arc welding

[swedge]

just found an arc welder in my girlfriends cupboard, god knows why she bought it and she dosnt even know what it is lol

anyway i plugged it in it turned on etc, i put one of the rods i found in the clamp and touched the metal with it

it just gives off a tiny spark then sticks, i tried pulling it away quickly but it just keeps sticking

just practice?

im not gonna be actually welding anything with it as i have a mig for that just thought id see what it was like

 

[jonnyBMX]

try to kinda "scratch" the rod along the metal and as soon as a arc is created pull it back and avoid touching the rod onto the metal! the rods may be bad now if they have been sitting for a long time and importantly if they have got wet.

probably just practise

 

[swedge]

cheers, like i said im just a boy with a new toy

 

[PTvor]

You need to set the current approximately right for the rod. Probably 80A for a 2.5 and 120A for a 3.2. If it's far too low it won't strike easily and will stick.

After you can strike the rod and it runs, you can adjust the current to suit.

One trick is to clamp a bit of scrap to the work and strike the rod on that like striking a match, then try and strike it on the work. Doing that will get the tip of the rod warm and it will strike much more easily.

If the rods are damp, you can dry them in an ordinary electric oven at 100C for an hour.

 

[cumbriasteve]

just found an arc welder in my girlfriends cupboard, god knows why she bought it and she dosnt even know what it is lol

With those sort of buying habits I would hide the bank card ...just out of interest..have another look and see if she has a brake caliper for a Hyundai Matrix...you never know

 

[stuvy]

With those sort of buying habits I would hide the bank card ...just out of interest..have another look and see if she has a brake caliper for a Hyundai Matrix...you never know

or a locking wheel nut key for my dads ford fusion

 

[PTvor]

just found an arc welder in my girlfriends cupboard, god knows why she bought it and she dosnt even know what it is lol

I bet you've just discovered your next birthday or Christmas present and she won't be at all pleased.

Certainly buying a welder and some rods doesn't fit in with a woman's impulsive or compulsive purchasing pattern, whereas shoes would.

 

[tiger99]

Well, a certain lady I know, not (yet?) my girlfriend, in Australia, wants some welding lessons next time she is over here. Few of us men undestand the female mind....

I will try her on TIG, which I am still struggling with myself.

I might have bought her a cheap MIG when I was in Australia last year, but could not figure out how to get gas cylinders. Looked at a cheap Bunnings buzz-box, but thought better of it.

 

[Ed.]

Well, a certain lady I know, not (yet?) my girlfriend, in Australia, wants some welding lessons next time she is over here. Few of us men undestand the female mind....

I will try her on TIG, which I am still struggling with myself.

I might have bought her a cheap MIG when I was in Australia last year, but could not figure out how to get gas cylinders. Looked at a cheap Bunnings buzz-box, but thought better of it.

Look elsewhere instead of Bunnings for welders! There are far better welding machines out there than the ones that Bunnings sell. The ones they have are really built to a price and though they are cheap they are not capable welding machines IMHO. If you want a cheap welder then have a look at one from the trade shops ie; Tradetools ect. or E-bay. Larger bottles are available from a number of places but are on a rental basis and not cheap, disposables bottle are expensive to run and don't last long.

 

[Drains]

Swedge, after youve turned up the current, check for any numbers written on the rods and let us know.