Thoughts on this used welder?

[joshuabardwell]

So Josh, now that you are welding some with a functioning DC welder, do you notice what we are all talking about with how much better DC welds than AC?

It's hard to say, Dex. I think so, yes, but at this point my skill level is low enough that all my welds look pretty bad, AC or DC. If the DC ones look marginally better, I can hardly see the difference! I will say that the arc is much easier to start with DC--not that it's hard with AC, mind you--and I do think I notice that the arc is "calmer" on DC, with a lot less spatter.

 

[dex3361]

When you get a little farther along you will find you can run dc with a little more control than AC. From the looks of your welds they seem to be improving. It look to me like you need to push your welding rod into the puddle a bit more. I would also stick with a specific rod for a while to get the feel for hoe it welds. The easiest rod to weld with is a 7014 and it has to be run hotter than say a 6011. Get a rod amp chart and start with the recomended settings and adjust from there. Every welder is a little different so dont expect the settings to be the exact same. Watch the puddle and keep the arc length short, be consistant and keep at it.

 

[joshuabardwell]

It look to me like you need to push your welding rod into the puddle a bit more. I would also stick with a specific rod for a while to get the feel for hoe it welds. The easiest rod to weld with is a 7014 and it has to be run hotter than say a 6011.

When you say "push the rod into the puddle," do you mean simply keep a shorter arc, or literally push the rod back into the puddle? I don't think you mean to literally submerge the tip of the rod into the puddle, since that would kill the arc, right? I have been trying to lead the puddle with the rod, keeping the rod at the front of the puddle. Is that not right?

I decided to spring for five pounds of 3/32 rod today, because I think it will work better on the 1/8" stock I'm practicing on than the 1/8" rods I have been using. The store didn't have 7014 in that size/quantity, so I settled for 6011 and that's what I'll be practicing with until I burn it up. You're definitely right that the 7014 runs like a dream. It instantly makes my beads look a thousand times better. 6011 is always pretty terrible looking. Very uneven and lots of slag inclusion and porosity.

I will say one difference I have for sure noticed about DC. If I stick the rod and can't quickly twist it loose, I have been in the practice of pressing the stinger handle with my thumb and pulling it off the stick. I learned this from one of the Wall Mountain videos. Well, if I do that on DC, I get a huge flare between the rod and the stinger that has left some scorch marks on it. Since I have been practicing on smaller pieces, I have had them just set on a big piece of metal and have been clamping the ground clamp to the piece of metal. So I figured I would just lift the entire work piece up if the rod stuck. When I do that, I get a big flare between the work piece and the table. This didn't happen on AC, so I figure it must be a DC phenomenon. Pretty dramatic!

This is a dumb question, but I'll go ahead and ask it. When removing the stuck work piece from the electrode, it's okay to do that while the stinger is hot, right? Because 1) I'm wearing gloves and 2) the path to ground is through the ground clamp, and I'm not touching the table. Well, I have done it and not gotten shocked, but that doesn't exactly mean it's good practice.

Let me phrase the question another way: if I was going to shock myself accidentally, how would I be most likely to do it?

 

[Shield Arc]

You may have heard the rumors that up here in the north west it rains a little bit. Well they are all true! I use to build bridges for a living, kind of hard to tent a whole bridge. So welding here, you're gonna get shocked, it's part of life! With DC it's really not that big of deal, more of an aggravation than anything else.

 

[dex3361]

When you say "push the rod into the puddle," do you mean simply keep a shorter arc, or literally push the rod back into the puddle? I don't think you mean to literally submerge the tip of the rod into the puddle, since that would kill the arc, right? I have been trying to lead the puddle with the rod, keeping the rod at the front of the puddle. Is that not right?

I decided to spring for five pounds of 3/32 rod today, because I think it will work better on the 1/8" stock I'm practicing on than the 1/8" rods I have been using. The store didn't have 7014 in that size/quantity, so I settled for 6011 and that's what I'll be practicing with until I burn it up. You're definitely right that the 7014 runs like a dream. It instantly makes my beads look a thousand times better. 6011 is always pretty terrible looking. Very uneven and lots of slag inclusion and porosity.

