Stick Welding

[mitchash]

I am building a quick hitch (skidsteer style) for my tractor loader. The steel I am welding is 2"x2" square tube (1/8" thick), 1/4" flat and 1/2" flat stock (brackets and supports). It has been awhile since I have welded anything with a stick welder. I have a little Clark 135 MIG welder I use most of the time (I think it will be too lite for this job). I have a AC 225 Lincoln welder (I picked up at a flea market for $40 this past summer, it seems to weld fine) and an old PowerKraft 230 welder for back up. Any recommendations for rod size and type? Welding Amps? Tips? Thanks, Ash

 

[dstig1]

For 1/4" steel, 1/8" rod is perfect (and common).

Rod type depends on a lot of things. Non-critical general work, it is hard to beat 7014. On rusty metal 6011 is better, but harder to use. 7018 ac will work on your welder and us not too hard to use, but some would argue that.

All will work on your ac welder.

 

[k0ua]

Also 7014 is an "easy" rod to get back into stick welding with. It doesnt stick much and makes a smooth bead, and you can hold a close tight arc without sticking. But some informal tests by some of the contributors here have shown it to not be as strong as 7018 even though theoretically is should be. I don't know how 7018AC fares in the "knock the he77 out of it" tests

James K0UA

 

[gwdixon]

Here is a decent rod/amperage calculator that has AC entries.

Miller - Stick Welding Calculator

 

[cowski]

if it were mine i would weld it with 1/8 6011

 

[dex3361]

6011 and 7018AC 1/8" are a good combo for an AC buzzbox welder. I used the 6011 for the root pass and then the 7018 for cover passes. 7014 welds good but has less strength than 7018. Welding Chart

 

[undercut]

Personally, with your AC welder (good find by the way!), I'd go with 6011 to get the maximum penetration in the root pass and then top with 7014. Because you are using an AC box I've heard some people haven't had too much success with 7018AC rods. I could be wrong and if there are good 7018AC rods out there, use those instead. Don't forget to prep the material properly before hand. Good luck!

 

[snowjoker]

3/32 6011 rod, set somewhere around 75 amps should work for ya.. You don't need to do a root and cap with something only 1/8 inch thick.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Personally I prefer to use 1/8" 60XX rods and 3/32" 7018 when welding light gauge metal. 3/32" 6011(6010 for DC) dont carry a lot of metal, throw off tons of sparks, get hot and stick very easy and since they are so small you have to yank the holder off then let it cool to get them loose.
Folks talk about welding rusty metal better with 60xx rods, but in truth, you should not be welding rusty, dirty, greasy metal to start with. Clean it up, remove anything that isnt bright metal prior to welding expecially if you are a beginner welder. It hard enough to get molten metal to stay attached to the weldment without having to fight against rust, dirt, paint etc. which only causes the weld metal to pop, bubble up and basically be a crappy weld.

Not to question your design, BUT, 1/8" tubing for a quick hitch seems a little light. Are you sure that is heavy enough for your tractor. I would have used 1/4" minimum wall for any tubing on a QA hitch.

 

[mitchash]

Thanks for all the reply's and advice! I am thinking of not using the 1/8" thick square stock, I have a length of 1 1/2" solid square stock that would be much stronger but heavier.