Help with some arc welds

[Memmeddu]

I've never had many issues on the DC inverter although they've never been great. Problems always been with AC.

Another go today (AC).
Root pass, have to stop half way as it takes the garage breaker out otherwise.
View attachment 229585

couple of passes over the top (again stopping in the middle to stop the breaker tripping), not very neat but they're continuous beads which is progress

View attachment 229584



I find I'm almost dragging the rod against the steel with the flux it is so close, my arc length has been way too long for years on all positions I reckon. Every day is a school day as they say

Just push the rod against the angle, you don't need to drag the travel speed would be dictated by the rod itself while burning

 

[jimbo84]

are you left handed by chance ??

No, I'm right handed.

 

[Memmeddu]

No, I'm right handed.

I discovered that I'm both right and left handed , while I had to use my left hand only for two weeks cause an injury to my right hand
Anyway I always used both hands while welding but never discovered that I can do as well as with my right hand .
Anyway right hand is my dominant but I'm using the left one quite often since I've discovered I can use it without killing me .
The first day I was worried and scared about driving a fork in my eyes while having lunch but I was pretty happy discovering that it was not too bad ,and every day better

 

[tom2207]

No, I'm right handed.

are you starting on the left of the weld and dragging towards the right , normal stick practice for a right hander
or starting in the right and trying to push over the weld to get to the left like mig
may sound like an odd question , but im looking at the freeze pattern and its the wrong way round
maybe just the way the work piece has been moved for the pictures ,,,

 

[jimbo84]

are you starting on the left of the weld and dragging towards the right , normal stick practice for a right hander
or starting in the right and trying to push over the weld to get to the left like mig
may sound like an odd question , but im looking at the freeze pattern and its the wrong way round
maybe just the way the work piece has been moved for the pictures ,,,

See what you mean, it varies depending on the position/side I'm welding on but I always drag the rod away from the weld, the opposite of pushing it like you would with mig.

 

[tom2207]

See what you mean, it varies depending on the position/side I'm welding on but I always drag the rod away from the weld, the opposite of pushing it like you would with mig.

Sorry to ask such a basic question , it was just the way the freeze ripples were looking ,,, just no harm in checking.

 

[Munkul]

Is that normal? I'm right handed and drag rod towards the left, if the choice is there.

You don't need or want a huge drag angle though.

 

[tom2207]

Is that normal? I'm right handed and drag rod towards the left, if the choice is there.

You don't need or want a huge drag angle though.

it is for me ,,, as long as its being dragged rather than trying to push , which if you had started out with overhand mig would be very easy to think that stick was the same ,,, generally speaking.
left to right , right to left , upwards or down , they all have their places and uses , just making sure that the drag bit was covered for the basics ,,,, and please dont tell me its an up hill push
lifes an up hill push at times too { and I dont mean at bed time lol} ,,, were just covering the basics

 

[Memmeddu]

are you starting on the left of the weld and dragging towards the right , normal stick practice for a right hander
or starting in the right and trying to push over the weld to get to the left like mig
may sound like an odd question , but im looking at the freeze pattern and its the wrong way round
maybe just the way the work piece has been moved for the pictures ,,,

I think that there is no difference ,I normally do that it's the same exact thing , I don't understand why people find difficult to do that.

 

[Memmeddu]

I think that there is no difference ,I normally do that it's the same exact thing , I don't understand why people find difficult to do that.

I am thinking about and TBH with 7018 I do prefer left to right , because the different travel angle I use with it , but with 6013 I use a steep drag angle so I'm able to clearly see puddle .
7018 sometimes depending on the position you end up having the electrode holder obstructing the view

 

[Mark 2]

Thats just ridiculous

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