- Thread starter ned
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MattH
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Lol, tough day mate?
Arclikeharrypotter
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Tough love there Hugh!!!
Bill Edwards
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What he says is quite correct though!
Arclikeharrypotter
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It might be!
Bill Edwards
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Well ned, hoping we've not put you off! Any chance to improve yet?
BrokenBiker
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filling gaps is hard work with stick...tight arc, hold on one side for a second, flick over to the other side (as if you are 'jumping' the gap), hold a second and repeat...if it starts to keyhole or get away from you just stop, let it cool, clean it up and start again...
if it was mig then that gap would be easy but stick just isnt the way forward with gaps...fit up and arc length are very important...a long arc will splodge weld metal all over the place and leave a nice run of slag down the centre of the weld...bad fit up will just melt the edges away and replace them with horrible messy weld and slag traps
if it was mig then that gap would be easy but stick just isnt the way forward with gaps...fit up and arc length are very important...a long arc will splodge weld metal all over the place and leave a nice run of slag down the centre of the weld...bad fit up will just melt the edges away and replace them with horrible messy weld and slag traps
ned
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not at all, never think it. I drink a lot at the weekends hence I'm not usually online.
If im honest, i was too dumb to realise i had to knock the slag off before welding on top of it. That is pretty dumb.
I'm having a few issues welding this box, or rather - not right now, right now its going very well and im enjoying it, - but yah its deff harder than mig.
Burning holes is a constant, its hard to get the temp right. There is no point filling in holes with Arc, I need to forget about that, so I tried harder with my fit.
Its not as easy to make pretty welds. I dont really want to look at youtube vids for technique. I'd rather happen across it myself, though that's talking a while. At the moment I'm using a slight weave. Pointers appreciated.
Knocking the slag off is a bit of a pain but I suppose if you are rewarded for it with a decent weld then okay.
Heres what I've done today. This bench is prettymuch finished. I had to go back over all the welds and look for holes, due to me not knocking the slag off. Its looking in good shape now though.
I'm having some issue with my phone / camera, the pics seem to be lost on it. These are what i could retrieve, not a lot to go on really.
I'll keep posting up progress as I go.
@brokenbiker - so a long arc is good?
Kinda hard to articulate this stuff, hard to describe. At the moment I wouldnt say im going for either tight or long, haha, okay not that hard to describe lol, Im just striking an arc.
I'm guessing your going to get a different result with a long as opposed to a short one
If im honest, i was too dumb to realise i had to knock the slag off before welding on top of it. That is pretty dumb.
I'm having a few issues welding this box, or rather - not right now, right now its going very well and im enjoying it, - but yah its deff harder than mig.
Burning holes is a constant, its hard to get the temp right. There is no point filling in holes with Arc, I need to forget about that, so I tried harder with my fit.
Its not as easy to make pretty welds. I dont really want to look at youtube vids for technique. I'd rather happen across it myself, though that's talking a while. At the moment I'm using a slight weave. Pointers appreciated.
Knocking the slag off is a bit of a pain but I suppose if you are rewarded for it with a decent weld then okay.
Heres what I've done today. This bench is prettymuch finished. I had to go back over all the welds and look for holes, due to me not knocking the slag off. Its looking in good shape now though.
I'm having some issue with my phone / camera, the pics seem to be lost on it. These are what i could retrieve, not a lot to go on really.
I'll keep posting up progress as I go.
@brokenbiker - so a long arc is good?
Kinda hard to articulate this stuff, hard to describe. At the moment I wouldnt say im going for either tight or long, haha, okay not that hard to describe lol, Im just striking an arc.
I'm guessing your going to get a different result with a long as opposed to a short one
Arclikeharrypotter
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If your welding say 30mm box on to 50mm box then it should just be a simple fillet, if your fit up is good. If 50 to 50 then a little trickier as you'll start with a gap
BrokenBiker
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get the arc struck then get your arc so tight your practically dragging the flux coating along the steel...infact, do just that, then let move at a speed that lets the liquid weld puddle spread to just a tiny bit wider than the rod...
i dont like dragging the rod, but if im in an awkward position or im just tired after a long day i will drag it to make sure ive got the tightest arc i can (without sticking the rod)
a long arc is akin to the devil...it will throw weld metal all voer the place, it will be easier to blow holes in thinner stuff as its a hotter arc i believe, its hard to control and it is a lot brighter so its harder to see what you are doing...you will get a lot of slag inclusions with long arcing it...
2-3mm is a good starting point but as above, drag the tip of the rod...this will also help you feed in consistently as you will feel the rod tip lift if you arent feeding in fast enough...
i dont like dragging the rod, but if im in an awkward position or im just tired after a long day i will drag it to make sure ive got the tightest arc i can (without sticking the rod)
a long arc is akin to the devil...it will throw weld metal all voer the place, it will be easier to blow holes in thinner stuff as its a hotter arc i believe, its hard to control and it is a lot brighter so its harder to see what you are doing...you will get a lot of slag inclusions with long arcing it...
2-3mm is a good starting point but as above, drag the tip of the rod...this will also help you feed in consistently as you will feel the rod tip lift if you arent feeding in fast enough...
Bill Edwards
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Looking much, much better ned.
But stop with the weaving, you need straight runs. The arc length has to be kept short, never long (with that said, when starting a stubborn rod that just wants to stick you can burn off the end with a long arc on a piece of scrap then move to the joint and use it correctly).
Generally you can get away with dragging the rod until you're in more control.
Knocking the slag off is just an annoying part of stick welding, a wire brush is your friend here.
But aim to get things just right and it'll peel off all by itself.
But stop with the weaving, you need straight runs. The arc length has to be kept short, never long (with that said, when starting a stubborn rod that just wants to stick you can burn off the end with a long arc on a piece of scrap then move to the joint and use it correctly).
Generally you can get away with dragging the rod until you're in more control.
Knocking the slag off is just an annoying part of stick welding, a wire brush is your friend here.
But aim to get things just right and it'll peel off all by itself.
BrokenBiker
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a twist knot brush in a 4.5" grinder is a god send when stick welding...i left it far too long to get one
Bill Edwards
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They are brilliant, but spending the evening pulling the wires out from your clothing that was under the overalls isn't something I enjoy!
Arclikeharrypotter
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Can relate to this, even worse when dealing with crimped wire!!!
BrokenBiker
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i havent found them in my clothes yet...occasionally in my arm ut not in my clothes lol
slim_boy_fat
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Woollen jumpers are good at catching the stray arrows too. 
Bill Edwards
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Are you running them slower, such as from a variable speed grinder?
I know full well that when I pick up a grinder with a wire wheel I can expect to keep feeling and pulling the bits out from my clothing (torso, arms, legs) from that point until bed. And that's including what stayed put after the overalls came off.
BrokenBiker
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no just a standard 600 watt bosch 4.5" grinder...i has still got the ginding guard on and i am usually wearing thick overalls
Bill Edwards
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And mine is wattage unknown (probably 1000) and obviously guarded and thick overalls...
Either differences in quality of brushes or the direction in which they're sent, I do sometimes use them in odd positions.
Either differences in quality of brushes or the direction in which they're sent, I do sometimes use them in odd positions.