I will say one difference I have for sure noticed about DC. If I stick the rod and can't quickly twist it loose, I have been in the practice of pressing the stinger handle with my thumb and pulling it off the stick. I learned this from one of the Wall Mountain videos. Well, if I do that on DC, I get a huge flare between the rod and the stinger that has left some scorch marks on it. Since I have been practicing on smaller pieces, I have had them just set on a big piece of metal and have been clamping the ground clamp to the piece of metal. So I figured I would just lift the entire work piece up if the rod stuck. When I do that, I get a big flare between the work piece and the table. This didn't happen on AC, so I figure it must be a DC phenomenon. Pretty dramatic!

This is a dumb question, but I'll go ahead and ask it. When removing the stuck work piece from the electrode, it's okay to do that while the stinger is hot, right? Because 1) I'm wearing gloves and 2) the path to ground is through the ground clamp, and I'm not touching the table. Well, I have done it and not gotten shocked, but that doesn't exactly mean it's good practice.

Let me phrase the question another way: if I was going to shock myself accidentally, how would I be most likely to do it?

Just as you thought keep the rod closer to the puddle. What Shield arc said on the shock question. If you stick your rod, do as you did before and take the stinger off when you stick the rod, just do it quickly. Unless you are wet or extremely sweaty you will likely have no problem. the highest risk that I have run across for shock is laying on the bare ground or on concrete when sweaty and tounching the live part of the stinger(dc) and I am still here. The 6011 is a great rod for dirty or rusty metal with good penetration. 6011 does not have that neat appearance but is a good rod.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I went to an informal workshop put on by some local welders today. I think I really made some progress. There really is no substitute for seeing someone do it in person. Two tips that I took away were how to steady myself against the table, and to switch to 7018 rod. I had been avoiding 7018 because I don't have a rod oven, but even 7018 that hasn't been in an oven runs a million times better than 6011. With 6011, the bead is so terrible that I can't really see what I'm doing right or wrong. With 7018, the rod is working with me, not against me, and I can more easily see my progress.

Here are the first two passes of a T joint I did.





I also got to play with scratch start TIG. James, you were right. It is seriously cool!

 

[k0ua]

I went to an informal workshop put on by some local welders today. I think I really made some progress. There really is no substitute for seeing someone do it in person. Two tips that I took away were how to steady myself against the table, and to switch to 7018 rod. I had been avoiding 7018 because I don't have a rod oven, but even 7018 that hasn't been in an oven runs a million times better than 6011. With 6011, the bead is so terrible that I can't really see what I'm doing right or wrong. With 7018, the rod is working with me, not against me, and I can more easily see my progress.

Here are the first two passes of a T joint I did.

View attachment 288246

View attachment 288247

I also got to play with scratch start TIG. James, you were right. It is seriously cool!

HA! Real welds! Ain't it grand to make a weld like that and look at it and say "wow that is more of what I had in mind".. Yes you gotta get set up with the TIG. Argon cylinder, 17V torch, and regulator.. I can help if you get stuck finding the stuff. Torch about $75, regulator about 25, Cylinder you are on your own, I bought mine a 125 cu.ft. for $210, (full) but the prices and rules vary so much per region. some places you cannot even buy one that big, you have to rent. It is cool once you kinda get on to it. You are really coming along, and it has been enjoyable watching your progress.

James K0UA

 

[undercut]

Once you lay down a nice weld bead, there is no turning back - you are hooked! Great progress. Congratulations.

 

[joshuabardwell]

For those who are following the saga, you may enjoy this: BBQ smoker modification

 

[joshuabardwell]

First attempt at vertical up. E7018 at about 130 amps on 1/4" stock. Using a "z" motion.



I gotta tell ya, 7018 is really a wonder of a rod. Makes me look like I might know what I'm doing--at least to the untrained eye!

Here's my second attempt. This is actually over about 3-5 fillet passes that I made in the horizontal position, so it would be more of a cover pass.



I know I have a long way to go, but I'm really super-pleased with these results.