New here and New to Stick Welding.

[Newfie_1986]

Hey guys I purchased a Cheap 150 amp stick welder on ebay (works great operator isnt too good though lol). I am using E6013 3/32" rod and well my beads are nothin to look at lol. As of now I am welding on some 3/16" plate that I have. I can get stuff to stick together to the point of where I have trouble breaking it apart ( have to use the grinder) but the beads well they are far from looking nice. Im sure with time I will get better (I hope). Im not having much trouble starting the arc. I did in the begining but what I learned to do is turn the heat up start the arc, then break the arc and restart with the heat turned where you need it. I find that method made starting easy. I read on some web site that there is a film on the steel that the arc needs to break though and turning the heat up for the inital arc breaks the film so it is easier to start the arc with the welder on a lower setting ? Anyone know if there is any truth to this. Oh and by the way im 19 years old am im pretty mechanically inclined. So any hints or tips you guys can give me will be appreciated !

Thanks,
Darryl

[TxRedneck]

Darryl,
Well not sure where you read that, but thats not very consistant with what Ive ever heard and done, and I am a sitck welder by trade. Anyway, there is however millscale on your steel that does make striking the arc that much more difficult and on thin stuff its an issue, well it can be with stick. What you do, set your machie for just running the arc. Then, Id grind or use a flapper to clean off the surface. Course if your running 3/16 I woudnt even bother. Ok, so then with 6013, youre gonna run the amps a tad higher than say like if you were on a 6011 or 6010. If you look at your box of rods they give you a amperage range. I think should tell you something like 40- 90 or so? Anyway, since youron a relatively thick piece I wouldnt be shy about giving it some heat. I generally stick close to the halfway, but on this I might go up to the 80-90 amp mark. If your burning holes or your undercutting your too hot. Also if its got excessive spatter too hot. If you could post a picture would help and all. But give it a shot, tell about hte heat settings and such too. Good luck
CHRIS

[Newfie_1986]

Thanks for the response ! I don't know where I read that but I read it somewhere on the net. On the box of rods it says 70-95 amp. When I get a chance I will lay a few more beads and put up a few pics of my low quality work lol. After I learn stick I may try Tig or Oxy Acetylene welding. Thanks for the tips and advice.

Darryl

[TxRedneck]

ok, something I also forgot to mention...when you first strike the arc, strike it like a match, then longarc it long enough to get the heat and get a puddle, then drop it right down. 6013 is one of them drag rods so the flux burns slower than the metal and wiht light dragging youll make a fine weld. Anyway, good luck
CHRIS

[TxRedneck]

oh and btw, welcome to the site...theres plenty of folks here who are willing to give you some assistance or advice or anything else. just dont get discouraged.
CHRIS

[Newfie_1986]

Thanks for the welcome and the tips. I dont plan on getting discouraged soon lol. In the begining I would tap start the rod but since I have been using the scratch start method I havent been able to start using the tap start method. The scratch start mehod is way easier !!! Oh here is a pic of my welder (Cost me $120 Canadian to the door). I dont have any pics of my welds yet but I will get some asap http://photos.yahoo.com/darryl_86 go to the welding album.

Darryl

[TxRedneck]

well darryl you sure do know how to have fun. I can tap start it, but im a professional welder and I dont even tap start. I will if I need to...some times you have to with paint or something. But normally I just, granted i still make a real short strike lol almost no differnt from my tap, but one is more of a tap and the other more of a strike. Good luck catch ya later
CHRIS

[Newfie_1986]

Well I went out and laid a few quick beads today before the rain started (Had to rush)! I got a pic too. I know already that im not very steady the the fact that I grinded the side off of my finger before I started welding didn't help me get any smoother shouldn't have tried holding that small piece of steel while grinding it without gloves (live and learn). Well here you go don't laugh too hard !! http://photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos look in the welding album lol...

[Snidley]

Hi Newfie

They don't look to bad. The Bead seems a little high so you may be going to slow or you need high amps. Of course real close ups will help all with what bead is doing.

Just keep practising. You could also try 6011 rods. They will splatter more and the bead won't look as pretty as a 6013, but are a deeper penetrating rod than the 6013 and are very good at welding (even not really clean metal) stuff together. Another rod good to start with would be 7014. Keep the amps in the upper range, get the proper angle on the rod, drag it and all you have to worry about is being consistant in your speed and line.

Practise, practise, practise. Then apply on small projects to start.

[Newfie_1986]

Thanks Snidley for the advice ! When I made those runs I was at about 95 amps ! I may have been going a bit on the slow side. I will look into getting some 6011 and some 7014 rods to try out.

Thanks,
Darryl

[Snidley]

Forgot to mention that 7014's will have a heavy (sort of powdery) slag due to the iron coating. Sometimes they are referred to as mud rods. These are mainly for plate welding & ornamental iron.

[Newfie_1986]

In the future I plan to reweld my brothers trailer for hauling his atv. My uncle welded it together for him with a Lincoln 100 amp mig. Well my uncle is far from a welder he welded it using MANY tack welds which leave me to believe that the trailer isnt as strong as it should be !! I fear the trailer is going to fall apart on the highway and someone is going to be killed. I don't plan to reweld the trailer for a while (until I get better) my brother wont be using it again until next summer any ways.. The trailer is built with 2x2 square stock and 1x1 square stock with 1/8" side walls. I figure when I go to do this I will use a 3/32" or 1/8" 6011 or 6013 rod ? I will grind out the old welds and go to town rewelding. By that time I hope to have a 200 amp high frequency arc/tig welder. Any advice you guys could give me on this project would be great !
Thanks
Darryl