What kind of Rods to weld with a 110 welder

DaMadman · Feb 16, 2005

( ( Sheet metal on a 30a setting )
PROPER JOB!!
wish i had been told that earlier i have just been trying to weld sheet with 3/32 on 50 amps, lets just say i made a fine seive
guess what im gunna go out and get tomorrow, 1/16 rods (thatll be 1.5mm according to my new conversion chart /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)
cheers alot )

I got a few I will give you, Just stop buy the house on your way home /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mith · Feb 16, 2005

No worries ill get on the 23:00 flight /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
should be there in 8 hours or so
well about 20 hours given public transport here /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

1962 · Feb 16, 2005

7014 are fast deposit rods are great for beginners,also nice for sheet metal in the smaller diameters. 7018 is a low hydrogen rod, great high strength,but will attract moisture very fast. both are 70,000 psi tensile-strength...

DaMadman · Feb 17, 2005

Picked up some 7018 rods in 3/32 tried to use last night and couldn't even get one to burn much less run a bead.

I may pick up a small box of 7014 on the way home tonight.

Odly enough I was looking at the 7014 rods last night, the 1/8 rods were $1.89 for a pound, the 3/32 rods were almost $5.00 for the same size box. I think they were miss marked but I just grabbed the 7018 3/32 rods instead of getting a price check. Guess I should have got the 7014 rods

I did have quite a bit of luck with the 6011 and 6013 rods in 3/32, the 6013 are easy to use, the 6011 were a little harder to get a nice looking weld but worked ok.

I found out that my design on the hitch adapter left something to be desired as it came apart after a little use, So I rethought the way I welded on the diagnal braces and am in the process of beefing the whole thing up.

I will take pictures when the whole thing is done.

I got to go get me a bumper sticker that says
"I'd Rather be welding" hahaha I really enjoy it. in fact Last night I was messind around and welded some metal handles on some hoes and rakes and pitch forks that were in the shed that the wooden handles had broke. I took some steel pipe and welded them on as handles, VIOLA now more broke wood handles,

Thanks again to everyone that posted, I really did use the info everyone gave me and so far I still have a ton to learn but man is it a fun process to learn.

Mith · Feb 17, 2005

( I really enjoy it )
wait till you see your electricity bill /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

DaMadman · Feb 17, 2005

I don't see it the wife does and She will blame it on the recent 20% rate increase and the cold weather /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Highbeam · Feb 17, 2005

That little welder is likely AC and the actual arc is burning at 25 volts. 25 volts*100 amps is only 2500 watts or two toasters. Its not like you are running it for hours.

I picked up a 220 volt ac welder and have gotten pretty good with it. Stick welding with an AC welder is pretty difficult and a skill acquired over time.

I only use two types of rod a 6013 and a 7018 in both 3/32 and 1/8". I also aquired a bunch of real thin 6013 rod, in 1/16, for thin metal work. It takes the lowest setting of 40 amps and I have to be careful not to burn through.

Better penetration comes from more amps. To get more amps without blowing up the rod you need a bigger rod. Use as big a rod as you can without blowing a hole in the material or sticking due to low amps. Anything thicker than 3/16" steel will just about require a 220 volt welder to get up into the 140/150 amp range.

Turns out that a good rule of thumb is to use the same size of rod as the thickness of the thinner metal you are welding. Then adjust amps as low as possible to avoid stickage and to hear the sweet sound of a crackling arc.

DaMadman · Feb 18, 2005

well I got those 7014 rods last night 3/32 and man are they schweet. Work the bestest of all the rods I have tried so far. I might even pick up a small box in 1/8 inch and give them a try. depending on the outcome I have plenty of other rods ( 6011, 6013, 7018) in various sizes, depending on if the 7014's work better in 1/8 in of 3/32 I will probably pick up a 10 lb box of them this weekend.

That little 110 volt 100 amp buzz box maybe harder than a 220 welder but with the right sticks man is it fun and seems to do the trick.

I going to post another thread of the hitch, I am pretty much finished welding it. Just need to grind, reweld any bad spots and paint it up now.

jjf10 · Nov 3, 2005

5/32 6011 rod .Wire welder works a lot better at 110v some people call them a mig there are two different dogs.

MikeD74T · Nov 3, 2005

DaMadMan, Look around for a night course on welding at a vocational/technical school. You'll enjoy the class and it's the best money you can spend at this stage of the game. You've just gotten advice from both welders and wanna be welders. all good intentioned, but hard to differenciate. Bad welds can be dangerous to man & machine, but welding is reasonably easy after you learn to recognize when it's been done right. Mike