Arc welding tecniques

[Cotmullion]

I arc weld and would love to know other peoples' tecniques on how they do it; just your step by step process.

 

[Jerryburger]

I was taught back in High School (1980) that it was all about the puddle.... My shop teacher said that you'd see an orange-ish puddle form, about 3/8" diameter. If you advance too fast, the puddle would shrink and disappear/ too slow and it would grow enough to melt through the base metals. He told us to center the puddle over the joint of the 2 base metals, and to use the tip of the rod to "draw imaginary upside-down horseshoes"... reversing direction for the next one after completion of the last. It supposed to look like a row of coins laid on each other when its done.

If I weld similar clean metals, they come out half-decent. But, dirty metals, dissimilar metals, different thicknesses, etc. all conspire to make a weld look less than pretty, and more like a fresh pile of hash-browns thrown onto the joint! In the end, I'm happy if the joint is strong (but REALLY UGLY), and if it looks shaky structural wise, I'll go back over it again.
My absolute favorite kind of welding was oxy-acetylene, and adding the rod as you go. If those things weren't so expensive!.....

NONE OF THIS IS MEANT AS ADVICE. COTMULLION ASKED. I ANSWERED. ...don't wanna start one of those "my weld is prettier than your weld" things, or "I welded a Chevy Small Block Motor Mount Together on My Son's Stomach While He Was Sleeping and Didn't Burn or Wake Him and Don Garlitts is STILL USING That Same Motor Mount I gave Him 30 Years Ago." things.... (I hate that Crap)
Ridiculous yes, but I've read worse! Haha!

Here's a short video I did of attempting to start an arc. Sorry it's so dark.
http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m290/jerryassburger/?action=view&current=IMAG0005.flv

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

7014 rod is great, the way it burns it holds its own arc, just feed it in the pool and keep it moving.

Jerry: if you like oxy so much perhaps tig is right for you.

 

[jr dragster T]

Wtf jerry you call that ARC welding?

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

A lot of people(myself included) call it arc welding, I guess stick welding is more fitting.

 

[jr dragster T]

No I'm not talking about arc welding. I'm talking about the video link that jerry posted.

 

[kibble]

No I'm not talking about arc welding. I'm talking about the video link that jerry posted.

It's more like "fart welding" Haven't you ever done that, Jr?

 

[jr dragster T]

No Kibbble.

 

[crazycart]

Rofl.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

LOL watched vid, all is understood.

 

[Jerryburger]

Sorry! I couldn't resist!
Guys- you haven't lived until you've lit your own!
Back on subject- Harbor Freight now sells a 1/8" rod intended for plumbing, and it has been working GREAT for me on this project! I was going to keep the package so I could remember which one to get again, but it's lost in the clutter. Oops.

 

[kibble]

Sorry! I couldn't resist!
Guys- you haven't lived until you've lit your own!

Done it about 2 times. Both times, I singed some hairs..

Back on subject- Harbor Freight now sells a 1/8" rod intended for plumbing, and it has been working GREAT for me on this project! I was going to keep the package so I could remember which one to get again, but it's lost in the clutter. Oops.

What are you talking about? This is Cotmullions thread about Arc welding technique.

BTW, I have very little experience with arc (stick) welding. The only one I've used is my friends small one from HF, which has the option for 110 or 220 but my friend doesn't have any 220 hook up, so it kinda sucks. I would love to get more experience with a decent unit.

 

[fluxcored]

You clowns!

With age, I've found my hands to have a natural tendency to wander -ahem, so my horsehoe technique is now in built.

What I force myself to do is to go slow and depending on the thickness not to weave at all. At the end I also pause a bit and go back over the last bit of weld before breaking off, also do similar thing at start when material is thick.

If material is thin, I also weld in short bursts - weld, pause till pool nearly solidifies but still glows, weld, pause - etc.

I enjoy welding but am not a great weldor. I spent more time prepping, cutting, fitment, checking alignment than welding.

Everybody's got their own technique - me thinks.

 

[Jerryburger]

What are you talking about? This is Cotmullions thread about Arc welding technique.

Hee,hee! We ARE talking about welding!:rolleyes3: (Apologies for the flatulence!) HF sells a set of Arc Welding Rods that are set up for plumbing and dirty metals. Very easy to get an arc started, and I'm very happy with them. (Used them for the entire Lowrider 2 project.) I have to run out and by more for Ed's Project.

 

[2or3wheels]

Im having trouble actually getting penetration into the metals themselves. i can get a pool and everything but cannont get penetration into the 2 materials. could it be the 70 amp max stick welder i have or should i try a new technique?

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Its the 70 amps you have to work with.

 

[fluxcored]

See if bevelling + slowing down a lot do'nt help. Otherwise get a bigger machine.