plug welds

[sardine]

I'm not getting 100% success with my plug welds on 3 mm sheet, there's alot of slag traps, i'm using an 8 mm hole, and a 2.5 vodex, feeding it vertically down for a count of three, i've cut some open and some have no penetration on the back plate.

whats the proper technique ?

 

[Windy Miller]

Well I'm no expert, but I'd think that plug welding with stick would be very tricky to get right. What you are trying to do is almost a circular lap weld (or is it a fillet?) in a tiny hole that won't allow the proper rod angle, or any easy way to keep ahead of the slag.

Try a bigger hole maybe? Smaller Rods? Wind the juice right up and start puddling about?

I've never tried it and I wouldn't know how to do it properly, but I'd be interested to know if there is a procedure for this, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along in a while to shed some light on it.

If it were me doing this I'd either MIG it, or use another type of join if stick is the only thing available.

 

[awemawson]

I always use a circular motion with the rod, and rather more current than normal.

 

[Paul G]

Sharpen a drill to 90 deg and countersink the hole.
Cheers,
Paul G