welding

[nodnarbusn]

Seen dave and delt talk about welding a bit and decided to ask.

I recently bought a 220v lincoln arc welder. Dont know how to weld and dont know anyone close by to help. Im already running beads that kinda look like turds but often have trouble getting my arc to light without sticking. Im 3 days in and this shits harder than I had anticipated so any advice would be appreciated.

This strictly for a hobby and potential job skill in future. Inb4 take a class, i work 40-50 hrs a week. Cant do it.

 

[Lame]

MURKICA111!!!!!! Fuck ya

 

[OldschoolQuester]

[youtube]2537L5H7NiY[/youtube]

 

[nodnarbusn]

MURKICA111!!!!!! Fuck ya

Yeah bro, they dont weld anywhere else. Rest of the world held together with bubblegum and elmers glue.

 

[Dave B]

Lincolns are the best next to millers, and its good you bought a 220 because anything smaller is pretty much not worth the money, what kind of steel are you using/thickness and what is the wire gauge? And when you say you have trouble getting your arc to light without sticking, you mean your touching the gun to the material? You should only need your wire about 1/4'' fed from the gun and as a beginner maybe 1/2''

 

[Lame]

Yeah bro, they dont weld anywhere else. Rest of the world held together with bubblegum and elmers glue.

Just reinforcing that manly rugged american steriotype. Fight me breh.

 

[nodnarbusn]

Lincolns are the best next to millers, and its good you bought a 220 because anything smaller is pretty much not worth the money, what kind of steel are you using/thickness and what is the wire gauge? And when you say you have trouble getting your arc to light without sticking, you mean your touching the gun to the material? You should only need your wire about 1/4'' fed from the gun and as a beginner maybe 1/2''

Yeah i got it used for 100 usd on cl. I had used small buzz boxes but screw only being able to weld 1/8 thats next to useless.

Im welding 1/4 angle iron, with 6011 3/35 electrides (i think).

All my metal is salvaged bs from jobsites . Cleaned it up pretty good with grinder and brush tho.

Mine is not a wire feed welder, its a stick welder so im pretty much dicked over as far as starting with 1/4 or w.e. im slowly getting the hang of it not having issue with weak welds, just fugly and hard to get started without making a mess (and its time consuming, i spend more time getting my electrode hot and an arc started than actually welding)

Just reinforcing that manly rugged american steriotype. Fight me breh.

Dude im a construction worker. I tried to grow a beard but it said hell naw this motherfucker is grizzly enough

 

I always found the quick scratch method to be the best. Scratch a good couple times and get the stick heated up a bit before trying to get the arc going.

 

[nodnarbusn]

I always found the quick scratch method to be the best. Scratch a good couple times and get the stick heated up a bit before trying to get the arc going.

This is essentially the method im using, heat the electrode up on scrap then starting new weld. I just still have issues.

Honestly i take to most everything pretty quickly and may have just assumed id do the same with welding and dissappointed myself. I mean 3-4 days in and i can run a decent looking bead and attach two similar thickness of angle iron together. With no outside help im pretty happy with myself, i just hoped to take to it faster and make some cool shit already. But my main issues are lighting my arc and the neatness of my welds


Im pretty stumped on amperages too. I know 75-100 is about normal for 1/4 or was told that atleast, im on 100 and feel pretty good there. Any ideas on how to tell when to give it more amps?

 

[Corey]

Lincolns are the best next to millers, and its good you bought a 220 because anything smaller is pretty much not worth the money, what kind of steel are you using/thickness and what is the wire gauge? And when you say you have trouble getting your arc to light without sticking, you mean your touching the gun to the material? You should only need your wire about 1/4'' fed from the gun and as a beginner maybe 1/2''

Hes using a stick welder, its not wire fed.

The reason your rod is sticking is because you're either not moving fast enough or your current is too low.

Theres really no way to explain the perfect way to weld, its something you have to get used to. Buy an auto-darkening helmet as well, being able to see can make all the difference in the world.

 

[Corey]

This is essentially the method im using, heat the electrode up on scrap then starting new weld. I just still have issues.

Honestly i take to most everything pretty quickly and may have just assumed id do the same with welding and dissappointed myself. I mean 3-4 days in and i can run a decent looking bead and attack two similar thickness of angle iron together. With no outside help im pretty happy with myself, i just hoped to take to it immediately and make some cool shit already . But again lighting the arc and my cleanliness are giving me issue.

Im pretty stumped on amperages too. I know 75-100 is about normal for 1/4 or was told that atleast, im on 100 and feel pretty good there. Any ideas on how to tell when to give it more amps?

Its easy to tell if you're too high or too low. If your electrode is sticky and you're always losing your arc, its more than likely too low. If you're burning holes (for thin or weathered metal) or if your weld is very liquid and forming puddles, then you're too hot. Keep messing with your amperage and eventually you'll find the right one.

