skenney97zj

So I picked up an arc welder for cheap and I'm trying to learn but I suck, I can can mig weld pretty good but not arc, any pointers?

Spoonman

Get lots of scrap and rods and practice running beads on flat steal then work your way up to joining pieces together.

make sure all the slag is cleaned off of the weld when tieing into a weld,like when you have to change rods mid weld other wise the slag will get trapped in the tie in and cause weakness in your welds.

Thats the only advice I can think of

Keek007

A common issue when people go from mig to stick is the direction they are moving. For best general results you push wire and drag stick. I'm sure some will argue this point but as a welder for 17 years working in the oil and aerospace industries I can tell you this, stick welding is old school, still has it's place, but it takes more work. If you whip you rod ( forward and back motion ) and make your welds consistent you should get a stack of coins look with no under cut or cold lap as long as the heat is set correctly. I'm certified in stick, mig, and Tig in all positions from 1g to 6g with mild steel, stainless, aluminum, manganese, and magnesium. And that's all asme certifications. Also have my d11 and military armor plate certs, so I'm not just a shade tree welder. But anyone can weld good if they work at it. I'm sure with practice you will be fabing bumpers in no time lol.

skenney97zj

I appriciate the help, I'm having big problems trying to start and hold a bead right now

Keek007

Is your machine AC or dc, AC will stick to the plate allot easier than dc, also what rod are you using. 6013 is a good rod to start learning with, its called a fast freeze rod as it cools quicker but will run easier and strike an arc easier, also can try turning the heat up just a little to start with till ya get it down. Just try to keep your rod barely above the metal to a max of 1/8th off the metal and ya should be fine till ya got it down

skenney97zj

It's a/c and I'm using 1/8 stick that's what the welder came with, it sticks to the plate a lot and the bead won't stay steady.

savagepc.223

Try turning the heat up a bit and see if that helps your problem. Also when you weld MAKE SURE you are comfortable and ALWAYS use two hands. If you're not comfortable you are gonna have a hard time making pretty welds. It may sound stupid to you but I'm being serious

PingPong

The best advice I can give you is go take a votech class on welding. Without you giving us more specifics about your equipment you have, it is hard for us to tell you what you are doing. Also watch turning your heat up to high... you can burn through or have undercut, which isnt a good thing.

CherokeeXJ

Man i know how ya feel, last week in my ag mechanics class we started arc welding and it was a b***h, and it was my first time ever so i couldnt get it started and keep it going but once you get the rod down a little bit and its not so long it gets easier trust me and some one also showed me that if you use a good thick glove and hold the rod when its long it really helps but you have to keep moving your hand up cuz it gets pretty hot.......

skenney97zj

I actually learned how to mig weld in auto class too, I'm now ase certified, but arc welding is a different story

Spoonman

Get some heavy gauge plate scrap and go to town and experiment. Dont worry about making your welds pretty just get use to your welder. the 6013 that was mentioned before is a good tip, it is a general purpose rod and would work well on your bumper project later down the line when you are ready to weld it up.
Use the chart on your machine to get your self into the proper heat range also.
I dont know about holding the rod while welding,too much to chance there imo.
When you go to strike your arc try doing it like you are striking a match, just a little flick of the wrist.
one other thing.I dont know what kind of helmet you have but trust me get your self an auto darkening helmet,even if its a cheap one.I hate the solid helmets especially when stick welding.

NorCalJeep

arc welding is easy. just keep your arc between the rod and metal the same distance, and at the same time keep a steady pace. Listen for a crisp sound like bacon cooking.

(Welding student for 4 years)

Keek007

The best welding hood I ever used was a speed glass auto dark by 3-m. Had vents also to help keep smoke out my face and had the option of an air filter and fan to blow the smoke out the bottom before ya had a chance to breathe it. It runs 300.00 for just the hood but if ya do allot of welding then it's a food investment, that and ya can see to plasma or torch cut easy when it's not all the way dark. Protects ya face while grinding also. AC welfare take a bit to get used to, I have the old school Lincoln red box in my shed, but iv been welding long time and it was free lol

PingPong

SOme tips on starting a a weld.... try tap starting. If it dont start turn the heat up 1 notch.. or 5 amps. If that doesnt work for you try the scratch method.

A lot of ppl think that if they can "mig" weld they can weld. Speaking from experience... "stick" welding is a lil harder, but if you can do that proffeciently you can mig weld once you figure out the machine and set it up. That is also the difference between " I can weld" and someone who has been preoperly trained and actually knows what he is doing.

Gee oh Dee

Moved to Chat.