Help required. I feel clueless

[indy4x]

 

[Dcal]

You can weld vertical down but it's not easy to keep in front of the flux and you will get a poor weld because you need to go fast to keep ahead of the flux.

Vertical up is a far better process.
7018s or even better 7016s will give you a fighting chance.

Jodie on tube has some very good instructional videos but this thread is a good place to start.

Vertical up or down? - Welding Tips and Tricks

 

[Erie Fred]

while informative, for a beginner arc force is not needed.
Get some time under the hood, and work with a basic machine.
Too many knobs spoil the lesson.

 

[denlow60]

I'll post the worse welds I bet you've even seen. I'm gradually getting the hang of MIG but I was attempting to weld up a fence using Stick and I'm really struggling. I'd had a play about on bits of scrap and seemed to be able to get the hand of it. Albeit, indoors, on a table with thinner metal. I've been mucking about with different settings but cant seem to get the hang of it at all. I do have trouble seeing what I'm doing and keeping a steady hand and it's a bit tight to get into some areas but nevertheless I feel that I'm getting worse, not better. Don't laugh as you'll put me off forever

View attachment 458874 View attachment 458875 View attachment 458876 View attachment 458877

this is art.

 

[Prajna]

By a tighter arc do you mean stop going all over the place?


Yes, it's vertical. I think someone else has said the same further down


Thanks, I'll give this a go


Yes, vertical and going down. Looks like I should be going up, where I can. Will be a bit difficult at the bottom but I'll worry about that at the time. Some places are hard to get to.


Yes, I'm not sure what I'm looking for tbh. It often looks ok, until i knock the slag off.


I'm using a true colour one but you're correct. Lens could do with a clean. I was working outside and for once it was sunny. That wasnt helping as I could see an auld man staring back at me in the lens when the sun was behind me.



Thanks for all your replies and advice guys, much appreciated. I'll give it a go and let you know what happens. Maybe not until next week now with all the other commitments.

If you're seeing reflections in the mask with the sun behind you then you've no chance of seeing the weld. I tape a cloth to the back of my mask to block the light and see much better.

 

[Popcorn]

I tape a cloth to the back of my mask to block the light and see much better.

Best if the cloths non flammable as well, or a short back and sides could be in order

 

[xillent]

Best if the cloths non flammable as well, or a short back and sides could be in order

Haha. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have a very very short back and sides and top and front these days.

 

[leadpig]

I'm using a true colour one but you're correct. Lens could do with a clean. I was working outside and for once it was sunny. That wasnt helping as I could see an auld man staring back at me in the lens when the sun was behind

Hood made a huge difference to vision and stops you burning your Swede as well.
A cheater lens may help as well if you're vision isn't as good as it was

 

[xillent]

if you would like some 7018 rods to have a play with let me know , I am in glasgow so happy to drop you some
Was always taught vertical up was the way to go , the 7018 do help as the slag forms quickly , 6013 i find just try to drip down

Thank you very much for the kind offer. I have some but much appreciated.

 

[xillent]

I hope these are a bit better, albeit not very straight. Still having trouble getting 7018 to strike all the time. I see what you mean though re 6013 just dripping down.

 

[Dcal]

7018s are hard to restrike, the melted flux is like glass and covers the end of the electrode so you have to hammer the end to get them to light up again.

Some people file the flux off or rub it on a piece of concrete but I think you are better practicing getting them to relight as normal because the unmelted flux is also brittle and very likely to fall off the end of the rod which is worse.

If it was critical work, the pros wouldn't think of restarting a rod but us DIYs have to learn.