Picked up my first welder today

[Happy Gilmore]

What you should try is 6010. Among other things it is a polarity check rod. If you just had 2 cables and the welder hidden, you could tell which was positive and which was negative or if it was AC, just by using 6010. If you're running DC-, ask him why? Could you be on AC, AC machines can still list - and + but it doesn't mean much. Maybe there's some odd reason he wants you have less than ideal welds to begin with? 6011 is an odd choice for the first rods to use. Has he told you about whipping them? What are his qualifications and what does his welding look like? What machine do you use at school?

I know the machines are large Millers, I'll check tomorrow night. Never mentioned whipping them, what does that mean? He is a commercial welder by trade and from what I've been told he's been teaching for some time. His welds he's demonstrated look real nice to me. It's only a basic voc. school night class, I'm not sure how much detail they'll get into other than basics. Trust me I'll take whatever details I can.

 

[Arc weld]

Sounds like Miller SRH machines if they're 3 phase. Very good reliable machines. I explained the whipping motion previously. You go forward and dig in, then back up to fill it in.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

What you should try is 6010. Among other things, it is a polarity check rod. If you just had 2 cables and the welder hidden, you could tell which was positive and which was negative or if it was AC, just by using 6010. If you're running DC-, ask him why? Could you be on AC, AC machines can still list - and + but it doesn't mean much. Maybe there's some odd reason he wants you to have less than ideal welds to begin with? 6011 is an odd choice for the first rods to use. Has he told you about whipping them? What are his qualifications and what does his welding look like? What machine do you use at school?

The machines are Miller Mark VI modules. I stand corrected, I asked the instructor as far what we were welding setting wise and I had things backwards in my thinking. We are welding DC+ with 6011 rod. I had the whole DC Reverse / DC Straight terminology jumbled up in my brain. He explained the terminology and I think I get it now. He seems very knowledgable. I asked him about whipping, he explained it to me and I tried it out a couple of times. We were working on horizontal tonight, I'm trying to find a comfortable position to settle in. I was working on flat as well.

In any event, I'll attach a pic below of a bead I ran flat on a piece of scrap. It's not all the pretty, but I'm learning.

 

[k0ua]

The machines are Miller Mark VI modules. I stand corrected, I asked the instructor as far what we were welding setting wise and I had things backwards in my thinking. We are welding DC+ with 6011 rod. I had the whole DC Reverse / DC Straight terminology jumbled up in my brain. He explained the terminology and I think I get it now. He seems very knowledgable.

In any event, I'll attach a pic below of a bead I ran flat on a piece of scrap. It's not all the pretty, but I'm learning.

View attachment 370751

Actually, in my opinion that is not a bad bead for 6011.. I would be happy with it. 6011 does not make a as pretty of a bead as say 7018. I can see some variable travel speed if you want to get critical, but overall not bad. Keep in mind consider the source, I am no expert by a long shot.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I think the travel speed picked up as the electrode burnt down, I'm trying to get used to the initial start of the bead with a fresh rod.

 

[Arc weld]

Probably the most common thing for a beginner to do is travel faster as the rod burns down. That's where drawing parallel lines with soapstone will help to keep a consistent bead width/travel speed. Your bead doesn't look bad at all. A little colder than I'd run but pretty darn good for a newbie. I'd give it about 80%.:thumbsup: Sounds like you have a knowledgeable instructor, you just have to pay more attention.:laughing:

 

[joshuabardwell]

I'm also no expert, but I agree with others that bead looks okay for 6011. Part of the challenge with travel speed is that, as the base metal heats up, you have to move faster to keep up with the puddle. So if you are moving at a constant speed, you're actually, potentially, moving too slow by the end of the bead. As always, reading the puddle will tell you what you need to be doing.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

Thank you guys, I appreciate the feedback and tips. I'll have to look into some soapstone Arc weld :thumbsup:

 

[Shield Arc]

That does look pretty darn good! :thumbsup:
I'm no expert either, but maybe these pictures will give you an idea of what the whip and pause looks like.

 

[joshuabardwell]

SA, I am always impressed at folks who can properly fill in the crater at the end of a bead. I have heard it described a million times how to do it, and I can never get it right.