Newbie needing arc advice

[cliff366]

Hi guys hope your all good I've just got myself a arc welder I've had a good look though but havnt found seen if there's a guide like on the tig tutorial on a amps/ rod thickness plate thickness to get me started on a rough area on settings please
Cheers

 

[AdrianH]

There is an arc tutorial on the home page, copied here:- http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/arc-tutorial.htm

When you get rods in the box they would typically have an amperage rating on them for example 3.2 rods may be 100 to 140 Amps
2.5 mm rods may be 70 to 90 etc.
They will also let you know if preferred AC or DC electrode positive DCEP, or Electrode negative, DCEN with respect to the earth clamp.

Let us know what arc welder you have and someone may be able to assist with settings useer guide or similar.

Adrian

 

[Richard.]

2.5 rods - 70-90
3.2 rods -100-130
4.0 rods - 140-180
Very roughly speaking.
Position, material thickness, rod type, input voltage, unit calibration all make big differences to the current you select on the unit.

 

[cliff366]

Cheers chaps it's a draper 140 arc

 

[Bill Edwards]

What do you intend to weld?

Get some decent rods, the kind sold in places such as Machine Mart are to be avoided as the quality can be poor, and you'll be making life harder for yourself. Go for 6013 from Murex, Pheonix, ESAB etc as they make good ones.
3.2 rods are a little easier to learn on, but you'll find that welder will overheat quite quickly so you'll probably be limitied to 2.5mm rods for most jobs and practicing.

 

[cliff366]

What do you intend to weld?

Get some decent rods, the kind sold in places such as Machine Mart are to be avoided as the quality can be poor, and you'll be making life harder for yourself. Go for 6013 from Murex, Pheonix, ESAB etc as they make good ones.
3.2 rods are a little easier to learn on, but you'll find that welder will overheat quite quickly so you'll probably be limitied to 2.5mm rods for most jobs and practicing.

I'm not sure what I'm going to weld tbh it was cheap so I grabbed it more for the sake if I ever need to repair thick stuff it's there to get me out off trouble and have a little play about with arc as my main mig is only a 90amp as 90% work I do is car repairs and I have to carry it to the car as can't get the car near enough to my shed

 

[BrokenBiker]

its a very very slim chance but i may be in essex (basildon) after new years with work, if i am i dont mind giving you a hand if you need it. i find stick welding the easiest of the 3 electric processes, alot say mig is easier but i much prefer stick

 

[cliff366]

its a very very slim chance but i may be in essex (basildon) after new years with work, if i am i dont mind giving you a hand if you need it. i find stick welding the easiest of the 3 electric processes, alot say mig is easier but i much prefer stick

Cheers that would be great !! I still havnt unwrapped it yet lol any days I've had free have been nice so been cracking on with the beetle I did a bit off stick years ago but tbh I didn't have a clue what I was doing but have read up pleanty off here so I hope to have more of a clue ;0)

 

[Adeel]

you can find it easily on rod manufacturers portals. They provide the size-amp chart, you can search it. Regards

 

[Bill Edwards]

In this case, I'd say any chart or other amperage recommendation would be next to useless...

It all depends what mood the pointy stick screwer onner was in on the day he screwed the pointy stick into your machine

I speak from buzzbox experience.

That's my experience too.

 

[cliff366]

Well found 1/2hour today to play only rods I had was what came with it clarke 2mm rods will post some pics later but I think I was going to fast as used to mig found it hard to gauge the puddle size as they have come out thin and proud after the slags knocked off

 

[cliff366]

In this case, I'd say any chart or other amperage recommendation would be next to useless...

It all depends what mood the pointy stick screwer onner was in on the day he screwed the pointy stick into your machine

I speak from buzzbox experience.

Seems that way as only had 2mm sticks and seemed best nearer the 2.5 setting lol

 

[BrokenBiker]

When I was being taught I was told as a guide to let the puddle swell to roughly twice the width of the rod and then travel at a speed to maintain that size.

 

[cliff366]

What I found I was doing at the start was trying to get to the end off the 6mn plate as I would when mig welding where that's not the case with arc as there's not a continuous feed off wire after I got that in my head the welds was a lot better

 

[Bill Edwards]

2mm rods...
You're making life very hard for yourself. Use either 2.5 or 3.2 (most find the latter easier) and keep the 2mm for when the MIG breaks, or for stirring paint. They aren't very easy to use.

 

[BrokenBiker]

i would suggest you start with a 3.2 on some thick material, once you have gotten good with thos move down to 2.5's, they ar a little bit harder to run but only really because the burn quicker and you cant 'drag' them like a 3.2 (or atleast i cant anyway). 2mm rods are a PITA but useable after some practice but if you ever think about trying 1.6mm rods just forget it, they are useless, there is more flux than rod in them

 

[cliff366]

Thanks for the advice was only playing with the 2s as it's what came with it will get some 3.2s and have a play and report back with some photos
Cheers guys