picture worth a thousand words

[jake98]

Do that when the rod is long.

 

[Haywire]

Gloves. I have done that some with a new rod since it's so long.

I just started learning to stick weld last summer. I ended up with a box of every common rod the store sold. Every different rod requires a slightly different technique and if you are constantly switching between rods, you never get the hang of any one of them. If you have (or can acquire) plenty of clean scrap to weld on, get some 7014 and set up some fillet welds. The inside corner guides the rod, so that's one less thing to worry about. No back and forth or weaving patterns to worry about either, just a straight weld. Read some about rod angle and concentrate on that and your rate of movement. 7014 is a drag rod, meaning you just hold it against the metal and don't have to worry about maintaining any certain arc gap. It's easy to pick up and make good looking welds with. When you are thoroughly comfortable with 7014 and fillet welds, then you can introduce other variables like weave patterns, arc length, rod type, butt welds and other stuff that complicates life in general.

Ian

 

[jake98]

When you are thoroughly comfortable with 7014 and fillet welds, then you can introduce other variables like weave patterns, arc length, rod type, butt welds and other stuff that complicates life in general.

Ian

:laughing: too funny!

 

[rhett]

fiberglass welding blankets what are they for. ?

i saw in one of the videos the welder was holding the rod in one hand to steady it, how do you not get burned doing that.

candyman

a welding blanket is very handy to have when welding in the seated position, laying it across your lap to keep the "dingle berries" from burning you.

pull the gloved steadying hand away once the weld puddle is established, or keep the glove at distance and let the electrode feed across the glove.

Oh, the sound "dingle berries" make going through your hair is very distracting, then the smell. :laughing:

 

[gwdixon]

thank you all for the great advice, i`ll get some scrap & practice& with some different rods.
i`ll get some good cloting . i see h. f. has fiberglass welding blankets what are they for. ?
so the helment i have is ok. ? i saw in one of the videos the welder was holding the rod in one hand to steady it, how do you not get burned doing that.

candyman

The HF welding blankets are for things you don't want to burn. Yourself, another part of the machinery you are welding on, tires, brake lines, air lines, rubber things, etc. Just lay the blanket over the item to protect it. Fold it over for a thicker barrier if possible.

The helmet is fine as long as it gets dark on the first arc flash. You should not see spots after an arc strike. That makes seeing the puddle impossible.

I lay the (long) rod over a heavily gloved finger on my off hand - maybe half way up the rod. It doesn't get very hot right away. As the rod shortens and the rod heats up there is not much of a problem with welding with the shorter rod without support.

In fact, some weldors cut the rod in half, clean off the tip and have two short rods that are easier to control.

 

[Oliver1655]

Lots of great advise! To add to it, my welder is an old Harmond AC stick welder. I have it set for 125 amperes and weld with 6013 & 6011 rod most of the time. Use the 6013 rod for 1/8" thick and thinner, the 6011 for anything thicker. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Surface prep is a must as many have mentioned.
- If welding 3/8" or thicker metal, grind a 45 degree angle to the edge to provide for good weld penetration.
- If welding thin pieces of metal, if possible, use a thick piece of metal behind it or clamp it to a welding table to use them as heat sinks help decrease burn thru's. One welder I know has a piece of copper plate he uses so the weld will not stick to the heat sink. Just remember with thin material, move fast, just heating the material will cause it to fuse. Most of the time you will not have a raised bead. If you try for one, you will generally burn thru.
- Having a slow, low volume fan or if outside, keeping the breeze behind you off to the side to move the smoke/fumes away from you is a help. If you are welding galvanized metal it is a MUST!
- Starting an arc. Try a light brushing action instead of tapping. If you have a bare metal ground and bare metal to weld, this works well and will greatly decrease sticking the rod.
- Welding will cause the metal to bend and pull. 1st tack weld the two ends / all corners then complete the weld. On a 20' piece of 4" channel iron, welding 9 stake pockets on it at 24" intervals using 6011 rod, it will cause the ends to curve up 3-4". So plan ahead and weld long pieces in place first if possible to help them maintain their shape then add on smaller pieces. Some times you will need to weld short sections then move down a ways and make another short weld, continuing the process until it you reach the end then go back & fill in the gaps to prevent distortion.
- When welding metal at an angle to each other, after tacking it together, If you prop it up to where you have a "V" to weld in it will make it much easier for you to get an even weld.
- When welding one plate on top of another like you were working with, move your rod in a diagonal motion like a "forward slash". You weld forwards 3/16 - 1/4" then move the rod up and back to add weld to the upper piece of metal above where you have already welded the lower "V" in a diagonal direction. You then move forwards and down. This is a steady motion & welding action working towards you which continues the whole length of the joint.
- For vertical joints you can use a "U" motion which rocks lower as you work your way down. Start on one side then loop down slightly then back up as you go to the other side. This allows the weld to keep an evener heat and will help keep the center from dripping down and leaving void.
- Overhead - Try to avoid it until you have gain you basic horizontal/vertical skills. The above basic movements will work but it takes lots of practice.