 

[nodnarbusn]

Hes using a stick welder, its not wire fed.

The reason your rod is sticking is because you're either not moving fast enough or your current is too low.

Theres really no way to explain the perfect way to weld, its something you have to get used to. Buy an auto-darkening helmet as well, being able to see can make all the difference in the world.

Im taking back the fixed shade #10 tomorrow. Seems worth the extra $40 already. I have to spend too much time peeking.

My rod only sticks when im trying to start the weld, once i get the electrode warmed up and going i do pretty well. Have had better luck getting rod going at higher amps but had to turn it down due to spattering on runny welds

 

[Delta Squad]

swing by ts sometime. <-- union/college cert welder

 

[Delta Squad]

added to my last statement, its easier to talk it out, then type it out. so if you wnna pop on ts shoot me a pm i will give you the info rq, before i head out

 

[Delta Squad]

will bust out what i can just hate typing it out, i used a fixed shade helmet, auto dark is nice, but after using fixed shade for so long, i'm acustom to it, i also suggest testing out different lenses, i prefer a gold lense compared to the green ones, you wouldnt think much about it but it makes alot of difference.

now back to the welding. Comfort is key to begginers, i can free hand weld all day long, but first starting out its a pita if you don't steady your hands.

angle is key to stick welding, i will assume you are doing horizon, so i will just discuss that, as overhead/vert is out of your league at the moment, although it does help to practice all 3 at once, how we do it down at the union hall.

most people think welding is just burning rods all day, when in fact 80% of welding, is setting up the metal, or prep work getting it clean.


you said you are welding on angle iron, thats pretty good to start with, the best begginer joint to work on is the T-joint, you want to aim your rod dead center of the line, were the metal meets

your speed/angle that you weld at is key, to slow, and it looks like a fat worm, to fast, and it looks un-uniform. people will tell you a million diff ways to move your rod, but its all hersay, and doesnt matter, as long as you can control the puddle it doesnt matter how the hell you wiggle the rod, i like to keep my puddle almost the shape of a egg.

don't be afraid to shove that rod into the puddle, if you are seeing alot of light you are holding the rod to far away, a good rule of thumb is to try and keep your rod the width of the electrode away from your base metal, not your puddle, the base metal.

everyone has trouble are first with there rods sticking, its just akward for most people even i had troubles with it, but after practice, you will get it to strike every time, you'll want your welds to be about 3/8" thick, or smaller, just a tad short of the size of a dime for detailed welds, now of course there is the weave welds etc but if you want to have good looking welds, that will make your proud keep it tight.

would go into more but meh.. get on teamspeak later, i will get on my stream and show you some techniques etc.

 

[Dave B]

Also I noticed you said your joining angle, I would start laying puddles on flat hot roll plate before starting to join pieces, you can practice your bead better on a single surface.

 

[nodnarbusn]

Also I noticed you said your joining angle, I would start laying puddles on flat hot roll plate before starting to join pieces, you can practice your bead better on a single surface.

I did practice a bit on the flat edges of angle. No other metal currently, ill come across more but just doing this on the cheap so im patient as far as metal goes. I could use more practice running a bead on flat surfaces though, i just have a habit of wanting to go full blast and wanting to do harder shit right off the bat.

Also @ delta , i dont really do twitch or ts. 99% of the time im from my phone so i couldnt really do all that. You should make a pilgrimage to texas since you dont have to work 24/7.

 

[I_DONT_BOT]

Whatever you do, if you buy an arc welder don't buy a Clarke, I made that mistake for my first one because they're relatively cheap, and it's obvious why, they're shit.

 

[Delta Squad]

Also I noticed you said your joining angle, I would start laying puddles on flat hot roll plate before starting to join pieces, you can practice your bead better on a single surface.

That's silly, welding into the T-Joint is by FAR the best way to learn for begginers, it provides a nature groove to follow, which makes puddle control alot easier.

I did practice a bit on the flat edges of angle. No other metal currently, ill come across more but just doing this on the cheap so im patient as far as metal goes. I could use more practice running a bead on flat surfaces though, i just have a habit of wanting to go full blast and wanting to do harder shit right off the bat.

Also @ delta , i dont really do twitch or ts. 99% of the time im from my phone so i couldnt really do all that. You should make a pilgrimage to texas since you dont have to work 24/7.

i am acc going back to work mid dec or around the first of jan so i will be gone 5 days a week lol, and well you need to get on that shit sometimes, or either find someone you know who welds to come by your house for a weekend, all it's going to do is boil down to practice practice practice, once you get good at it, it just becomes muscle memory you will evntly stop sticking rods etc..

 

[Dave B]

@delta

What I meant was just practicing puddles on flat plat before starting joints, I do agree the t-joint is the best for beginners.