Arc (Stick) Welding Tips

[Gary - K7GLD]

I too question the bit about "cheap" auto darkening helmets - these have come a long way in the last few years - have adjustable timing and darkness adjustability, as well as relatively large size lenses. I too have one of the Northern Tool $50 jobs, and can find absolutely nothing to complain about for use by the average casual home welder. Mine will run circles around the older "professional grade" auto unit I borrowed from my pipefitter friend prior to buying my own "cheapie".



You don't always have to pay top $$$ for the top name brand stuff to get quite serviceable tools.

 

[Coalsmoke]

I too question the bit about "cheap" auto darkening helmets - these have come a long way in the last few years - have adjustable timing and darkness adjustability, as well as relatively large size lenses. I too have one of the Northern Tool $50 jobs, and can find absolutely nothing to complain about for use by the average casual home welder. Mine will run circles around the older "professional grade" auto unit I borrowed from my pipefitter friend prior to buying my own "cheapie".



You don't always have to pay top $$$ for the top name brand stuff to get quite serviceable tools.

You're right, I shouldn't have made such a large blanket statement. The key qualifier is for average - casual home / hobbiest use. They get the job done. Its just that if you want to get good, really good, you will find there to be large differences in clarity when comparing a $50 auto hood to the $150 and up auto hoods. Many people, especially whent ehy get older, have these cheap auto hoods but feel they often have a hard time seeing just what they are doing or where they are welding, or that crack "just keeps disappearing", and they are amazed at how much better they can weld when they try on my Speedglas. I suppose the key point I am trying to make is, don't assume that all auto hoods are created relatively equal. The cheap hoods will draw customers by advertising low light-to-dark times, often times just as quick as the higher-quality hoods, and they will brag about adjustable this and that (which don't get me wrong, can be helpful depending on you welding process of choice), but they most often lack the basic requirement, clarity. You'll look through the hood and sweqr its clear and fine or good enough, but its not untill you step up to the next level (in quality) that you can really see the difference.

 

[Joe G.]

Thanks for the clarification Coalsmoke. Now I have to find one of the good hoods for a comparison. I seem to be able to see what I'm doing ok, but I may be kidding myself.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Don't feel that you can't weld with a cheap hood, you can, its just that when you switch over to a better one, you'll wonder why you put up with the cheapy for so long. If anyone is in the PDR area and wants to try out mine, they are welcome to run a few beads with it. My opinion is that a good quality auto hood with a dirty front clear lense is still better than a clean cheapy auto hood.



3 key points to remember about 7018 rods:

1. yes, they are a good rod, but not the easiest to run, so beginners should shy away from them until they have the basics of SMAW established.



2. their primary distinction is that they are a low-hydrogen rod, for high-carbon and alloy steels. Most standard "around the farm" welding does not require 7018, so feel free to break out an easier rod if it helps provide a better overall weld. This is not to say that they cannot or should not be used, just that you have soem choice here. 6011 is a great all-round rod, just don't put them in the rod oven, it will ruin them.



3. 7018 rods are hydroscopic: they'll absorb water and once you open the package to the air, short of storing them in a proper rod oven, there's not much you can do about it. Once "wet" low-hydrogen rods aren't worth their weight in cow pies. Standard 7018 is usually tolerant to 4 hours of being exposed to open air, while 11018 is good for 30 minutes (unheated). These values are of course by code, and may be stretched to somewhat longer times for around the farm, but I won't advocate it.



Also, for all you "AC only" stick jockeys, Lincoln makes a 7018 AC rod, made specifically for smoother operation in AC.

 

[Joe G.]

I did a Google search on UTP 612 and found some specs on it. One of them was that it was tolerant to moisture. Since I really don't have a good place to store the stuff that's a good thing. I had some on the shelf for about ten years. It still welded pretty good. Good bead, but kind of hard to start a cold rod without sticking. The climate is kind of wet here about five miles from the ocean.



I'm trying to learn how to use a wire welder so I can easily weld thin stuff. The problem I've been having is knowing how to set the wire feed speed without a bunch of messing around. When I get that kind of figured out I will get a bottle of gas to see how much that helps.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Joe, wire is easier to lay a good looking bead, but just as difficult to be equal in structural integirty. More people fail their wire tests than most other processes. Get this book, it will tell you more than I could in hours of babling. One thing I will mention right now, be mindful of your stick-out when running wire.



Book, by Miller Welding:

GMAW (MIG) - Welding Publication $25. 00

A comprehensive text on all aspects of the GMAW process. Hundreds of illustrations are used to help describe the fundamentals of GMAW, metal transfer modes, equipment, electrode wires, shielding gas, joint design and weld symbols, preparation, GMAW applications, spot, plug, slot welding, various welding positions, weld defects, troubleshooting, cost considerations and safety. Also included is a glossary of terms and tables to aid in selecting parameters.

142 pages (perfect bound) - 8 1/2" x 11"

 

[Joe G.]

Thanks for that coming addition to my bookshelf. I really appreciate your help with this stuff.

 

[Coalsmoke]

No problem, glad to be of some help. I like your truck BTW, especially the RV steps and the switch panel with just enough labelling that you, and only you, know what they all do, nice touch

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

OK - I've held off showing any more ignorance than I had to - but I have a pretty decent 225 amp AC/DC box, and since pretty much all my welding is mild steel in the 1/4 - 1/2 inch range, I have had good success with 1/8 inch 7014 - good clean welds, easy flux removal and excellent penetration. It's super easy to strike and maintain an arc, and finished welds look professional in quality...



