new to welding

[boomer1025]

I've got the little cousin to your PA 200, for around the farm welding rod use you'll want 6011 & 7014. Probity the most common rod type that can be purchased at places like TSC ect. Rod sizes most common on the farm are 1/8 & 5/32. 3/32 for the light stuff.
A chipping hammer, which you could make if you wanted to, hand wire brush & 4 1/2" grinder, some have 2 grinders, one set up with a wire cup brush. A welding jacket or a set of welding arm sleeves & good pair leather gloves. Don't forget to wear a cotton ball cap or a skull cap. Burning hair or flesh doesn't smell or feel good.
Get a couple of 5lb boxes of 1/8" rods and practice, see which rods you like and are easy for you to use.

 

[colby587]

Miller has a nice welding handbook that should get you started
http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/PrinciplesSMAW.pdf

 

[candyman]

mark emailed my to say the welder is out of stock, but he is having one shipped out of canada, now that is service, thanks mark..

i have been looking at sites & making a list of things to get, this is like buying a fishin pole, now you need this & gotta have that .

keep the suggestions comin, better get what i can while i can before my wife pulls the plug...

thanks to all..

 

[Mercmaniac]

I am a newbie also that just started a couple weeks ago. I printed out the handbook that colby mentioned and that was a big help.

These welding magnets prove pretty handy and are cheap too. 4-3/4'' Multipurpose Magnet Holder

 

[Shield Arc]

You have to be careful tacking / welding close to any magnet. Or you'll get an education in arc blow!

 

[Gizmo2]

just ordered my first ever welder from mark, a power arc 200 stick welder.

this may seem like a real dumb question to you welders, but if you don`t ask you don`t know.

other than the helment what do i need to order to get started, i`ll be using it on the farm for repairs & to make some things .

some things i want to make are rear ballast barrel for the tractor, brackets on the pallet forks to use on the 3pt. hitch, brackets for the hose grapple, hooks on the box blade & buckets & many other projects.

thanks, candyman

i will be running the welder mostly on a generator, which has been shipped ,be here wednesday.

i do not know how to weld, but i will learn with the help from you pros.

An oxygen acetylene cutting torch.
Can't have one without the other IMO.

 

[Gizmo2]

Well now you've gone and done it! You can't possibly know what you've got yourself into! I suggest you call Mark right now and cancel that welder! There is no way you can fathom how much money you're going to be spending! Just kidding. :laughing:

More like Reality.

 

[Shield Arc]

6013 rods penetrate more deeply.
The 7018 rods are filler rods, but are weaker.

Might want to re think these two statements.

 

[Gizmo2]

Might want to re think these two statements.

I also am not sure what MagicRat really means by that statement.
I would never use a 6013 on a piece of spring steel or a weld that has to take a lot of give without breaking. But that's me.

 

[deereman75]

6013 is about the weakest rod there is. 7018 is one of the strongest. There is a reason nuclear power plants and boilers are welded together with 7018, not 6013.