FIRST WELDS!! 250EX in stick mode!!

[hooda]

So, last night, I played with my plasma cutter, I had absolutely no idea that there was a leaerning curve to using a plasma cutter, but there is. Finally, it was time to bust out the welder. Problemo numero uno, the steel that I'm using for this project is deeply pitted, and rusty. Knowing that, I expected to use the stick function on my 250EX. I go to grab my stick welding gloves, no dice. I'm unable to locate the box that I have that contains a dozen or so pairs of mig, tig and stick welding gloves. Problemo numero dos, I THOUGHT I had some 7018 rod in 1/8", wrong! All I have is 3/32". So that leaves me welding 3/8" plate to 5/16" plate with a max of 100 amps. Oh well. I set the machine up in DCEP, 100 amps, and arc force in the middle of the scale. I haven't ever used arc force so I have no idea what to expect. I tack the piece in place, clean the tacks, then go to town. I will say this. The arc is so smooth that I didn't want to stop, so I actually welded over each bead with a second pass, just to feel it again! On the second pass, I turned the arc force to minimum on one side, and max on the other. I noticed that with the arc force turned up, the arc feels and looks "deeper" into the puddle, but the results looked close. I think it will take a good bit more experimentation to fully understand this function. Keep in mind that these are passes OVER the initial pass, and they're the FIRST welds I've made with the 250EX in stick mode, but comment, because any help on improving will be greatly appreciated.

Arc force max:



Arc force min:

[jerky]

you can go up to 110 with 3/32 if ya want, itll be a quick weld.

[performance]

It will weld quick, but it will cause some contamination, and overheat the weld metal.

[DaveO]

It will weld quick, but it will cause some contamination, and overheat the weld metal.

Mark, do you mind explaining? Does the contamination occur because the 7018 is not rust tolerant?

[performance]

No, just welding at too high of an amperage for the rod, causes the arc to be more violent, and created air pockets in the metal, along with forcing slag down into the weld. Overheating the rod and the base metal creates a "brittle" area around the outside edge of the weld, known as the "heat affected zone" or referred to as the HAZ. The crystalline structure of the metal is changed in that area, opening itself up to the possibility of underbead cracking.

[Bigwilly01]

Mark, do you mind explaining? Does the contamination occur because the 7018 is not rust tolerant?

If you run the amperage too high it will "crystalize" the bead. If you bend it it will break and look like the inside of the new hershey's kisses on the comercial with the air pockets. I know first hand. Ran a cert test with 1/8" 7018 way hot cause it looked good. Then bent and broke both my coupons.

[Powertig]

Looks good to me Hooda. Glad to see you got all your equipment and you are getting on that learning curve.

[welderdude]

I don't know why, but 7018s and inverter welder go together like peanut butter and jelly. They just run so smooth and sweet.

Hooda, did you weave any?

[fdcmiami]

3/32 7018 is used on heavy plate. done all the time. just saw a guy weld some 1 in. thk lugs onto a 50 ton assy with 3/32 7018 so the riggers could hook up; inspector initialed it. i am not saying this is the best or most efficient way, i like 1/8th but it is done just the same.

i ran these stringers, about 70 rods testing the EX. the weave is the final of three passes using my 350 xmt, the other is from the EX two passes and 6 tie ins. note, it's half inch to one inch plate

i was comparing them to the xmt 350;

[SimpleSimon]

No, just welding at too high of an amperage for the rod, causes the arc to be more violent, and created air pockets in the metal, along with forcing slag down into the weld. Overheating the rod and the base metal creates a "brittle" area around the outside edge of the weld, known as the "heat affected zone" or referred to as the HAZ. The crystalline structure of the metal is changed in that area, opening itself up to the possibility of underbead cracking.

Thanks! Didn't know that.

[Challenger]

How well does it run 6010?