So why am I (apparently) the only one here using it?

 

[Coalsmoke]

OK - I've held off showing any more ignorance than I had to - but I have a pretty decent 225 amp AC/DC box, and since pretty much all my welding is mild steel in the 1/4 - 1/2 inch range, I have had good success with 1/8 inch 7014 - good clean welds, easy flux removal and excellent penetration. It's super easy to strike and maintain an arc, and finished welds look professional in quality...



So why am I (apparently) the only one here using it?

because 7018 is over-utilised. It has gotten popular as "a safe bet" for pipeline and structural alike. For the most part, (this is somewhat of a generalization and there may be some exceptions), if 7014 is working for you, stick with it. I used to use it all the time. Only reason now I use mostly 7018 is because the steel is or MIGHT BE of a high alloy content or high carbon. When out in the field, it is often hard to tell exactly what steel you are dealing with, so 7018 becomes "the safe bet". I recommend 7014 for mild-steel applications. very easy to use and produces good results. If you are doing root welds and need full weld integrity, do your first pass with a 6010 or 6011 rod, (6011 for AC or DC, 6010 being DC only), and then finish up with 7014. the 6010, 6011 rods have a different type of flux coating, which in short, will help protect the back-side of the weld puddle that is being exposed to the air / elements when welding.

 

[nickleinonen]

OK - I've held off showing any more ignorance than I had to - but I have a pretty decent 225 amp AC/DC box, and since pretty much all my welding is mild steel in the 1/4 - 1/2 inch range, I have had good success with 1/8 inch 7014 - good clean welds, easy flux removal and excellent penetration. It's super easy to strike and maintain an arc, and finished welds look professional in quality...



So why am I (apparently) the only one here using it?

for flat if i can get my hands on 7014 i will use it, but i find it useless in my hands for vertical. . yeah, the flux removes easially. . i have a picture somewhere if i can find it of a bead i ran with 7014 and the flux has curled up and removed itself from the weld



[oh, i also like the smell of 7014 when burning it :-laf]

 

[RBrunson]

Nick, if you can get some 7024 rod, try it on a flat surface. You will get a very good looking weld and the slag will peel up while cooling. This rod is for flat welding only. I have run 1/4" 7024 in the past and it looks like a machine weld.

 

[Coalsmoke]

7024 is also referred to as "jet rod". A very fast fill rod, with slow freezing characteristics, allowing for a smooth weld bead.

 

[nickleinonen]

we have 5/32" & 1/4" 7024 rod at work we use when doing wreck repair on the locomotives [welding attachments to the buffer plates [steel plate where the plow mounts to] before they are installed [1" - 2" in thickness]



i rarely work the wreck repairs unless it is something small, then i end up having to do other than flat welding, so that rod is no good for my use there [stuck with 7018]

 

[rbattelle]

Interestingly, the high-current arc-start feature on the Maxstar is proving to be a liability on thin metals. I know I can weld 0. 050" sheet metal at 20 amp, but on startup the extra current added by the machine blasts a hole right through the metal. I'll have to think of a way to mitigate this. It would be nice if Miller provided a way to switch off the arc start feature.



Anyway, I learned tonight that with 6013 rods fitup is very important. Poorly fitting joints are easy to burn holes in.



-Ryan

 

[Coalsmoke]

Ryan, for help or suggestions with your maxstar, go here:http://www.millermotorsports.com/mboard/forumdisplay.php?f=3 great bunch of helpful people.



6013 is a low penetrating rod. If you were having problems with blow through using this rod, you may have been using too much current. Something to consider.

 

[cojhl2]

Have you tried to immediatly after arc start pull away to a long arc. Keep it for an instant until the voltage/amps drop?



Gload to see you are enjoying this art!

 

[rbattelle]

Have you tried to immediatly after arc start pull away to a long arc. Keep it for an instant until the voltage/amps drop?



Gload to see you are enjoying this art!

And it sure is an art. I have all the more respect for the guys out there doing this for a living - they are truly talented.



Pulling far away during arc start I have not tried yet. I'll do so...



-Ryan

 

[Kennywould]

Ryan

Maybe I should stop over and give you the welding 101 course!

Ken

 

[BK]

I don't know much about it.

But I wound up teaching myself after my dump trailer broke.

I had purchased a 18kw Hobart 2 cylinder genset/welder, on a small trailer.

It was like circa 1960's. needed leaded gas and had points.

Paid $250 for it, from a guy who was moving him and his mom out of their house after their dad, life time pro welder.

I bought it just for the gen set aspect



I was gonna chuck the broken dump trailer, my buddy talked me into learning how to weld by fixing it.

I have to say , having all that power in a good welder helped me learn.

But I could punch through 1/4 steel with it easily.



I'm no expert, my welds aren't the prettiest, but nothing breaks.

I got tired of moving the beast around, and running the monster just to weld stuff.

I sold it when I needed some money, for $650 to a boat mechanic looking for a towable welder. I got a 220Vac in / 175amp out Sears stick welder for $100 used. The beast just had more umph and balls then the Sears unit.

I'm sure my neighbors are happy the Hobart beast is gone.



It's fun and great to be able to weld.

I haven't read the whole thread. But if you still have the little 70A job, try to find something bigger as they mentioned earlier in the thread. It'll make things a lot easier.