I just started to learn how to weld and yesterday I was pressure testing two pipes that I welded together.



Man, there were pin holes everywhere. It took about three hours to get them all filled.



I cleaned the area's to be welded with a wire brush.



This was working on mild steel 3" tubing about 16 gauge with .030 copper wire and a Lincoln 135 adjustable Mig.



Any tips from the seasoned veterans?

 

Buy yourself a copy of Modern Welding. That was my text book.



Sounds like a gas issue.

 

Maybe it was ur environmental variables

 

was your metal dirty? painted? rusty?



your mig gun should be very close to the weld pool-... not too close that you'll drag the nozzel of the gun through the weld but very close.



be sure there are no fans or high winds blowing your shielding gas away-... be sure you are using the correct gas for the correct metal.



don't call it copper wire-... it's not copper wire-... it's steel wire w/ a copper coating!