Thread: Stick Welding Tips Required

What type and size rods are u using?
What amps?
What is base metal thickness?
Are u pre heating?

Garry, your questions just inspire more questions but I will answer what I can.

Originally Posted by garrycol

I have been doing some repairs to the rear X member of my 101 and have some welding questions. I am using an electric stick welder but also have access to oxy acetelyne welding as well but prefer the electric welder.

Questions are:

1. Overhead and vertical welding - reduce amps to about 2/3??? Tips??

If you have no actual amperage measurement on the machine then I would be using it around max on medium (comon type GP) rods and the thinner the rod I would lower the amperage bit by bit testing it out on some scrap to see how it is welding

2. If amps reduced - do you still get the required penetration?No

3. Welding on vertical - go up or down? stitch from side to side? or what?? Tips??Go up as much as you can and once you have put a reasonable strong weld underneithe you can cap it by doing a fast down weld to make it look nice

4. Some of the metal I will have to weld is very rusty - normally this would be cleaned up to a nice bright surface - however some of the metal in tight spots where the grinder with a wire brush cannot get at - best I could manage is a jason pistol and hand wire brush but it will still be very dirty. Any suggestions on how to weld well to materials that are not as clean as they should be?? I would get the oxy into it and try to loosen the rust off that way.
If it is really flakey then if you give it a spray with some water first it sometimes will help flake it off when its heated with the oxy.

This will also oxidise the metal which will make it much easier to clean up and then will weld.

You cant weld dirty rusty metal, it just wont have any strength if you do get a weld on it at all.


5. Welding stick (electrode) wanting to stick to the job - not enough amps? yes too many amps? Will burn holes too much dirt? Wont arc welding stick not hot enough??Will give a crappy weld with no penatration

Any other pointers for welding with less than optimally clean materials.

Thanks

Garry

Other pointers.........

Make sure you dont go over the same weld without cleaning off the slag as it will not give you any penatration.

Make sure you use good quality, dry electrodes.

Go get an inverter welder for starters, the older type transformer welders just dont compare and this sounds like you want to do a good job.

If you cant get your hands on an Inverter then go and hire a mig but dont use a gasless as you may as well just use your arc welder.

The MIG will be much easier to use for this job if your not an accomplished welder.

Originally Posted by big harold

What type and size rods are u using?
What amps?
What is base metal thickness?
Are u pre heating?

Mild steels rods - 1mm - 3.2mm dependent on thickness of metal.

Amps - between 40 and about 90 dependent on thickness of metal and rods being used.

Metal thickness varies between 1.5mm and 3mm where it is sheet but in reinforced areas maybe up to 5mm thick.

No preheating except from residual heat from pervious welding.

Cheers

Garry

sounds like you need a TAFE hobby welding course.

Originally Posted by garrycol

Mild steels rods - 1mm - 3.2mm dependent on thickness of metal.

Amps - between 40 and about 90 dependent on thickness of metal and rods being used.

Metal thickness varies between 1.5mm and 3mm where it is sheet but in reinforced areas maybe up to 5mm thick.

No preheating except from residual heat from pervious welding.

Cheers

Garry

Welding <2mm is a HUGE PITA with a stick. I have done it plenty of times, but it is still a PITA!

Don't use oxy - excess heat can cause embrittlement and lead to fatigue cracking - also don't use water to cool anything - let it cool slowly.

Set up some test pieces, and practice on them until you get it right.

When welding thin metal, I weld in short sections and then let it cool in between (or weld say 1" sections and leave a 1" gap) - otherwise you run the risk of blowing holes as the metal heats up.

If the welder sticks, then either the amps are too low or your technique is wrong (stick too perpendicular and/or too much pressure). Stick welders are somewhat) forgiving of rusty bits, but what about using a dremel to clean it up first?

Thanks for the pointers - I have not problem welding when the metal is nice and new and sitting on a bench - the problems I have is when the project is in a position or is in a condition that is far from ideal and circumstances prevent proper cleaning or you have to weld upside down.

I actually have done a welding course using mig, oxy and stick but it was more aligned to fabrication where you have nice metal etc - not repair crap.

For example - if the job welding on the flat requires say 70 amps - what should the amps set at if welding over head or vertical - I did hear that amps should be 2/3rds - but my concern is then what will the penetration be like - poor I guess.

The point about quality of welding rods is spot on - I have some old CIG and these work great where my new no name ones bought from Bunnings are crap.

The welder is an old CIG transformer - I have a MIG but returned the gas bottle as it was just too expensive for the use it got. Also as said the stick welder is a bit forgiving on crappy projects where the MIG is absolutely useless. I found that on nice clean metal in ideal conditions, the MIG was no better than the stick anyway.

My main problem is getting the metal clean in tight out of the way spots and having to weld in overhead and vertical positions and in pokey spots.

Thanks to everyone for the pointers

Garry

Go to a Repco store and investigate their range of throw away gas bottles for mig & tig. A bottle is about the same price as 3 months rent on my BOC bottle which will be returned when it is empty. I handed in my oxy and acetylene bottles years ago when I realised I had not used them for at least 6 months and decided $300 per annum was too much of a luxury. I wish our gas authorities would allow disposable oxy/acetylene bottles like Bernzomatic sell in the UsA where you can get them at your local hardware or auto parts stores.

One word

"TIG"

MMAW for thin chassis is just way tooooo tricky (for me anyway).

But oxy would be just as good, why do you prefer the stick?