SuperDave Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Welding is easy if you learn the basics and practice. Don't develop bad habits.... do it by the book. Like mentioned earlier by someone that dragging (or pulling) the electrode on a SMAW (shielded metal arc welding) or stick welder for short, burns in deeper is pure hogwash. Drag a rod and push a rod at the same position and amp range and see which one has the better penetration. Any weld, I repeat ANY WELD is only as good as it's weakest point, and there are several types of electrodes, all of which have a welding position which is denoted in the numbers E6010, E6011, E6013, E 7018 etc... not all rods can run in the same positons. You're not supposed to run beads downhill on certain rods because of the risk of slag inclusion, and porosity in the weld. Both will flunk you out of a certification test if you don't believe me go try to test and the minute you try to run 7018 or low hydrogen rod down hill they'll come and turn off your machine and flunk you. I've seen it. This is why I say do it by the book, get educated and practice. If you're building a fence do it however, but the type of welding I did was pressure vessel (boiler, and high pressure steam and fluid handling lines) welding which you have to pass a extensive testing process. My welds were subjected to X-Ray inspection etc... serious shit. I am certified in black pipe stick or MIG (wirefed) and alloy rated in TIG and would recommend a MIG over about any machine for versatility. TIG is nice, but slow and not very convenient for a shop or garage welder. Buy a AC/DC stick welder for outdoor use, and if you've got the money a good Lincoln or Miller dual process powerplant for indoor jobs and you'll have the benefits of MIG for assembly and TIG for precision and strength, such as roll cages, thinwalled tubing etc... I really like the Lincoln PowerMig 300 @ around 2800.00 for a one welder shop. Can't beat it. It's a good hobby, you can make some money at it, and you can save a lot of money doing your own welding.... just learn it right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wody Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 i know a dude who was walking through our yard and noticed a weld that looked really nice. so he stopped to admire this "bead" and when he touched it, it was silicone . when you see a nice bead you can't help but notice it, but for it to be silicone was too funny. still a joke around the shop. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Welding is easy if you learn the basics and practice. Don't develop bad habits.... do it by the book. Like mentioned earlier by someone that dragging (or pulling) the electrode on a SMAW (shielded metal arc welding) or stick welder for short, burns in deeper is pure hogwash. Drag a rod and push a rod at the same position and amp range and see which one has the better penetration. Any weld, I repeat ANY WELD is only as good as it's weakest point, and there are several types of electrodes, all of which have a welding position which is denoted in the numbers E6010, E6011, E6013, E 7018 etc... not all rods can run in the same positons. You're not supposed to run beads downhill on certain rods because of the risk of slag inclusion, and porosity in the weld. Both will flunk you out of a certification test if you don't believe me go try to test and the minute you try to run 7018 or low hydrogen rod down hill they'll come and turn off your machine and flunk you. I've seen it. This is why I say do it by the book, get educated and practice. If you're building a fence do it however, but the type of welding I did was pressure vessel (boiler, and high pressure steam and fluid handling lines) welding which you have to pass a extensive testing process. My welds were subjected to X-Ray inspection etc... serious shit. I am certified in black pipe stick or MIG (wirefed) and alloy rated in TIG and would recommend a MIG over about any machine for versatility. TIG is nice, but slow and not very convenient for a shop or garage welder. Buy a AC/DC stick welder for outdoor use, and if you've got the money a good Lincoln or Miller dual process powerplant for indoor jobs and you'll have the benefits of MIG for assembly and TIG for precision and strength, such as roll cages, thinwalled tubing etc... I really like the Lincoln PowerMig 300 @ around 2800.00 for a one welder shop. Can't beat it. It's a good hobby, you can make some money at it, and you can save a lot of money doing your own welding.... just learn it right the first time. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Its nice to see someone else with some real experience in welding and not just fence building. The problem I have found when dealing with the subject of welding is everyone is a welder. Maybe so anyone can make 2 pieces of metal stick together but welding is a true art form and takes knowledge of being able to know what you are looking at i.e diff. in puddle and slag. I learned so much from working at a pressure vessel shop and welding pipe and that is simply I didnt know shit like I thought I did until I started working there. Sorry if i am a bit of subject but welding was my life until I got hurt and I really enjoyed doing it and took great pride in the quality of work I put out. I digress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 I always heard that you're a "REAL" welder when you get a "Welders get More Penetration" bumper sticker, I'm still working towards that goal.... at least that's what the old lady tells me! lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Black2003SS here is a quick lesson of the 2 most important things I can tell you about stick welding or welding in general for that matter. FIRST: Breathe..yeah you probably think no shit but you would be surprised how many welders try to burn a rod by holding their breathe they think it helps them weld more smoothly. It takes approx. 