, c26, tantellum, magnesium stuff like that.

Hello Jody,

I weld very infrequently, usually only as a last resort for repair purposes. I have never had any formal instruction/training. I was up till 1:30PM last night watching your basic MIG welding series of videos. Great instruction and content! I have a Millermatic 180 MIG welder that is "Wire Speed Tracking" capable, (pre Auto-Set?). Bought it used, always had trouble with it but wasn't knowledgeable enough to figure out if it was the operator (me) or the machine. Recently learned that vee feed rollers are used for solid wire and U for aluminum. It had a big spool of .030 steel on it when I purchased it and that is what I continue to use. Upon first inspection of the drive roll it appeared to be a U roll. Upon a subsequent inspection with a magnifier I noticed a small vee at the root of the groove. Big duh! Ordered a new drive roll. Hope things improve.

Would like a video that discusses weld settings for items that have different gages and masses. Like what are the best setting and techniques for welding the end of a 1" solid bar to an 1/8 sheet or tube. I would like to see several examples that are typical and then throw in a few odd balls. I find myself always guessing what to do when I encounter one of these situations. All my welding is for myself. Non-critical. No safety implications. However, I would like to improve the quality of my workmanship so I might have a little more confidence. Also, would appreciate a discussion regarding wire speed tracking and similar features.

Best Regards,
Kant Weld

I shared this in a separate post, but sharing again for visibility.
Good morning!
I wanted to make a request for a video, going to back to the basics.
A person who wants to teach themselves the art of metalworking, often doesn't have the budget for a fancy TIG welder, with HF or Lift start, and at that point, IMO it's really best to start with the most absolutely basic machine and setup possible- that way, you'll never find yourself in a position where "I can't weld well because my machine sucks" no, you can weld on any machine, in any conditions, because you taught yourself from the most basic building blocks.
With this in mind, I want to request specifically, a video highlighting the technique of lighting your TIG torch by swiping the cup with the wire- in such a manner that the tungsten doesn't stick, the wire has no chance of getting jammed under the tip of the tungsten, and you're able to start your arc cleanly, in any position. Additionally, it would be very valuable to see how this technique could be done on pipe, in perhaps the 6G position, as well as in some common plate test scenarios. Most if not all entry, make-or-break job tests in the Unions, will be done using a scratch-start TIG for root and hot pass, and 7018 stick-fill and cap.
My personal background, for making this request, is I'm an active duty military member, trying to teach myself welding so that when I leave the service, I can be in good shape to go get a job in the metalworking unions, and this particular technique is a hard one to find good video instruction for. Also, Jody has done videos in the past with scratch-start TIG, where you can see that he's using the wire to light the arc, but he doesn't talk about it, or show off the technique much- and for those of us who want to master this technique, that's the bread and butter right there. Also, his filming technology for capturing those perfect arc shots has improved dramatically over the years.
Anyways, these are my thoughts on my request- the lengthy paragraphs are because I want to paint a picture on why I feel this would be an excellent technique to be filmed.
Thank you for all you do,
Very respectfully,
Elijah

If by "swiping the cup with the wire" you mean "swiping the tungsten with the wire", then that video already exists. I made one on my YouTube channel where I use my HTP Inverarc 200TLP stick welder as a lift-arc TIG, for demonstration purposes. I show detailed still shots and slow-motion arc initiation of this technique, if it is indeed what you are looking for. All you need is rock-steady hands, ability to move one arm/hand and not the other, and vision like an eagle, and it's easy.

NorthernMariner wrote: ↑Fri Feb 04, 2022 6:05 pm I shared this in a separate post, but sharing again for visibility.
Good morning!
I wanted to make a request for a video, going to back to the basics

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Jody almost never visits these boards anymore, and he has pretty much stopped making free videos. He now has a paid site (https://www.welderskills.com/) that has its own forum, and a paywall for videos. Back a year or two ago, Jody was producing a video a week. Lately, he is posting a video per month give or take, and they seem to be mostly recycled content from the old days. I don't know if the Youtube model just wasn't working for him or they demonetized him for some reason. But all of Jody's newest content is behind the paywall. Jody has virtually nothing to do with the forum anymore. I barely visit this forum in favor of Welding Web. Most of the advice given here now is suspect if you ask me.