What am I doing wrong?

[Industrial Toys]

I don't understand the sheilding gas comment.

 

[BukitCase]

'I don't understand the sheilding gas comment."

Stick (with or without copper) as compared to MIG or TIG... Steve

 

[CADplans]

I don't understand the sheilding gas comment.

A slight breeze will blow away MIG or TIG shielding gas,, both processes are designed to only be used in a sheltered area,,,
or,,, NO WIND at all,,,

 

[k0ua]

Where you could stick weld in a thunderstorm. I wouldn't want to, but you could.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Where you could stick weld in a thunderstorm. I wouldn't want to, but you could.

Up here in the PNW you welded in the rain or you did not work. We improvised some unique shelter situations. Biggest problem working in rainy situations is keeping your gloves dry.
Some jobs we had an oven in the dry shack to dry gloves, and a dryer to dry our overalls.

In Vietnam we had welders working on the outside seaming steel JP5 tanks. Draped tarps over the side and the welders crawled under. The battalion OPs officer thought it was an electrocution problem and shut the job down. Him and I had a good argument over that but he would not back down. He had a very unhappy AF Colonel customer, when he did not get his tanks done before the next Tanker got there off shore.

Ron

 

[gsganzer]

You might be able to do it with a 3/32" rod. The Miller welding calculator recommends 40- 85 amps for that rod. Like others have said, do short welds to let it cool.

 

[Gary Fowler]

New to stick welding, Lincoln 225 set for 90 amps. Rod is 6011. Practicing on steel about 1/32 inch thick. Can run an arc for about 10 inches ( some of the time) which uses up most of the rod but burns a hole in the part much of the time. On some passes it deposits metal and on other passes or if I try to join 2 pieces or if I try to fill a hole, I get more holes.
I'm doing something wrong, what is it?
Thanks

This must be wrong on thickness of metal. I welded professionally and even with a 3/32" 6013 electrode, welding on 1/32" steel would be a challenge. Anything less than 3/32-1/8" thick would be a challenge with a 1/8" stick rod which I just assumed you were using based on the 90 amp setting.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I guess the OP (Pilot) got scared away with the comments. Nothing from him since original post.

 

[k0ua]

Just for comparison, 1/32 of an inch metal (approximate) is 21 gauge metal. Some may be more familiar with gauges than fractional dimensions. So 21 gauge sheet metal is just a bit thin for most stick welding. I think I would try it with the 6013 1/16 sticks, but it would still be a challenge. The copper backing metal to suck the heat out sounds promising. It would be fun to try and post results here in pictures.

I wish the OP would comment. The way you learn things is by making mistakes. And then taking corrective actions. It is all good.

 

[5030]

I use a copper backer when welding light gauge anything, TIG or SMAW,

 

[yomax4]

Back in the day I was working for a company called JW Harris. It was great filler metal company before Lincoln bought it. We had just bought and were making cored wire. Mostly 70C6 and 71T-1. The owner was always tinkering with silvers and fluxes and he came up with this cored wire called 20 gauge. It was .030 and .035 but the 030 ran the best. It was a Metal core wire that was deigned to run on short arc. It would run on CO2 or 75/25 and would weld through rust grease and paint with no spatter. The beauty of it is it would run beads on 20 gauge material and you could turn it down and make tiny little welds. Much smaller than we could do with .023. Lincoln bought the company, Killed a bunch of products and all the sles guys vacated. Just curious if anyone ever got a hold of any 20 gauge wire. It had a shotgun on the box.

 

[Pilot]

Still here, reading all the comments--thanks for all the posts. I know very little about stick welding, and here I just learned a lot.
Thanks again for all the info. Going to the scrap yard to pick up some thicker metal!

 

[dragoneggs]

Still here, reading all the comments--thanks for all the posts. I know very little about stick welding, and here I just learned a lot.
Thanks again for all the info. Going to the scrap yard to pick up some thicker metal!

Definitely easier to practice/learn on a little thicker metal. Make sure you have good vision of the puddle. If you are like me, I upped my game when I realized I needed to wear glasses when welding. Went to the LWS and got some 'cheaters' for my helmet. That and the right shade will allow you to really see the melted metal and your work. Good luck!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

What you have heard here is all good stuff. Everybody has to develop their own technique based on what works best for them. The how is not as important as the end result. I run hotter than most but there are compensations you have to do. Puddle control at full penetration is the key. As a fitter for welders I had many tell me " don't blame the fit up, just weld it". An extra wide spot in the bevel gap just takes an extra filler pass or two. Xray quality you better have a good fit-up with an even groove. We used a turning machine when ever one was available or a torch beveling jig. As a pipe fitter I could keep two welders going if conditions were good. They had to do their own cleaning. My philosophy was; they are responsible for weld quality, not me, its their stamp on it.

Ron

 

[California]

Question: I have a couple of chunks of 3/8 aluminum plate. Is this usable as a substitute for the copper heat sinks described above, welding very thin material?

 

[Industrial Toys]

How would you know if you have gone too light in your lense or electronic setting? Is this setting the same for all current settings or do you need a darker setting for /hotter welding?

 

[Tractor Seabee]

How would you know if you have gone too light in your lense or electronic setting? Is this setting the same for all current settings or do you need a darker setting for /hotter welding?

I use a #10 setting across the board. Higher arc settings do not seem to make any difference. From what I know an arc temperature is a fixed value, what changes is the base metal temperature.

Ron

 

[Industrial Toys]

So why the possibility of adjustment?

 

[4570Man]

So why the possibility of adjustment?

I don’t like my auto dark hood. I’ve welded with a couple others and I don’t like them either. I can weld better with old style glass hood. I don’t remember if it’s a 10 or 12.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Can you explain? I can't see bugger all. A cheater lense helped, and light isn't the issue.