Your bad first 1/3 is usually due to racing off before the weld puddle
has fully formed. Try starting about 1/8" from the end, let the puddle
form, move to the end, and do your weld. Once you get the hang of
starting and the puddle, turn your amperage down, it gives you a lot
more time to move the puddle around.

You said a 90 degree butt joint? I assume that means an end into a side??

Welding an end to the side of a tube means that you need to put 2/3rds
of the heat into the side, 1/3 into the end that will burn though the
easiest.

Rick wrote:
"Nick Müller" wrote in message
...

Rick wrote:


It would make part of the design simpler if I can weld the tubes one on top

of

the other at 90degrees instead of a 90 degree butt joint.

Cutting might be easier (depends on your equipment).
Design easier? I kind of doubt this.
Welding will be a tad harder, and the optics will be ugly. :-)



Is this going to be ok? I will try one and post a picture.

I would be ashamed to show such a joint to someone. ;-))


Nick


Yeah, I nixed that idea anyway. I just needed to be able to pass cables through
the tubes, and didn't want to add 2 more welds to the structure. I figured it
out
now though.

On the plus side, I made a quick and dirty welding table out of a 3 foot by 4
foot piece
of 1 inch thick pool table slate, which anyone can get free at their local pool
table dealer.
(They sometimes have 1 of a matched set of 3 break, and they toss the other 2).

It makes *such* a nice precision non coductive surface to weld on, and it is
solid as..well
..a rock :-)

I am getting a bit better welds with the 3/32 6013, but I am having problems in
the first 1/3
of the weld with slag inclusions...the final 2/3 actually looks like a nice
fillet weld. Maybe I
should just weld 2/3 of the joint :-)

rick