New (to me) stick welder: Persistance pays off

[Ursa Major]

Actually, I found this is the instruction manual from Lincoln.

"Using the following instructions, have a qualified electrician
connect this receptacle (NEMA 6-50R Type) to the power
lines at the fuse box. Three #10 or larger copper wires are
required if conduit is used. For long cable runs over
100'(31m), #8 or larger wire in conduit will be needed to prevent
excessive voltage drops. Fuse the two hot lines with 50
ampere super lag type fuses as shown in the following diagram.
The center contact in the receptacle is for the grounding
connection. A green wire in the input cable connects this
contact to the frame of the welder. This insures proper
grounding of the welder frame when the welder plug is inserted
into the receptacle. If a separate disconnect switch is
used, it should have two poles for the two hot lines and both
should be fused for 50 amperes."

 

[tractorfacter]

I was a cert welder for some time and still enjoy doing it around home. The numbers on your common rod,that is 6013,6011,6010,7018 and so on have a meaning you should know. The first two (and in a few cases three) numbers stand for your tensil strength. Example,7018 is a 70,000 psi steel 6011 would be 60,000 psi. The normally third number is the position the rod is designed for 1 is all position,2 is horizontal,3 is for weling flat work only. The last no. is the flux coating type. 6013 is good to learn with on A/C. It also make a pretty bead. 6011 and 6010 are good D/C rods and will penitrate the parent metal better. Try tacking 2 pieces of scrap together with 6013 then break it apart. then do the same with 6011. You'll find the 6011 is a bit tougher to pull apart. Of course 7018 & 9018 are even stronger. they are both D/C rods and you steel needs to be really clean and it also helps if you preheat the parent metal to about 400 deg. F. You would use this tech to repair a broken ripper shank for example.

 

[eastexan]

Also, note that some steel has a little bit of lead & sulfur in it to make it easier to drill, cut, and such: 11L17, 11L18, 12L14, "free machining", etc. This stuff is often considered difficult or impossible to weld--but it is usually only in rods and plates, I've yet to hear of anyone making angle iron out of it.

--Glenn

Glenn, I heard several years ago that not all rebar can be welded. And that the rebar that can't be welded is stamped with a certain number.

Could this be some of the same stuff?

 

[kaferhaus]

Glenn, I heard several years ago that not all rebar can be welded. And that the rebar that can't be welded is stamped with a certain number.

Could this be some of the same stuff?

Hmmm. I've never heard that (which doesn't mean much) and I've welded tons of rebar.... literally tons..

 

[tractorfacter]

The deal with rebar is that it did not used to be certified and every kind of scrap metal you can think of went into it. That is why some welds easy and sometimes ya get a stick that just don't wanna be welded.

 

[cford4146]

I agree with practice, practice, practice. I'm close to 71 yrs. old. When I was a young man, in high school, I thought I could anything but a broken hart. But when I got out into the real world, I found out different. A good seasoned welder told me, that I wasn't a welder, until I had burnt at least a box car load of rods. LOL. Well, I've more than likely, burned close to that. But still have a lot to learn. If a fella is not real careful, He'll learn something every day. Now, my problem, is being able to see, and hold a steady hand. Wonder if age has anything to do with that?

 

[cford4146]

Been there, done that with the car hoods. I still have my old arc torch. Losing some of the insulation around the wires, but still works good. I used to use mine quite regularly.

 

[eastexan]

Been there, done that with the car hoods.

Funny thing about the car hoods/boat project.
When we went to the local salvage yard, we were wanting to find some old Hudson car hoods as they were very deep. But we ended up having to settle for some old Chevy hoods, I believe. They weren't ideal as they made the boat a little shallow in the middle, just a few inches above the water line. We had fun with it for a while and when we graduated, I let him keep it.

Years later at a class reunion, I asked him whatever became of the old boat. He said his nephew was out on it and a big cottonmouth moccasin climbed in the boat with him. He decided right quick that he would let the moccasin have the boat and he jumped out and swam to shore.
So I guess the boat just floated off into the sunset. :laughing:

 

[davrow]

Nice thread. I just picked up a (well used) Lincoln 225 on Saturday. I have 220 to the panel in the garage, but no 220 outlets, so I too need to get an outlet wired up.

Mine came with two helmets (1 reg, 1 auto darkening) and maybe 70-80 pounds of various rods.

Now, anybody in Southern California want to teach me how to use it? Haven't touched an arc welder in 40 years, and then just in shop class. :laughing:

 

[eastexan]

Nice thread. I just picked up a (well used) Lincoln 225 on Saturday. I have 220 to the panel in the garage, but no 220 outlets, so I too need to get an outlet wired up.

Mine came with two helmets (1 reg, 1 auto darkening) and maybe 70-80 pounds of various rods.

Now, anybody in Southern California want to teach me how to use it? Haven't touched an arc welder in 40 years, and then just in shop class. :laughing:

Like riding a bicycle, you never completely forget. You may be a little rusty at first, but it'll come back to you pretty quick. :thumbsup:
For starters, just get some 7014 or 6013 and burn some rod.

 

[rankrank1]

Actually, I found this is the instruction manual from Lincoln.

"Using the following instructions, have a qualified electrician
connect this receptacle (NEMA 6-50R Type) to the power
lines at the fuse box. Three #10 or larger copper wires are
required if conduit is used. For long cable runs over
100'(31m), #8 or larger wire in conduit will be needed to prevent
excessive voltage drops. Fuse the two hot lines with 50
ampere super lag type fuses as shown in the following diagram.
The center contact in the receptacle is for the grounding
connection. A green wire in the input cable connects this
contact to the frame of the welder. This insures proper
grounding of the welder frame when the welder plug is inserted
into the receptacle. If a separate disconnect switch is
used, it should have two poles for the two hot lines and both
should be fused for 50 amperes."

If you want a circuit that you can use for anything then purchase 6 gauge wire which is rated for 50 amp continuous load. That way you can plug anything you may choose into the circuit (air compressor, plasma, etc.) as the breaker and the wire size match in load capacity.

That said NEC code does allow using an oversize breaker on undersize wire for welders and welders only. The are steps you have to take to comply with NEC code when doing this and the welders duty cycle comes into play so if you ever purchase a different welder then you need to revisit the formula to verify you still okay with an oversize breaker on undersize wire. For example you can use your 50 amp breaker on 8 gauge wire (8 gauge is 40 amp) or your 50 amp breaker on that 10 gage wire (10 gage is 30 amp) because most welders are not continuous load. That said if you go this route then absolutely nothing else can ever be plugged into that circuit except the welder without risk of fire.