Why? Flux vs Gas MIG welding

[I_Love_Plasma]

Is there a good technique to starting a stick electrode burning? Is it a stab motion or just barely touch it til it lights?

[performance]

A match striking motion is what is used by many people. I use a tapping motion as you see in the videos I made on youtube. But it takes practice not to stick it.

[I_Love_Plasma]

Thank you. I will try that. Besides the butt joint welds how would you grade the welds? 1-10

[everlastsupport]

Match strike here as well. I tap when I have more rod than flux on the end to get it started sometimes. Like Mark said, the tapping method take some practice.

[bobwills]

What rod are you using in the pictures? 6011? And the welds look about like when I started. The main thing you got to do is be constant. Looks like your moving around a bit in your welds. I still catch myself do it sometimes. I think these are the best stick welding videos to learn from. It sure helped me greatly. http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/stick-welding.html Watch the "arc welding project everlast powerpro 256" and then the "sheilded metal arc welding" which is the third video down. Ive watched them numoris times and they help greatly, That and prolly over 40 lbs of rods. Also see how he props for welding at about 7 minutes on the arc welding project one. That is how I have been propping latly. It is my favorite and the most comfortable way i have found so for. I dont prop as close as he does but its basicly how I have been doing it and I love it. But back to the questions. Ok i think you also need to slow down a lot. I went way to fast too. Its amazing how slow you have to go to get a decent weld. 6011 is a faster moving rod but when you do your cover pass with a 7018 if you have 1/8" it will prolly be a new rod every 4-5" im guessing. You dont have to do any moving back or forth really. Look at my welds I posted a week ago. Thats about how they were. But back to your questions again. lol. It looks like your welds might be a bit cold too just because they didnt look like you were getting a good puddle that melts good around it. So i think what you need to do is slow down. Maybe bump the heat up a bit. Idk what your set at. And also try to steady yourself and be a bit smoother with you movements. Have a good comfey place to prop so you can comfortably do the whole weld. Also you asked if you can tack with the mig. Heck yeah! thats the best was to do it. I am thinking about getting a little cheep junker mig just for that. Because its so much easyier. Just try to keep your tacks smallish and if you think they are too big just grind them down a bit. Makes it better yet to weld over them. And you said you have a bit of a problem with starting the rods. Everyone does when they start out and in the first stages of learning it. I still do sometimes. But like they said srtike it like a match. Last year in ag with the people who were having trouble with starts my ag teacher would have them strike seleral inches long a few times before they are ready to start because it makes easyier starts. As time goes on you will do your own techneq like how mark says he taps. I kinda do a bit of both. Depends a lot on the situation. Your mig welds look good and smooth. They will be great for some fill. You should post some more pics with 7018 welds. Just do as much practice before you do the project as you can. Like they say practice makes perfect. Any more questions just keep them coming. I love talking about welding. lol

[I_Love_Plasma]

Wow thank you very much Gabe! You have a good eye for weld puddle guessing, it is 6011. When I was welding with the stick my dad was hovering making me really nervous.. His welder, his rods, his precious TV time lol, and his Right handed technique for a lefty..not the best. He was quite furious because I stuck 5 or 6 times in a row.. But I will be buying some 6011's and 7018's. Already got scrap metal in stock so I'll just work on my welder's tan, like a farmer tan, but a LOT darker Thank for the compliment on my MIG flux-core welds. I've been using MIG since I was 12. I'm just out of the nasty teen years now, so I've been a MIG'er for about 8 years +/- days.. I will try slowing down, and get that puddle worked in deeper. I think I was running 105-115 amps..not really burning all that hot. It's hard to tell what it's set at anymore the unit is from the early 1940's. Bare spots in the cables, signs of aging haha!

Thanks a bunch,
That's a real tip!

[bobwills]

Your vary welcome. And its fairly easy telling a 6010/11 from others because it has those ripples and how it can be spotty at times in places. Its because its a fast freeze and dont flow like any of the other ones. And lol. I know what you mean. When someone is watching you it makes you real nervive. And yeah. I just hate them times when it keeps sticking. And thats good. Practice practice practice. And haha. I had a sun burn last weekend from welding these grates for a job for my dads company. And welcome. Mig is something i havnt done a whole lot with. O your about 20. Well im just 15 still. LOl. Been arc weldiing since i was about 12-13 i think. And i believe that would help you greatly. Im not much on 6011. Havnt burned any for about a year. Ive prolly gone through 5-10 pounds of them since ive stared. Just been out for quite a while so i havnt been able to for quite some time. And is it 105 for 1/8". I think you need to upgrade your welder. get you a powerarc 200. Ive bought one but im waiting on the shipment to come in. But what i have heard is they run real nice. I cant wait to get mine. My first welder i bought was a old lincoln electric 225. Gave 50 for it to my friends grandpa. Great thing to have back in a corner cause its always gonna work but i believe its time to upgrade to dc so i went with everlast. For the price cant beat it. Just hope its gonna be reliable.

[I_Love_Plasma]

haha enjoy what you have left of your teen years, 20's hit suddenly. Now that I think about it, it may not be getting as hot as I need because I'm using standard 6011 rod's with an AC buzz box.. I wonder if switching to AC rods would be better for now til a PA200 or PA300 comes along.....?

[DaveO]

There's a chart here that says most electrodes can be used with either AC or DC:
http://www.esabna.com/EUWeb/FM_handbook/577fm1_2.htm

And heat should be a matter of adjusting your welding amperage.

[I_Love_Plasma]

Well I guess as Gabe mentioned it is a fast freezing puddle. 7018's are a little better. I'm looking forward to posting pictures after putting all this knowledge to use.

[bobwills]

o ill try to. And 6011 is a ac or dc rod but primarly ac. I think running 1/8" 6011 i run them about 90 or 95. Now know this, they vary sometimes greatly between brands. In ag we had some 1/8" 6011 we were running and 90 was way too hot. They were crazy burning. I turned mine down a knoch or two and they calmed down. Some might need a bit more than 90. Just got to play around with it and find what runs them the best. And you should be fine running the ones you got. Like i said 6011 will sometimes run better on ac. And 7018 is my altime favorite. But they dont run the best on ac without getting the 7018 ac and they run just fine. But yeah post all the pics you want. Ill certeq them and try and help you all i can.

[I_Love_Plasma]

Well tomorrow's welding day. Cleaned the shop tonight. Tonight my brother and I were welding with combine batteries in series 24vDC. It eats rods, but it's funnier than all get out. Got it on video, I will post some of it in the Chat Lounge

Thanks for all the help and tips!

[bobwills]

Are you gonna take pics along the way and use it as one of the projects for the contest. And haha i seen that on youtube once. And your vary welcome. Any time

[I_Love_Plasma]

Here's the link:
http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...5166#post15166