Gouging with a Stick Welder

[Shootr]

I have a 5/8" plate of AR400 that I need to punch a 1/2" +/- hole through. Is there a way to use a stick welder to burn one through it? Not airarc, just a "normal" rod.

Just wondering. Thx

[Kelvin]

Biggest stick of 6010 you've got, turn up the dig to eleven and let 'er eat!

[Willie B]

You need a robust welder that won't overheat. Biggest 6010/6011 you can find. Soak it in water.

Do you not have access to oxy/acetylene?

[shortfuse]

I have "gouged" 1/4" plate with 1/8, 6011, about 140-160 amps. Kinda messy but it "gouged"!

[tapwelder]

If you do this, i will be interested in the results. I have done cutting in 1/8 mild steel with 6011. Why are you considering this? I punch holes with mig in 14 g. Perfectly round. I think 5/8" will test your machines capacity. Good luck.

[123weld]

yrs ago i think got some rods from someone, that were supposed to be for cutting. no air involved. i never tried them, and might still have them. i dont think it was thought to be a nice cut, but it was if u dont have a torch/etc. i dont think this was a dream, i think i remeber this. i dont know if they had numbers on them or what, but this is what they were inteded for. they were brown and 5/32 i think. i'm gonna try to look for them. anyway, if i had to do it w/ 6010, id start off overhead, so stuff fall down/off, instead of piling up/around. and i might just keep the arc going and bust through (or almost) in overhead, if things looked to being ok . then once u got a hole, flip it over to flat, and use ur hole u created to blow ur material out, while u shape/carve it to diesired

[Shootr]

You need a robust welder that won't overheat.

Yeaaaaahhhhhh, about that...

Finally managed to burn up the little guy - my own fault. I got through the plate with 5 rods of 6011 and was trying to enlarge the hole when it went dead. I've never bumped up against the duty cycle before but I guess this one just dies when I did.

I'd be more upset, but I bought the extended warranty and it just reimbursed me for the entire purchase - all by computer chat of all things. So I got a year+ of welding learning/experimenting/practice for free. But I'm done with this brand - I think I was one of the lucky ones that got as much out of it as I did. Plus now I know what I really need and don't need. Not building bridges, fabbing vehicle suspensions, etc. - going to go with a Forney Easy Weld 140 MP. Simple, not chinese, and all my existing parts (including the spare mig gun I bought) will be usable with it.

Anywho, as always - you all rock. I appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge.

[whtbaron]

Bummer... I've done that with the buzz boxes before I got the O/A, but they were 225 and 230 amps. I guess I didn't realize how hard I was pushing them, but I know I had the amps cranked a waaay up there...

[Sberry]

I am curious sometimes,,,, what does a hobby type use AR400 for?

[rexcormack]

I am curious sometimes,,,, what does a hobby type use AR400 for?

Targets?

[Shootr]

Targets?

Yep - someone in town has all different sizes for really good prices.

[cwby]

Those rods 123weld was talking about are called chamfer rods. They work, but not as well as an arc gouging set up with air.
https://weldingrods.com/blog/chamfer...ing-electrode/

[Lis2323]

Bummer... I've done that with the buzz boxes before I got the O/A, but they were 225 and 230 amps. I guess I didn't realize how hard I was pushing them, but I know I had the amps cranked a waaay up there...

SAME

I used to do that with my Forney when I first got it. Full amps with 6011.

Worked okay when you have nothing else but then a greenhouse nearby closed up and we bought their oxy/acetylene rig.

That was back in the mid 1960s. Lol


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[Lis2323]

Got this exothermic lance now but I've never had to use it.







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[farmersammm]

Got this exothermic lance now but I've never had to use it.







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Get a bigger one, and you're in business......................

About 10 minutes in, is the SCENE.

[Lis2323]

Get a bigger one, and you're in business......................

About 10 minutes in, is the SCENE.

I tried advertising it as a rental for "those pesky bank vault doors" but I attracted a pretty sketchy clientele.

Who'd a thunk???


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[Shootr]

Get a bigger one, and you're in business......................

About 10 minutes in, is the SCENE.

Damn! One of my all time favorite movies! Nice!

[farmall]

There's an Army pub (don't have it handy) showing a simple conversion of a conventional stick electrode holder and some steel brake line clamped to it as an expedient gouger. Nothing to it, just a 9-degree bend and a valve. I scored a gouger cheap so I've not made one but the examples in pubs are tested to work.

An exo torch is basically an expensive collet with a handle and valve. Adapters exist to fit cutting torches. https://www.flametechnologies.com/in...utting-adaptor

I have a box of cutting rods but rarely use them except when I want to reach where I can't fit a torch. They're not a substitute for a cutting torch but they do work. I bought them to try them and wouldn't bother again.

[rexcormack]

I've done quite a bit of arc gouging, although none of it was on purpose!

[Welder Dave]

Where is the Forney welder made, Italy? I think I would have heated the AR400 orange and then tried to drill a hole in it after it cooled. I did that on the cutting edge of my skid steer bucket after reading about it on here.

[Willie B]

My Twentieth Century 295 was represented as the toughest welder ever built. They promoted it as a cheaper way to cut than oxy/acetylene or oxy/propane. They claimed 100% duty cycle. I never burned up either of mine, don't know of anybody who did.

As for cutting with 5/32" 6011 soaked overnight: It was violent & crude. I'd use it to cut up junk for scrap. Sparks go ONLY into my clothing!