I'm looking at buying a stick welder but I need it to be able to handle 3/8". I've looked at pretty much every brand and none will give me the welders min/max weldable materials and instead tell me the min/max electrode I can use on the machine. What I need to know is what kind of power output do I need to be able to penetrate up to 3/8" steel(I know I'll need multi pass). Thanks for any input.
Bohdan
here ya go. I have the 250a version of this machine and it works pretty good. Some of them are a lil better than the others b/c of the silicon lottery so dont be afraid to swap it out. First one i got had a lil trouble with the overheating so just upgrade the fan, but it works pretty well. i love the arc force knob; it seems to really make a difference. (set it at max and leave it) https://www.amazon.com/SUNGOLDPOWER...r_1_3_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1542771766&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=stick+welder&psc=1
Using an 1/8" 7018 rod (or similar) you can weld unlimited thickness with multi pass welds - material beveled to full penetration.
This is why they tell you rod size instead of material thickness.
As a result, any 160 amp and above stick welder will do what you need.
The larger the machine, the longer the duty cycle and the larger the rod you can burn. Big rods equal fewer passes.
This is why they tell you rod size instead of material thickness.
As a result, any 160 amp and above stick welder will do what you need.
The larger the machine, the longer the duty cycle and the larger the rod you can burn. Big rods equal fewer passes.
Unless you are doing code work almost all stick/arc welders 120 amps or more will work with 6011 and 6013 rods
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no stick welding can penetrate 3/8" thick steel unless way over 300 amps. always need to bevel joint as penetration of .010 to .050" is far more common on all sizes. as stick size gets bigger the bead width gets wider not necessarily deeper. as you approach melt through amps the bead will be hard to control and look bad normally.
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i have inside fillet welded 3/8 steel using 1/8 and 5/32 7018 and rarely ever needed over 190 amps. if welding out of position like vertical up easier to use 1/8 7018 at 100 to 110 amps
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outside fillet weld like welding box corners from the outside uses maybe 20-30 amps less and sometimes even 3/32 rod
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butt weld 2 flat plates always vee beveled and always at least 2 or 3 passes to make nice looking weld
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if you looked in a book on flat position inside fillet weld of 3/8 plate you will probably see much bigger rod and much more amps recommended like 275 to 350 amps and 7/32 rod. in 40 years i never even seen 7/32 rod. 3/16 rod is biggest most welders ever use and usually for 1/2 or thicker plate
no stick welding can penetrate 3/8" thick steel unless way over 300 amps. always need to bevel joint as penetration of .010 to .050" is far more common on all sizes. as stick size gets bigger the bead width gets wider not necessarily deeper. as you approach melt through amps the bead will be hard to control and look bad normally.
.
i have inside fillet welded 3/8 steel using 1/8 and 5/32 7018 and rarely ever needed over 190 amps. if welding out of position like vertical up easier to use 1/8 7018 at 100 to 110 amps
.
outside fillet weld like welding box corners from the outside uses maybe 20-30 amps less and sometimes even 3/32 rod
.
butt weld 2 flat plates always vee beveled and always at least 2 or 3 passes to make nice looking weld
.
if you looked in a book on flat position inside fillet weld of 3/8 plate you will probably see much bigger rod and much more amps recommended like 275 to 350 amps and 7/32 rod. in 40 years i never even seen 7/32 rod. 3/16 rod is biggest most welders ever use and usually for 1/2 or thicker plate
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