Thread: Stick welder questions

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Do not use compressed air to cool the weld. Cool the weld as slowly as possible to reduce brittleness.

.....Yes Hotroddaddy, that's a great idea to use the 70 series rod AFTER the root pass with the 60 series.
.....Hoof, It's a rod that you just 'drag' when you run it. Just strike your arc, touch the rod to the parent metal & 'drag' it forward staying just a little ahead of your puddle. And when/if you get the 70 series rod I'd get the 3/32" size. It's the size right under the 1/8" rod & because of the fact that the 70 series rod needs to be run hotter than the 60 series you'll find that you'll probably be able to run the 60 series 1/8" & the 70 series 3/32" at the same heat setting. So it's like a double bonus; 1) you don't have to switch settings when you switch rods & 2) the smaller the rod the easier it is to control & guess what??? If it's easier to control, it LOOKS better! ..... Also from my experiences in welding I found
that 7016 is even a little easier to run than 7018 so you might try that. Oh also make sure that everything is clean & as rust free as possible. Oh yeah, for lower amperage settings it's acceptable to use a #9 lens in your hood. This makes it easier to see what's going on verus using the #10... I was wondering something else; You mentioned having a deep gap to fill??? How thick is your frame??? I'm thinking that may be you made your 'V' groves to wide??? All you need is a little 'v' to get some penitatration not a big wide gap. I'm having trouble visulizing a frame that's so thick that it needs multipul passes. I think you mentioned already haveing the frame fabbed up to weld so keep this in mind for next time. Also another thing you can do if you have trouble with the root pass is to only 'v' grove one side 1/2 of the way through the parent metal. Then after you've welded one side, grind through on the other side of the metal to the back side of your first weld pass. Then you just weld a pass on the back side... Am I making sence??? So for your first pass you've used the parent metal as back up & for the pass you make on the backside your first weld is your backup. BUT again, remember you don't need much of a 'v' grove in the parent metal! have a good 'welding week-end' Bill

Hoof, Can you post a picture of the frame your welding??? Bill

Here are my last "tests." I have been burning rods on a flat plate, but I just had to try the frame rails again.







CHAZ

Chaz, just a suggestion. Since the strength of a frame is so important, why don't you do what I always have done, tack it up and have someone who knows how to really weld finish it. I know that isn't what you want to do, but this is one area you can't take chances with.

Maybe you can even find somebody at the local VoTech who will stop by and do it right there at your place. You can slip them a few bucks and watch how they do it (But only if you also wear a mask ). You can have everything preclamped and ground clean, ready for them to just finish welding.

Give this some serious thought, please, as the last thing you want is for your frame to break when you are driving the car. With a little work you can find someone to do this for you. Then you can tackle some less significant parts yourself.

Don

The frame is 1/8" thick, 6" C-channel laid over top of each other. The little pc. that I welded up as a test (pic up a few posts) is exactly what I will be welding. I had no control over the v, it had to do with the bend in the c channel. Two local guys who have built a few hotrods were over last night and were actually pretty impressed with the test on the frame rails I did. I am going to weld the rail front and back, then box the back, and put fish plates on front and back. I think part of the problem I was having is I was cleaning the metal up with a knotted wire wheel. Last night I actually used a stone and it seemed to weld easier. Maybe the wheel wasn't cleaning it up well enough?

I was originally going to tack everything together with my dads wire feed mig and have someone finish it up, but I would really like to do this myself. I am willing to spend the time learning and practicing until I feel I can tackle this safely.

CHAZ

Yeah Chaz, I wasn't trying to say anything about your welds, but do you really want your very first welding project to be the frame? Especially where the frame has been cut in half and is being rejoined at a Z ? Maybe some minor brackets or whatever, but the welds you are talking about here are very critical and will be stressed anyway by the fact they are on a kickup.

The frame is the foundation for the entire build, and it takes a great amount of stress and flexing. You see that I didn't even attempt to weld the frame for my bucket myself, and I have welded for years.............not pretty welds, but mine do hold. I didn't mind stepping aside and letting my Son do this for me because it is so important to get this part of the build done correctly and strong.

To answer the one part of your question, yes, you have to grind the steel until it is shiny clean to get good welds.

Please rethink the welding issue until you have more experience.

Don

....Chaz, your welds don't look bad, I think your getting the 'hang' of it .... I'm having trouble thinking of how to word this so it makes sence but if your ossolating in & out of your puddle then try to get a more steady flowing back & forth motion. No quick jerks in or out of your puddle. Just smoothly in & out at one speed.... If your not ossolating then work on keeping your rod steadier. Are you using your left hand to hold & steady the rod???
Oh, did you run a wide bead over a smaller bead in the bottom picture??? If so then try this instead; try running what they call 'stringer' beads. Instead of running a large weave bead over your root pass do two or more stringer beads. When you do this, after you do your root pass, then you run two beads over the one root pass. Side by side, with one bead overlapping the other. But keep in mind that your main strength is going to be in the quality of your root pass, NOT in running bead after bead over the top. Why don't you post a picture of your frame??? {a full shot of it} I'd like to see exactly what type of joints you'll be welding, what possition, etc.... Your doing a good job ,,, Keep it up! Bill
Oh & remember when you fish plate DON'T weld it on by welding horizontally on the frame. Just plate so that your welds will be at a 45 degree angle to the frame.....
My favorite thing to use to clean up welds is a small Maketta grinder w/ a stainless steel brush on it....

OK, here are the pics. I have the frame up on its side so all the welding I do will be flat horizontal. Once I get one side done I will flip it 1/4 do the top, flip it 1/4 do the other side, fip it 1/4 do the bottom. I have it all trussed up and clamped down to my lift. Think of it as a huge welding table. It is square, level, and as true as I can get it. It is actually bolted together right now, I plan to leave the bolts there as they will be inside the rail and should be no trouble.










Thanks,
CHAZ

....ok so your looking at flat butt joints, flat t joints & horz butt joints??? That what it looked like to me but the pictures are dark.... How's the practicing going??? Update us with some pictures, ok??? I think you'll be ok with a little more practice.... Consider putting a back up strip on the butt joints. This will make it easier. And bend your practice pieces.... Keep up the good work ... Bill