Welding Rods for beginners

[Big Barn]

Daugen, I took some college courses in welding. The instructor made us start with 1/4" steel butt welds in all configurations. He said that we had to learn that before we'd ever have a chance to weld on anything smaller with a stick because thinner metal burns through to fast for a beginner.
My two cents.
Lenny

Actually that makes a lot of sense.

Terry

 

[dragoneggs]

Funny thing is that for me the things I wanted to weld as a beginner tended to be thin structure. Naturally I thought that would be easier. I quickly learned thin is definitely not easier. Been doing MIG for awhile and am getting better but I don't have enough projects to really improve. Too much down time between projects causes 'rust'. The more I do, the more I want to learn TIG. But that is another machine!

 

[daugen]

in the relative cool of this morning I'm having another go at it.
first thing to do is adjust the settings in the helmet, I really had a hard time seeing what was going on

the main hanging frame of this mower is in pretty good shape, except where an entire hanger was ripped out.
I have to put a plate over the hole and then will weld this new hanger bracket in place.
I have a real appreciation for how hard hardened steel is when cutting some of these pieces.

 

[LD1]

Dont look like the shade on your helmet is adjustable for shade. Only delay and sensitivity.

 

[daugen]

Dont look like the shade on your helmet is adjustable for shade. Only delay and sensitivity.

you're absolutely right, but I should have shown you the nice big dial on the outside for darkness...:ashamed:
first time...and the instructions were lost long ago. So I turned that dial to half way and oh yeah, now I can see. What a difference.
And I did well for almost two hours. Welded and grinded and rewelded and regrinded and did that twice more and was pretty happy with what
I saw. Mostly smooth clean metal with no evidence of old cracks. A few places the cracks were still there but structurally the job was done.
Except for the big holes.

And then I decided to make one more pass with just a little more penetration on one crack with a lot of old crack shining through.
Of course I put a big hole in the deck. And I couldn't close it. Nor could I close two others. I was tired, filthy, soaked in sweat, getting frustrated,
and decided that now was the time to call it a day. Believe I will stock up on the large economy size of JB Weld...

I was running at 80 amps with a little start sticking so I don't think I was running too hot. Spatter at times, probably holding it too far off the metal.
In one of those iterations I quickly learned that leaving a nicely laid down black line of slag on top really doesn't do anything about the crack underneath...
as one grinds away and are back to square one. Boy that's tricky when the whole thing can collapse under you like standing on thin ice.

Will post pics later. Had to come in and take a shower and get all that metal dust off me. Even with a full face shield it sure makes a mess.

I'm actually looking forward to when I weld that thick piece of hardened steel to another thick piece of deck metal.

 

[Deere Dude]

I have used old welding rods as filler and used my share of bolts with the heads cut off to use as filler. The thinner stuff is a bear to weld on without poking through and expanding the hole especially using stick welders. For my very thin stuff I bought a 110 volt stick welder and some 1/16" rods or I can't weld it. Not great but works for me. Good luck

 

[daugen]

I have used old welding rods as filler and used my share of bolts with the heads cut off to use as filler. The thinner stuff is a bear to weld on without poking through and expanding the hole especially using stick welders. For my very thin stuff I bought a 110 volt stick welder and some 1/16" rods or I can't weld it. Not great but works for me. Good luck

thanks. yeah I'm getting an education under dripping fire here. Here I am thinking about nice little back and forth wiggles and z patterns when
reality is more how low do you go before complete disaster strikes. I may make some metal patches from below and use one of those products not to be spoken of
to smooth things out. I'm a realist on my abilities...

 

[k0ua]

Hold a tight arc. And with 7014, tighter still. Bury that sucker. If still no success, go to Lowes and get some of those Lincoln 1/16 6013 rods. I use them occasionally on very light stuff. Start at about 28 amps. The trick will be to get them struck, the will be a little harder to light off at that current range. Then still hold a tight arc, but don't touch the puddle with them. It sounds to me like you are long arcing. Which is the thing that EVERY rookie does.

 

[PJSprog]

Harbor Freight usually carries 1/16" 7014 rods, too.

 

[k0ua]

Harbor Freight usually carries 1/16" 7014 rods, too.

Yes, but I tried some of them, and maybe I got a bad batch, but I was not impressed with the quality of the flux on them. They seemed to sputter and spatter and not do all that well. The Lincolns are 6013, and I am not a big fan of 6013, but their quality seemed good.

 

[Shield Arc]

Which is the thing that EVERY rookie does.

A member from Welding Web came over a few months ago for some welding lessons. I was shocked at how close of an arc length he used. It didn't take any time to get him to run vertical up hill, and over head with 7018. Guy is just a natural at welding.
He ran my Everlast PowerArc 200ST side by side with my Lincoln V350-Pro. He could not tell the difference between them. He ordered a PowerArc 200ST from Mark.

 

[k0ua]

A member from Welding Web came over a few months ago for some welding lessons. I was shocked at how close of an arc length he used. It didn't take any time to get him to run vertical up hill, and over head with 7018. Guy is just a natural at welding.
He ran my Everlast PowerArc 200ST side by side with my Lincoln V350-Pro. He could not tell the difference between them. He ordered a PowerArc 200ST from Mark.

