Stick welding practice?

[Arc weld]

7014 and 7018 don't use the same technique. Buried in the puddle or buried in the slag? 7014 is more of a drag rod and 7018 should have a short arc length. It sounds like you may be watching the slag instead watching the puddle. It's a common mistake for a beginner as well as speeding up as the rod burns. A 1/8" 7018 should burn about 6" long. Cut your plate 6" long and build a pad on it.

 

[Shield Arc]

7014 and 7018 don't use the same technique.

It took me about 30-seconds to realize that. I'd never seen 7014 on a heavy civil construction site, or until joining these tractor sites. I bought some a few years ago to try. Just like 6013 you really have to lay it over to force the slag behind the puddle.

 

[BukitCase]

I'm still trying to figure out what's the big deal on re-starting 7018 - been using it since I started welding in 1973.

You've got welding gloves on, right? Grab the VERY end of the rod between thumb and index finger (at middle joint of finger), pinch, bend sideways, (the coned out end, not the rod itself) strike an arc. Done... Steve

 

[k0ua]

I'm still trying to figure out what's the big deal on re-starting 7018 - been using it since I started welding in 1973.

You've got welding gloves on, right? Grab the VERY end of the rod between thumb and index finger (at middle joint of finger), pinch, bend sideways, (the coned out end, not the rod itself) strike an arc. Done... Steve

Thats what I do. Works for me.

 

[ChristianHF]

I have been keeping it in the puddle on the leading edge of the weld. The puddle shimmers like molten metal should, the slag is rather static looking and clearly forming (solidifying) behind the puddle.

 

[Shield Arc]

I'm still trying to figure out what's the big deal on re-starting 7018 - been using it since I started welding in 1973.

You've got welding gloves on, right? Grab the VERY end of the rod between thumb and index finger (at middle joint of finger), pinch, bend sideways, (the coned out end, not the rod itself) strike an arc. Done... Steve

That is fine for 99% of the guys here. But that is not allowed under any code I've worked with.

 

[BukitCase]

Really??!? Did anyone explain why? I'm curious whether it's an "osha cowboy" thang or inspectors/contamination, or?

I guess it's fortunate for me that my first "teaser" welding experience was on a (you probly never heard of these) Lincoln SA-200 that belonged to an ex pipeliner friend and I never worked as a weldor, only private stuff - worked in heavy industry for the past 35 years, but as an Instrumentation tech.

Come to think of it, I never saw one of our weldors pinch a rod either - hmmm... Steve

 

[Arc weld]

Depending on the brand of rods and the skill of the welder, you can usually just give the rod a good tap on the steel to knock the slag off the end. The trick is to do it ahead of where you want to start so once you move back, you end up welding right over where you struck the arc. I usually have a chipping hammer or a file handy and will tap the rod against that to knock the slag off. Just make sure the the chipping hammer/file isn't grounded on the plate or you'll get arcing.

 

[weldermike]

Depending on the brand of rods and the skill of the welder, you can usually just give the rod a good tap on the steel to knock the slag off the end. The trick is to do it ahead of where you want to start so once you move back, you end up welding right over where you struck the arc. I usually have a chipping hammer or a file handy and will tap the rod against that to knock the slag off. Just make sure the the chipping hammer/file isn't grounded on the plate or you'll get arcing.

I recently built a new fab table at work and made a striker plate that slides in and out like a drawer just for that reason. I also do the hammer trick as well and the concrete floor twist and grind lol. The striker plate is a good feature tho for trying to keep your table smoothe, and when it gets too built up with snot just grind it back down so yo can close it. I keep saying im gonna do this on my home tables.

 

[Shield Arc]

Really??!? Did anyone explain why? I'm curious whether it's an "osha cowboy" thang or inspectors/contamination,

Because you run the risk of porosity in the weld when the flux is flaked off uneven on the rod. I do the very same thing that Arc weld does. I start my rod 3/4 to 1/2-inch in front of the weld area / crater and drag it back into the weld area / crater. This allows the rod to pre heat.