These are just a few starting tips. There are lots of good videos on the internet as well as some examples of what not to do. Get a book which talks about preparing the metal, how to support it, & how to prevent distortion will be a very wise investment.

Hang in there, we have all been in you boots. When it does come together and you start getting that row of coins at an angle look, the feeling is awesome and well worth the time and practice! :thumbsup:

 

[flusher]

thank you all for the great advice, i`ll get some scrap & practice& with some different rods.
i`ll get some good cloting . i see h. f. has fiberglass welding blankets what are they for. ?
so the helment i have is ok. ? i saw in one of the videos the welder was holding the rod in one hand to steady it, how do you not get burned doing that.

candyman

Two handed welding--both hands on the stinger (the clamp that holds the rod) with an overlap grip. Normally, you don't grab hold of the rod itself. The guy in the video is holding it in an awkward manner, IMHO.

 

[earljr59]

Candyman, you have a lot of good advice so far.I just wanted to agree with Shield Arc on his asking about reading glasses.I have to wear my readers to see on all types of welding,and I have good auto darkening helmets.I have tried different adjustments on shade settings,on mig and stick and I have gave up hope of any longer welding without my reading glasses.So if you are wearing any type of glasses to read,be sure you use them while welding. And one thing I thought I would mention, and you may already do this,is I always unhook the battery on what I am welding on.I know a lot of people who think its not important,but I was taught to do this as a kid by the men who owned the shops and still do it today. And they sell hooks with a flat side just for what you are doing, that will work/look better for you. Like everyone else on hear I wish you well,and above all be safe.

 

[IslandTractor]

Candyman, you have a lot of good advice so far.I just wanted to agree with Shield Arc on his asking about reading glasses.I have to wear my readers to see on all types of welding,and I have good auto darkening helmets.I have tried different adjustments on shade settings,on mig and stick and I have gave up hope of any longer welding without my reading glasses.So if you are wearing any type of glasses to read,be sure you use them while welding. And one thing I thought I would mention, and you may already do this,is I always unhook the battery on what I am welding on.I know a lot of people who think its not important,but I was taught to do this as a kid by the men who owned the shops and still do it today. And they sell hooks with a flat side just for what you are doing, that will work/look better for you. Like everyone else on hear I wish you well,and above all be safe.

Better than reading glasses are the "cheater" inserts for the welding helmet. You can get them in various strengths from about +1.5 to +3 or so and they are in place specifically for the welding task. That way you can see well when you flip the helmet up at longer distances but once you flip the helmet down you have the added cheater magnification. Reading glasses are better than nothing but I found myself always taking them off when prepping for the weld and then needing to put them on for the weld itself. Using the inserts also allows you to wear standard safety wrap arounds which is a good idea in a shop even when not actually welding. If you wear reading glasses to weld then you are always changing back and forth or more likely going without the safety glasses. The inserts are available at most welding shops and only cost about $7-8 so you can get different strengths if needed. I found I liked a moderate strength for MIG and stick but a stronger magnification for TIG. Just takes 30 seconds to switch them out.

 

[k0ua]

thank you all for the great advice, i`ll get some scrap & practice& with some different rods.
i`ll get some good cloting . i see h. f. has fiberglass welding blankets what are they for. ?
so the helment i have is ok. ? i saw in one of the videos the welder was holding the rod in one hand to steady it, how do you not get burned doing that.

candyman

I also hold the rod with the fingers of my left hand, Make sure you have thick good quality Stick welding gloves. You do run some risk of getting burned, the trick is stay at least 4 inches away from the end, once you have burned 2 or 3 inches of the rod, gently move the other hand into a 2 handed grip on the stinger. This technique is not really recomended for a beginner. I have made my best welds with 7018. But I sure did not start with it. Be sure to break off the "corn" that forms on the end when you break the arc and the rod cools for a few seconds before you try to restrike with it. I second the motion of using the high intenseity flood lamps for better lighting. Position them so they do not trip your autodark helmet before the arc is struck. Set the helmet to about 9 for 3/32 7018 and about 75 amps. As others have said clean the metal 1/2 inch from intended weld seam with the grinder or flap disk. Dont try to weld thru paint. rust/scale etc.. Yes 6011 will do it but why make it harder than it has to be. Get yourself some Leather, or at least the fire retardant treated cotton. Watch out for when you use the knotted brush wheels in your grinder.. they can throw little pieces of steel wire into your flesh.. don't ask how I know. Leather stops them. Lets see. yes the hook you were working on is not considered a weld on hook for a couple of reasons, it is not beveled right, and it is zinc coated. Zinc coating makes you sick to weld on. Keep you head out of the smoke if you have to weld on it, and a fan helps a lot. And besides, welding on hooks takes some practice. I had welded on several before I got halfway good at it. Now all that said, You did no different than I did starting out, I bought a welder and started right in welding on a broken lawnmower. Looked like He**. Of course you have got to learn, we all did, just stay with it. You have a good welder, you just need to practice (on scrap) a lot, It took a lot f guts to post those pictures and ask for help, and I applaud you for that. You will be a good welder soon, I am sure of it. Keep laying down beads, and you will get there, I promise.

James K0UA