O/A Welding Question

[monckywrench]

I have quite decent MIGs (ESAB MigMaster 250, ESAB 450i cvcc) but generally reach for the stick since it's so convenient. I'd rather drag leads than leads and a suitcase feeder, and since I use my 250 for sheet metal I don't care to swap wire rolls and gun tips for anything else.

OP knows puddle control from OA welding and knows what touching filler into a puddle feels like. Stick will therefore be easy and since OP can do sheet metal with OA he'll have a full range of joint options covered. I do suggest a machine which will run DC.

Fun fact:
In some areas buzzbox prices are high while Idealarc 250 and Dialarc 250 and other quality commercial machines which run single phase are less expensive!

 

[ak9]

TF
I've used mechanical fasteners (tex,rivots, etc) to hold pieces in place while heating up materials to weld .. then sometimes melt them over .Magnets do not work as well to hold materials with alot of flame heat.As another stated preheat thicker ,on a non heat disapating surface . You may want to use a few thinner rods in a loose cluster and in effect use the rods to sheild the thinner tube while heating together. Patience and keep the heat moving at all times.If you start to see to much whitening back the heat away from the area.
ak9