Welding Tips And Help

[fabriwelder]

Hi guys, new to the forum, but I have been lurking around looking at all the trailer builds. Getting ready to start my own build, and getting some really great ideas here. You are all doing some fantastic things! I have noticed though that a lot of you are just beggining to weld, or having trouble. I am a boilermaker and welding is a huge part of what I do for a living. MIG, TIG, stick welding. So I am offering help and advice to anyone who is interested.

Thanks for the great site.

 

[Pin_Head]

The local big box store had 5, 5lb boxes of Lincoln 7018 AC rod on the close out table for $3 each, so I bought all of them. The boxes were sealed. When I went to use them, I noticed that I am getting a lot of porosity in the in the first two inches of bead. The other 7018 I have doesn't have this problem, even rods that have been unsealed for a couple of years. They are 3/32 and I tried running them at 90A, 80A and 100A DCEP and got the same results.

What is up with that? Is this the nature of 7018 AC? I have never run the "AC" special version of this rod before. The fact that the porosity disappears after the first two inches suggests that they may have absorbed moisture, but the other unsealed rods don't do this.

 

[fabriwelder]

"AC" electrodes are designed to be used with an AC or AC/DC welding machine. AC meaning alternating current and DC being direct current. They will run on DC also, but are designed for AC.

Generally you would want to run them a little hotter than other rods, and porosity at the start is a common problem with them. One thing you can do is "preheat the rod". By this I mean don't strike up and start welding where you want the bead to begin. Strike up well ahead of the starting point and drag back to where you want to start the weld from. Do this fairly quickly as you don't really want to deposit any metal. When you get to your actual starting point make sure you don't take off too fast, even hold still at your start for just a moment, just long enough to get some good heat and gas coverage started.

As you travel forward, you will run over all the junk left behind when you fired up and moved to your start, this junk should burn out just fine.

Remember to use proper rod angle, and maintain a tight arc. Long arcing can produce porosity and many people have a tendency to long arc at the start of their weld.

Good luck, and I hope this helps!

 

[Pin_Head]

I bumped it back up to 100 amps and preheated the rod and it seemed to work pretty well. 100A is about right because the slag just peeled off. I also noticed that these rods restart easily without filing the tip, so it isn't all that bad after you get used to them. I didn't want to have 25 pounds of door stops.

This is a 3/16 fillet weld with these rods:

 

[3_puppies]

fabriwelder don't forget to check in at the clubhouse section, subsection central region, big sky cruisers

 

[fabriwelder]

Pin_Head,
from what I can see in the picture it looks like you are doing just fine. Nice even bead, edges look like they are burning in good, not too much splatter....
I would guess you are right on the track, you may even be able to turn it up a little more if you want. Never hurts to play with the heat. Glad I could help.

3_ Puppies,
I will do so, but I am not exactly sure what the clubhouse is all about....

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

fabriwelder, thanks for the offer; I'll take you up on it!

I have a Lincoln AC225 stick welder that I use for fab work using mild steel.

What would you suggest for a rod model for welding 1/4 inch steel?

Are the "AC" marked rods worth the trouble to find over the regular AC/DC versions?

Thanks!

Alan

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi guys, new to the forum, but I have been lurking around looking at all the trailer builds. Getting ready to start my own build, and getting some really great ideas here. You are all doing some fantastic things! I have noticed though that a lot of you are just beggining to weld, or having trouble. I am a boilermaker and welding is a huge part of what I do for a living. MIG, TIG, stick welding. So I am offering help and advice to anyone who is interested.

Thanks for the great site.

 

[fabriwelder]

Hi Josie'sLandCruiser (Alan),

I am not sure exactly what you are doing with your 1/4 inch mild steel, but 7018 is an excellent rod for mild steel. I would probably go with 3/32 diameter rod, but you could use 1/8 also.

ESAB makes AtomArc electrodes which are my favorites. I have alway had very good luck with most of their products. As far as using AC rod, it will generally produce better/easier starts and less splatter in an AC machine versus regular rod, so yes if you are limited to the AC process I would definitely look for the appropriate rod, but it isn't necessary.

 

[Pin_Head]

My understanding is that the "AC" 7018 is specifically made for the AC225 buzz box because it has a relatively low open circuit voltage and it is easier to start with that particular machine and its close cousins.

 

[fabriwelder]

Yup, AC rod is designed for those machines. Interestingly enough the flux plays the biggest part in how a rod acts.

