(Re)starting to learn stick - which rod?

[dstig1]

Attached are a few pics of my welding excursion today. I finally got it out and ran some beads with all the rod stock the guy gave me with the welder. Tried a variety of settings and conditions with 6011, 6013, 7014, and even a bit of 7018 that was still left in there. The 6011 seemed a bit harder than the others, but I really didn't see a ton of difference among them. I used an old trailer ramp between 2 sawhorses as my makeshift welding table. Worked OK. I tell ya, DC stick welding is worlds apart from AC. I almost never stuck an electrode to the work on DC, whereas on AC it was the nightmare I remember from the class. I'm quite sure we were using AC only in that class I took years ago.

The first pic is a number of beads I ran on a flat scrap of steel. 3 different types of rod in there, but you really can't much tell the difference. After that very quickly got too easy, I welded on a plate to make a T. The second photo is a few beads I ran on the vertical piece - in the "horizontal" position. They like to sag due to gravity and were not so good. 3rd and 4th are the fillet welds I did on the T. Again, not so good. That will take more practice... A lot of the spatter in the third photo was actually dripping from the horiz welds up above it.

Now I need to build something. I'm thinking about a frame to set my toolbox into and with a place to hold a chainsaw on the rear of the tractor...

 

[gauthier]

See there,ain't nothing to this welding stuff

 

[sjames]

6010 or 6011 is what I would recommend you practice with. It is also the most versitile IMO. If you are anything like me, you are going to be welding on rusty,dirty,painted metal 90% of the time, and those are the rods you want to use for that.

As for your weld pictures, they look like typical new welder welds, too cold and too long an arc in most of them.

 

[David7]

I do a fair amount of DC stick welding making various projects, and after testing the various rods, settled on 1/8", 7018. Smooth welds with little spatter.

I use 140 amps for 1/4" and thicker steel and about 115-120 amps for 1/8" - 1/4" steel.

Chip off the slag and use multiple passes for a stronger weld.

Would agree with the above observation that the amps are too low on your practice welds. Strike the arc and then slowly drag the rod on the surface at about a 45* angle while moving in a zigzag for a wider puddle.

 

[dstig1]

I find it hard to believe the amp setting was too low on the first picture. It was either maxed out (125A) or the next setting down (115A) - on DC. This was 1/8" rods on 3/16" steel. I can see significant evidence of pretty uniform through heating on the backside too - see pic. That's as high as she goes on DC! It goes to 225 on AC, so I could try some higher settings there. But I'm missing the signs that it is too cold - the bead is fairly flat and wetted out on the plate, at least to my eyes. So edjamacate me on what makes them look cold and where to look, if you please...

Now on the other welds, well, they are obviously bad... The vertical plate was also thicker at 1/4" so that made it even worse.

I need to find some more time to get out and practice, but I need a better idea what to look for.

 

[sjames]

maybe it was just the straight on picture, but the profiles looked a little high and ropey on some of them.

I agree the amp setting at 125 should be about right for 1/8" 6013 and 7018, and higher than I've ever run 6011.

115 would be on the low side for 6013/7018, and still higher than I typically run 6011.

I welded some 2" sch 40 pipe yesterday with 6011, I think I was running at 80 amps.

hth.

 

[dstig1]

Thanks for the info. The arc may have been too long, and they certainly aren't perfect... I keep reading listen for bacon sizzle, but I think my idea of the sound of bacon sizzling is not what "they" mean. I think what I need to do next is grab one type of stick and start running a bunch of conditions with only that so I can see the difference. Probably 6013 or 7014 as I have tons of it right now. Try shorter/longer arc, change amps around, try AC/DC+/-, move slower/faster...

 

[gauthier]

The amp knob just gives you an idea of about where you want to run a 1/8 or 3/32 rod[or any size],you got to adjust up or down after you start to fit your conditions,,,in stick welding generally speaking,if you are able to start rod and keep rod burning easly,than you are hot enough,,if you are burning holes or etc,you are too hot for what your welding,,mig welding is a little different as far as that goes,,,,but in stick welding you got to be hot enough to burn that size rod right,,,now for all beginners a sticky rod is a problem even if they are running hot enough,also a humpy bead or about anything else maybe not be caused by heat setting,just lack of skill,,so its impossible to say by looking at your welds if it is wrong heat setting or just the guy. Takes alotta practice with stick to get to the point where you can blame the welds apperance on anything but the welder..

But once you get rod burning,you will have a puddle,that puddle is what you watch,you make that puddle do and go where you need it to go,if that molten puddle looks screwed up,than after it freezes solid,it will look screwed up as well.

You need a good hood with proper lens shade,and a cheater or glasses if needed,,I stick weld on about a shade 9,,with a 2.50 cheater for example just so I can see that puddle..