When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
If I'm not mistaken that machine can use gas, and I know that you can get stainless mig wire. If you're willing to pay for stainless tubing I'd spend the extra to get the gas and wire to match. If you do choose to weld stainless with flux core keep in mind that the weld will not be stainless and will rust.
yeah, im in texas so rusting isnt too bad of a thing. Wonder if i could hit it with some high heat paint?
You gotta start somewhere, and those aren't that bad for a beginner. I actually got decent at stick welding before I ever got to try a MIG welder. At first I hated the MIG and preferred stick welding. But after some more practice I learned to love a MIG welder. Come to think of it, it has probably been 25 years since I last stick welded.
Hey! that bottom one is starting to clean up a bit! It's the nature of the beast, you have to burn through some rod to get the feel of it. We all did that before it came together.
Thanks, Bug! And you can probably tell by that final bead on that "unfinished" pad, but I was also practicing stop/starts as well. That least bead, I ran out of electrode and swapped another one in so I could continue that bead.
Originally Posted by SatiricalHen
I've never gotten very good with stick, it always seems to stick if you know what I mean.
lol... yes I certainly do! Turning up the amps a little bit helps it happen less, from what I noticed anyway.
Originally Posted by StealthyMcStealth
You gotta start somewhere, and those aren't that bad for a beginner. I actually got decent at stick welding before I ever got to try a MIG welder. At first I hated the MIG and preferred stick welding. But after some more practice I learned to love a MIG welder. Come to think of it, it has probably been 25 years since I last stick welded.
Thanks man, much appreciated. I've been running that wire feeder (I refuse to call it a MIG being as it's flux-only and a piece of crap) for a few years, but only ran this one for a few hours and I already like it better. Although, I'm sure a better quality MIG machine would make a difference in that aspect as well.
Thanks man, much appreciated. I've been running that wire feeder (I refuse to call it a MIG being as it's flux-only and a piece of crap) for a few years, but only ran this one for a few hours and I already like it better. Although, I'm sure a better quality MIG machine would make a difference in that aspect as well.
I absolutely HATE wire feed welders without the shielding gas. HATE THEM. Had one for about 10 years and would only use it as a last resort.
The ONLY thing worse? A friend of mine that tried to run his wire feed welder off of a cheap 25-foot extension cord. Oh man, you wanna talk about bird poop on top of bubble gum splattered with metal zits. It was UGLY. LOL.
LOL!!!! Yeah I've tried that with mine. Works okay for thin stuff like exhaust, but try to get more than about 60 amps out of it and you're cooked.
Full disclosure; the "wire feed machine" I'm speaking of is Harbor Frieght's "Chicago Electric" 90 amp Flux core "MIG" welder. First of all, I don't even know why they call it a MIG welder if it can't run gas. Second, it doesn't even have the correct output for FCAW... it's AC output.... yeah, not even straight DC.... AC. So basically, they built a machine that sends wire through a tube to a gun that's electrically charged and sticks metal together, but only in the worst way possible.
First couple on the full pad was some really old 6011s that my Pappaw gave to me for practice (before I even had my stick welder - not sure he was clear that I had a wire feed welder). The rest of them are the Chinese equivalent of a 6011. The flux on the rod is a really dark color - almost gunmetal - and the slag winds up being an almost black color. Didn't like 'em at all.
I ended up picking up a box of Lincoln Excalibur 7018s and a box of Lincoln Fleetweld 6011s but haven't had the chance to put down any beads with them yet.
Realize that with that rod, a whip and pause technique while dragging will get best results...watch the puddle fill, whip ahead slightly, let it fill, whip ahead slightly...and so on. It's a quick freeze rod for all positions, with deep penetration.
7018 just do a straight drag...depending on position.
One other thing...7018 is a low hydro rod, it doesn't like moisture. If it's sealed, cool, but in industry 7018 is generally stored in an oven after opening. Can you run it without doing so, sure...just know it doesn't like moisture, haha
Realize that with that rod, a whip and pause technique while dragging will get best results...watch the puddle fill, whip ahead slightly, let it fill, whip ahead slightly...and so on. It's a quick freeze rod for all positions, with deep penetration.
7018 just do a straight drag...depending on position.
One other thing...7018 is a low hydro rod, it doesn't like moisture. If it's sealed, cool, but in industry 7018 is generally stored in an oven after opening. Can you run it without doing so, sure...just know it doesn't like moisture, haha
Thanks man... yeah I didn't know about the 6011's properties when I ran the beads. Found out about the whip and pause after the fact. That's definitely going to take some getting used to lol.
I had also heard that about the 7018s when watching Jodi's channel on YouTube. Question about that (since it's pretty humid in Florida), once I open the box, how do I keep the moisture out? We've got an oven in the house, but I'm defintely not gonna store my rods in it lol.... would a large ziplock bag or something be sufficient to store them? I'm obviously a far way away from doing anything industry standard yet, but I want to learn the right way to do things.
They have rod containers at the weld supply that help, but toss a couple of desiccant bags in there to help a bit more. Oven is the best way, but yeah, wifey might get mad, haha
Nice to see you posting some more welds, Roni. Definitely a different type of work from your previous gig, that's for sure.
Speaking of weld pics, here's some from my new stick machine....
Never stick welded before, so go easy on me haha
Stick welding takes some practice, but once you get all the settings matched up with thickness and rod size it gets pretty easy. I have not touch a stick welder since the late 70's when I was taking welding at the tech center. Was the best way to spend half of my day back in high school!
They have rod containers at the weld supply that help, but toss a couple of desiccant bags in there to help a bit more. Oven is the best way, but yeah, wifey might get mad, haha
Okay cool. I've been meaning to take a trip up there anyway.
Originally Posted by Bugout4x4
Now here is the question of the day. I'm pretty sure I started with 6013 and it's pretty forgiving for first timers.
Yeah I saw a box of those sitting with the other rods.... guess I shoulda picked some up.
Originally Posted by JandDGreens
Stick welding takes some practice, but once you get all the settings matched up with thickness and rod size it gets pretty easy. I have not touch a stick welder since the late 70's when I was taking welding at the tech center. Was the best way to spend half of my day back in high school!
Man... I'm tellin' ya. If they would've had welding class, or hell even shop class, at my highschool - I wouldn't be sitting in front of a computer and talking on a radio for a living!
BassLicks Quote; Man... I'm tellin' ya. If they would've had welding class, or hell even shop class, at my highschool - I wouldn't be sitting in front of a computer and talking on a radio for a living!
Yeah I was pretty lucky to get to do that. I spent all 3 years 10-12 spending 1/2 my days in high school up at the vocational school. Welding was a prerequisite to auto body and paint. You couldn't take Auto Body and Paint until 12 grade so I took welding the first 2 years. You had to be able to be certified in each phase to graduate to the net type of welding. Oxy-Acetylene then Arc Welding then Mig welding and then Tig Welding. I made it through the first 2 stages the first two years then jumped ship into the auto side of things.
So 35 years later when I needed some work done on my equipment trailer and my neighbor was very handy with a welder he introduced me to Mig welding. (actually he used his mig welder to weld while I watched.) I had more things I wanted to do to my trailer but did not want to burden him with them. So I went scouring C.L. for a mig welder. $500 bucks for a complete unite w/gas.... Then I got into Wheeling with an XJ (my sons) and wow how handy welding class has been. It gave me the confidence to learn Mig trail by error.
I wish I could acquire a Oxy-Acetylene, Arc welding outfit and Plasma cutter Right?!
Last edited by JandDGreens; 03-09-2018 at 05:53 AM.
03-07-2018, 10:23 AM
