How do you decide on what amperage to use?

[rjmack]

I know a guy who runs a small portable welding business. Like everything else in this country he is pretty slow. He placed an ad on Craig's list in the tool section. Welding lessons $25.00 an hour at your shop / garage with your equipment. $50.00 an hour his shop his equipment. He said his phone rang off the hook. Mostly guys wanting help with setting their machine, an out of position welding.

maybe we should set up a paypal account?:thumbsup:

 

[Haywire]

I checked into welding classes locally and there are none that I can find within reasonable distance. A technical college about 30-40 minutes away has a regular welding program with state certification as it's goal, but that's not what I'm looking for.

Another question while I have your attention. When do you use reverse polarity? I see several rods that are listed as compatible with both.

Ian

 

[rjmack]

Another question while I have your attention. When do you use reverse polarity?

probably wouldn't hurt to read up on the difference between fusion and cohesion welding, and the shades of grey between the two.

 

[Haywire]

Ok, looks like one difference is more penetration with reverse polarity. I didn't find much on fusion/cohesion.

 

[Sockwell]

Miller also has welding calculators for each of the stick, MIG, and TIG processes. I think they're $1.50 each. They're listed under the Resources tab of their website. Lincoln has a Stick Welding guide that is downloadable as a pdf file from their website. Tons of info out there.

 

[dstig1]

Ask the technical college if they have a Continuing Ed program or evening classes at all. I'm about at the end of mine right now. They may only offer it once a year or so. Classes help a lot, but of course it depends on the instructor. A phone call can tell you a lot. And if they aren't too helpful, ask the instructor's name(s). He might be willing to do 1-1 for a reasonable amount.

For stick, mostly DCEP, if you are running DC. It seems the main DCEN application nowadays is if you want to do sheet metal and then they recommend DCEN with 6013. If you get into MIG or TIG that all changes, but I'm not there myself...

Amps vary by rod type. 6010/6011 are much lower than 6013/7014/7018. That is the two batches I break it into. The 10/11 run at 70-90, and the others run 105-150. These are all for 1/8" rods. Can you argue with these numbers? Sure. But that is what I have picked up so far from my own experience and class.

 

[Soundguy]

heck... just noticed that the top of my hobart stickmate has an electrode sizing chart with amperages listed..

soundguy

 

[wdchyd]

In my opinion nothing beats one on one help.

I'll second that.......Speaking for myself, it took a one on one for the light to click on when I was learning.....before that I didn't really catch on....:thumbsup:....