There are "naturals" in almost any endeavour. I have seen woman that claimed to have never shot a firearm of any kind in their life, take my handgun and shoot as tight a group with it on their first try as I could. Out of about 600 woman I have instructed in how to shoot a handgun, I can remember 3. Naturals exist, but they are few and far between. It is really eye opening to see a person listen to every word you say about technique , stance, grip, and trigger control, and then turn right around and actually apply that to shooting a tight group with a handgun. It took me decades to get as good as I am. and they picked it up in a few minutes of listening to me run my mouth. :confused3:

 

[Shield Arc]

My dad was Alabama state pistol champion two years in a row in the 1940s. In the 1970s, I bought a 22-magnum pistol. We were deer hunting in northern California. A grouse flew across the road in front of us, and landed in a tree. I emptied the pistol twice! The grouse never flapped a wing. My Dad wanted the pistol, he had to lean out the passenger side window of my pickup to shoot. One shot and the grouse was dead! I told my Dad to give me my gun back, and never touch it again!:laughing:

 

[Big Barn]

daugen. The smallest rod I had was 3/32 6013. I played around on some 12gauge scraps and this is the best I could do:



I used an inverter machine similar to yours. 80 amp DCEN. I had the advantage of cleaner material to work with and a welding table to act as a heat sink.

A backing plate and 1/16" rod as others have mentioned would help for your project.



Keep at it.
Terry

 

[LD1]

I have seen woman that claimed to have never shot a firearm of any kind in their life, take my handgun and shoot as tight a group with it on their first try as I could.

Weather that's an impressive feat or not all depends on what kind of groups you shoot now don't it

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

My dad was Alabama state pistol champion two years in a row in the 1940s. In the 1970s, I bought a 22-magnum pistol. We were deer hunting in northern California. A grouse flew across the road in front of us, and landed in a tree. I emptied the pistol twice! The grouse never flapped a wing. My Dad wanted the pistol, he had to lean out the passenger side window of my pickup to shoot. One shot and the grouse was dead! I told my Dad to give me my gun back, and never touch it again!:laughing:

My grandfather never was much on hunting or showboat with guns. He was a mild-mannered humble career US Marine. Atypical I guess, but he was a good marksman. He was qualified as expert. My dad told me a story about a rabbit running across the yard and he shot it with a .22 from the hip. It fell dead and they ate it.

 

[Shield Arc]

Mark when I was a kid. We were deer hunting. My dad had me take a 7up can and walk way out into a field, and stick the 7up can on top of a small pine tree, about 3-feet tall. When I got back to where my Dad was standing, I couldn't tell the 7up can from the tree. My Dad took his shotgun with a slug in it. He put a hole right in the middle of the 7up can. My Dad was always a great shot. He hardly ever missed.

 

[k0ua]

Weather that's an impressive feat or not all depends on what kind of groups you shoot now don't it

Well that would be true of course. But lets just say, I have been shooting handguns for over 50 years, and was an IPSC/USPSA competitor for a couple of decades. (too darn old now to keep up), while I am a bit old for the run and gun crowd, I can still make very tight groups with a handgun. In fact, if you get out this way, I would be happy to compete against you. I will provide the pistols and the ammo!. Now you can't beat that. If you would like to make a wager, I would do that too!. That is just the kind of guy I am...:laughing: I will teach ya' to put spots on a mans deer...

 

[Spanner]

daugen. The smallest rod I had was 3/32 6013. I played around on some 12gauge scraps and this is the best I could do:

View attachment 518768

I used an inverter machine similar to yours. 80 amp DCEN. I had the advantage of cleaner material to work with and a welding table to act as a heat sink.

A backing plate and 1/16" rod as others have mentioned would help for your project.

View attachment 518771

Keep at it.
Terry

Daugen:
One thing with using the smallest rods is that they 'wobble' as nervous novice hands try to get position and arc started and eyes focussed etc. Your 'spare' hand can steady the end of the rod - Wear your leather welding gauntlets and rest the rod across the back of your fingers.

Practise running fast beads on clean scrap steel. You need to move fast laterally and vertically since these rods burn away quickly and you have to maintain a short arc length.

Heat sink will help.

I do think you should weld patch plates across the affected area, joining onto areas of good thick sheet-metal. After all, you're looking for 'function' over 'form'.

Ps. Can we minimise the gun talk please guys?

 

[LD1]

Well that would be true of course. But lets just say, I have been shooting handguns for over 50 years, and was an IPSC/USPSA competitor for a couple of decades. (too darn old now to keep up), while I am a bit old for the run and gun crowd, I can still make very tight groups with a handgun. In fact, if you get out this way, I would be happy to compete against you. I will provide the pistols and the ammo!. Now you can't beat that. If you would like to make a wager, I would do that too!. That is just the kind of guy I am...:laughing: I will teach ya' to put spots on a mans deer...

Boy I sure wished you lived alot closer, cause I think we would have alot of fun. Have a few beers, argue about what shade of orange is better, spend an afternoon plinking....

Dont do to much pistol shooting. Nothing I have is made for accuracy, just defense. My joy comes from the AR's I built, and droppin in my 22lr conversion bolt, and aerating the yard with .22 holes shooting at soda cans. Got a few that will shoot dime sized 50yd groups with cheap winchester bulk pack ammo