[Timmy_Tiggs]

Another view:

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

A few more of the ones on the right and I was done ahead of schedule. Smiles all around!

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

Why is somebody named Timmy_Tiggs telling us how to weld stick? :laugh:

Coincidentally, my cousin, Mickey_Miggs asked me the same thing!

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

The unit is an Everlast PowerTig 250EX. Another thing about welding stick at 145 amps is that the duty cycle is 80%. We used to have a Lincoln Power Mig, but we sold it to the sister company.
Tig and Stick actually go together pretty well. I think most Tig units come with stingers. You can rig a DC stick unit to DC TIG pretty easily, too.

I figured, for the stuff we did at this shop, we would hardly use MIG (I was right). The last thing I used MIG for was my bench.

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

This is from late July, 2023. Just finished the bench.

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

Arc force is a function that increases amperage as the arc length decreases. So, if you turned the amperage down to the bottom of the range, and buried the rod, with arc for4ce turned all the way up, it gave you a boost on the amperage. Nothing wrong with that approach. You could have also turned the amperage up some and lowered the arc force for the same effect.

Makes sense. In the 20th century, we didn't need no stinkin' arc force. Of course, I almost never welded anything thicker than 1/4" plate. Now they have machines that have variable hot start? (not my current rig). You guys may as well teach me about your experience, if any, with variable hot start rather than start a new thread. Meanwhile, I'll check out a couple of videos.

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

Another one is "anti-stick". Seems to me, a stick welder should be pro-stick. If you're anti-stick, maybe you should find another job! :laugh:

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

I remember talking to this gal who was selling a SAE 300 on craigslist, she was a stick welder down in the shipyard, I said something about tig and she was like, "Those tig welders are a buncha prissy primadonnas" LOL

Maybe, but when I ride on a ferry or other steel ship, I think "those ship welders sure are sloppy". :laugh:

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

If that was me, I would’ve propped those pieces up on a 45 so I could weld in the bottom of the vee. Don’t have to worry about the top leg sagging then.

It isn't sagging, it contracts when it cools, making it pull in and get out of square. If I clamp it to slightly more than 90 degrees by clamping it to a shimmed angle bolted to the bench and use the same size welds and same heat, I can get it quite close or exact when I release the clamps.

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

Okay, I think I see what you're getting at. But I figure, there are a lot of cases in which you can't tilt what you're welding on. I was using a tight circular motion as I went so as to engage the vertical and horizontal plates equally. I think that's what you mean?

 

[Timmy_Tiggs]

I was referring to the top leg of the weld, not the plate. If you're making a big fillet weld with one pass, it wants to roll down a little on you. Gravity, and all. I understand about the warping, you could tack those a little past square and have them pull in pretty close.

I don't know if tacks would be enough. I clamped the vertical plate to a piece of 3"x 3" x 3/16 angle that was bolted to the bench and shimmed with a couple of pieces of 1/32" brass to make it a little past square. I was shocked at how square some of them turned out, but I think the welds have to be consistent in length, amperage and travel speed to get consistent results.