Stick welding tips?

[Jarred Hitt]

Hey guys, I'm new on here but I'm in high school and work in an AG shop as one of the few halfway skilled welders we have. Do you guys have any tips on how I can get better?

 

[Haywire]

Do you have access to a welder at home? --Ian

 

[crash325]

Hey guys, I'm new on here but I'm in high school and work in an AG shop as one of the few halfway skilled welders we have. Do you guys have any tips on how I can get better?

Welcome & have fun.
Go to Forums and look up welding. lots of welding information on all types of welding.

 

[Shield Arc]

There is only one way to get better at welding. Just do it! You have to burn lots and lots of rod. Working in a fab shop is a very good way. Burning rod, wire, filler 8-hours a day, is a good start, but you always need to challenge yourself! Get good with plate in all positions, then work on open root plate in all positions. Then test your welds with some destructive testing. Once you're satisfied with the results, then move onto pipe, start with 2-G, then move onto 6-G, then 5-G. Once your satisfied with the results, do some destructive testing on your pipe welds.
It's a very long road to being a good weldor.

 

[Jarred Hitt]

Do you have access to a welder at home? --Ian

I do but it An ac welder and it's a little more difficult for me to work on my vertical with it

 

[Jarred Hitt]

There is only one way to get better at welding. Just do it! You have to burn lots and lots of rod. Working in a fab shop is a very good way. Burning rod, wire, filler 8-hours a day, is a good start, but you always need to challenge yourself! Get good with plate in all positions, then work on open root plate in all positions. Then test your welds with some destructive testing. Once you're satisfied with the results, then move onto pipe, start with 2-G, then move onto 6-G, then 5-G. Once your satisfied with the results, do some destructive testing on your pipe welds.
It's a very long road to being a good weldor.

I really appreciate the tips. Just practice practice practice! It really helps and I have been talking to my dad who was AWS certified as a weld in specter and he just said to do some deconstructive testing to see how they are.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Rather than just burning lots of rod as some suggest, do some reading about technique (appropriate angle, push vs pull, spark gap, etc,), appropriate machine settings, differences in rod, metals. etc.

I am not very fond of the "by guess and by golly" approach to becoming a better welder. Each practice session should teach you something new based upon your reading and thinking. Having a guide like your father is invaluable.

 

[Shield Arc]

I really appreciate the tips. Just practice practice practice! It really helps and I have been talking to my dad who was AWS certified as a weld in specter and he just said to do some deconstructive testing to see how they are.

If you really want to get serious about becoming a better weldor, you'll need to invest in some tools.
The Everlast PowerArc 200 is the best bang for the buck for DC SMAW, and GTAW.

Here are a couple how to threads.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/191855-newbie.html


http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/207094-oh-baby-where-you-been.html

 

[Shield Arc]

smfcpacfp has a good point! Here are some really good books on welding.
The Lincoln site has some good deals on books.

https://ssl.lincolnelectric.com/foundation/store.asp?PID=16&cat=8

 

[Just Bill]

This guy has a lot of welding tips.
Old School Stick Welding still Rules. 6011, 7018, anyone?