20
For most welding jobs you will pull the gun
along the weld joint to take advantage of
the greater weld puddle visibility.
2. TRAVEL SPEED is the rate at which the
gun is being pushed or pulled along the
weld joint. For a xed heat setting, the
faster the travel speed, the lower the pen-
etration and the lower and narrower the
nished weld bead. Likewise, the slower
the travel speed, the deeper the penetra-
tion and the higher and wider the n-
ished weld bead.
TYPES OF WELD BEADS
The following paragraphs discuss the most
commonly used welding beads.
Once you have the gun in position with the
wire lined up on the weld joint, lower your
helmet, pull the trigger and the arc will start.
In a second or two you will notice a weld
puddle form and the base of the bead
beginning to build. It is now time to begin to
move with the gun. If you are just learning
to weld, simply move the gun in a straight
line and at a steady speed along the weld
joint. Try to achieve a weld with the desired
penetration and a bead that is fairly at and
consistent in width.
As you become more familiar with your
new
welder and better at laying some simple
weld beads, you can begin to try some dif-
ferent weld bead types.
There are two basic types of weld beads, the
stringer bead and the weave bead.
1. The STRINGER BEAD (Figure 13) is formed
by traveling with the gun in a straight line
while keeping the wire and nozzle centered
over the weld joint. This is the easiest type of
bead to make.
2. The WEAVE BEAD (Figure 14) is used
when you want to deposit metal over a
wider space than would be possible with a
stringer bead. It is made by weaving from
side to side while moving with the gun. It is
best to hesitate momentarily at each side
before weaving back the other way.
WELDING POSITIONS
There are four basic welding positions: at,
horizontal, vertical, and overhead.
1. The FLAT POSITION (Figure 15) is the
easiest of the welding positions and is most
commonly used. It is best if you can weld in
the at position if at all possible as good
results are easier to achieve.
2. The HORIZONTAL POSITION (Figure 16)
is next in diculty level. It is performed very
much the same as the at weld except that
angle B (see HOLDING THE GUN
- p.18) is
such that the wire, and therefore the arc
Figure 13. Stringer Bead
Figure 14. Weave Bead
Figure 15. Flat Position
Figure 12. Travel Direction