90 seconds to burn a rod you do not need to or probably cant hold your breath that long. Plus breathing helps you relax. SECOND: learn how to use your wrist to weld not your arm. You do not weld a straight line by pulling your arm straight. You make straight runs, go around pipe, up and down hill all by turning your wrist. Got it Now if I where you I would get started with 7018 rods. They are a very intelligent rod that literally will run its self. You can strike an arc and just put the weight of the stinger on it and turn your wrist and it does all the work for you. 7018 is probably the best all around rod there is. 6011,6010 are junk rods used mainly for fence building. If you can run 7018 you can run anything plus it makes a far prettier bead than 60,000 P.S.I rods we are not even aload to have them in a code shop anymore. P5 (6010,7010) has been replaced by mig, tig stringers for high pressure stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnAmerican Revolution Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 SORRY DAVE! if you are MIG welding pulling gives better penetration its written in the ****en AWS book I have its called METALS AND HOW TO WELD THEM. I got it in school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnAmerican Revolution Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 and just to prove im not full of shit here ya go http://www.welding.com/technical_welding_tips.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnAmerican Revolution Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 http://www.millerwelds.com/education/tech_tips/MIG_tips/ read number 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnAmerican Revolution Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 also to let you know i toto have welding cert, its just a piece of god damn paper it dont mean shit unless you can go out on the job and accually make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Dude... Don't blow a sphincter.... chill out, I was referring to stick welding, which is what you were talking about I thought on post # 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 also to let you know i toto have welding cert, its just a piece of god damn paper it dont mean shit unless you can go out on the job and accually make it work. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> all right now you're eating too much red meat or something, don't get so worked up .... you really ought to get a certificate in spelling...! Having a certificate and being certified and carrying bonded insurance on your work is different too, geez! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 also to let you know i toto have welding cert, its just a piece of god damn paper it dont mean shit unless you can go out on the job and accually make it work. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> welding certificates are only good to wipe your ass with. Any where you go to work will not care about your welding certificates they are going to test you on the spot so they can see first hand what you are capable of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Yes! That's my point exactly.... they certify you do do their job. All your testing and inspection just's shows them you are qualified. The place I worked was more strict on their employees than a surgeon performing open heart surgery. Merry Christmas...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobradh77 Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 Yes! That's my point exactly.... they certify you do do their job. All your testing and inspection just's shows them you are qualified. The place I worked was more strict on their employees than a surgeon performing open heart surgery. Merry Christmas...! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> RIGHT At the shop I worked at there was code then there was Burgess Manning code. Especially in the x-ray dept. In code your allowed so much trash per thickness of material but at Burgess it doesnt matter if its 10" thick if there is a nats ass in it it is coming out. as far as apperrance no undercut no porosity real sticklers but hey thats what makes you good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krambo Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 All of my welding skills were LEARNED BY DOING. I have a simple Hobart MIG and that is all I need for my weekend projects. I took an old exhaust pipe and cut slits in it with a saws all. I then just went to town learning how wire speed and voltage change the appearance and strength of the weld. 10 years later, I still have that old Hobart and last used it 2 weeks ago to weld my wife's metal X-mas tree stand. Go to a metals shop or Home Depot and buy different thickness angle iron and practice. I burnt up a spool of wire one weekend just screwing around. I have dabbled with TIG and can make a nice "leaning stack of nickles" but i do prefer MIG for the versitility. I do want to add to this discussion and mention SAFETY. 1. You can start a fire very QUICKLY and always keep a fire killer near by. A fire watcher is even better. When you have the helmet on, you can't notice the flames brewing. Know your target and beyind!...welding near fuel lines is a bad idea etc. 2. You are messing with alot of electric current. Mind your P's and Q's, have your circuit protected, and watch out for water! 3. Clothing. The spit can and will ignite your favorite flannel. I know that one 4. Protect your eyes. I know it is an obvious one but just gotta remind people. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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