7018 electrodes are
70xx means 70,000 psi tensile strength
Xx1x means all positions xx2x means flat and horizontal xx3x means flat only
The last number has to do with the type of flux and polarity and ac or dc.

If there is a letter designation such as A1 after it this will tell about the composition of the weld, A1 being 1/2 % MO, B3 being 2.25% Cr 1% MO.

There are other things as well and someone interested enough could look it all up online.

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

Thanks for the reply fabriwelder.

Can you suggest any good online sources of info on effective welding technique while using a Lincoln AC225?

Thanks much!

Alan

 

[Pin_Head]

Try:
Old School Stick Welding still Rules. 6011, 7018, anyone?

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

Prre heated rod....Best solution if you have the room and a bunch of rod in storage, grab an old refrigerator disconnect the compressor and just use a 100 watt lamp inside of it. This will warm the rod to a really usable and very stable environment, And thank you Fabriwelder for your offer to help. We can all use it im sure. Thanks again

 

[3_puppies]

3_ Puppies,
I will do so, but I am not exactly sure what the clubhouse is all about....

clubhouse is just local areas that can chat about whatever, in there region, get togethers, parts sale or wanted, etc.
Paul

 

[machinisttx]

I need to weld a tooth back on a backhoe bucket. Whoever welded it on last time did a poor job and didn't get much penetration into the bucket. I don't think they cleaned the slag off their root pass either after looking at it. I'm not exactly sure what rod I should use, since I'm sure that tooth sees way more stress than most of the stuff I weld with 6011. I'm figuring on running around 150 amps to be sure I really burn it in, but I'm not sure if that much heat is going to make it brittle. Opinions? Also, any recommendations on how much fillet radius to put in there? I'm thinking 1/4" to 3/8".

Welding machine will be a Lincoln Ranger 8.

 

[Pin_Head]

The first thing would be to know what kind of steel you are welding on. Some buckets are covered with an abrasion resistant steel.

For mild steel, I would use 7018. The current would depend on the size of the rod, so 150A would be about right for 5/32 rod. Make sure you have the proper joint design with the right root gap or angle to insure 100% penetration. For filet welds the throat should be about 1.4 times the width of the leg. Heat won't make mild steel brittle, but let it cool slowly.

 

[spressomon]

Just starting to learn TIG aluminum. Have some 1/8" thick scrap and although the local welding shop recommended using 3/32" 100% tungsten I kept burning through it even as low as ~110 amps. Went to 1/16" thoriated (what I had laying around...just ordered 1/16" and 3/32" 2% Lanthanated electrodes) and everything started working mobetta. Using 4043 rod.

Currently using 100% argon. Some say 50/50 argon/helium is better. Better enough for a nube to go get another tank?

Gotta say I was expecting considerably more PITA with aluminum but so far I like it!

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Just starting to learn TIG aluminum. Have some 1/8" thick scrap and although the local welding shop recommended using 3/32" 100% tungsten I kept burning through it even as low as ~110 amps. Went to 1/16" thoriated (what I had laying around...just ordered 1/16" and 3/32" 2% Lanthanated electrodes) and everything started working mobetta. Using 4043 rod.

Currently using 100% argon. Some say 50/50 argon/helium is better. Better enough for a nube to go get another tank?

Gotta say I was expecting considerably more PITA with aluminum but so far I like it!

S, here's a good link to Miller GTAW welding tips etc...

Miller - TIG Welding Tips - Hints and Tips

The helium blend will help you with penetration and create a "hotter" weld. However, the blend is more expensive than argon, usually creates a slightly "dirtier" looking weld and arc starting and stability is decreased/harder to maintain.

Just remember.. practice makes perfect.

J

 

[spressomon]

^ this helps. Thank you!

 

[fabriwelder]

I need to weld a tooth back on a backhoe bucket. Whoever welded it on last time did a poor job and didn't get much penetration into the bucket. I don't think they cleaned the slag off their root pass either after looking at it. I'm not exactly sure what rod I should use, since I'm sure that tooth sees way more stress than most of the stuff I weld with 6011. I'm figuring on running around 150 amps to be sure I really burn it in, but I'm not sure if that much heat is going to make it brittle. Opinions? Also, any recommendations on how much fillet radius to put in there? I'm thinking 1/4" to 3/8".

Welding machine will be a Lincoln Ranger 8.

PinHead hit it on right on the head....