Newbie with a Question

[brn2hnt]

Hello all, been lurking on here for a few months off and on, just now registered as I have a real important question. I just bought an arc welder, a Forney C5 for 30$, and have begun to weld with it. Can lay super nice beads with 7014 on flat steel, but when I try a lap joint I have a huge crease down the middle. Have tried going slower, faster, varying closeness of electrode, ect. Am I missing something or what? Would really like to get this down since I can get a 7 dollar/hour raise at my summer job if I can pass their vert. weld tests. Thanks in advance, and be ready for more questions as I am sure I will have many to follow.

Mike K.

[fun4now]

Bilbobaker
welcome and thanks for the link. i cant view it as im on dial up but i'm shore some will enjoy it a lot, and i may try iyt agai if i get a better conection. right now its dragging prity bad. at 1 AM you would think i could get a good conection, well it is saterday night. i supose the **** sites are using up all the line time.

[Bilbobaker]

Here is a good video tutorial of how to arc weld.

http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/...eld-finish.htm

[tsalagi]

in the picture, it looked like the travel speed was too fast, arc length was too long, running too cold, and are you left handed or took the picture upside down?

next to tig, stick is the funnest way to weld. it's more work but once you get good at it, wou'll want to do everything with it.

[fun4now]

could be the 2nd box had been on the shelf too long or gotten exposed to some sereous moisture some how. they do have a shelf life as i understand it and need to be kept dry, so that could be the problem.

[mattbrissey]

Ive had it happen

I welded with a cheap ac welder with the same rod, one box worked fine. Good welds, bought another box and had the problem you are having? went back to the first box and they worked fine. so far been only 1 box i found will work. good luck

[beamwalker]

put some fire in that wire! been a while since i ran that stuff but its got to be hot. same with 7024. learn how to run 232 wire and you will flat out smoke other welders out. with 232 i can smoke any wire feeder. plus its hard. used for structural. learn your lo/hy rods thats what most people use in construction

[Bert]

Where I've worked before, and know, TIG and MIG is NOT an option! All using stick.

[fun4now]

no kidding, lots of good info to be found here.

[HMW]

No it doesn't, I'm joking

I've learned something from everybody who has posted on here

[fun4now]

is it showing that i dont do this for a living. well or at all yet for that matter.

[HMW]

"as in did you mean learning to drive it around "


Thats funny !! but actually true

[fun4now]

i understood what the weld pool was i was refering to what did you mean by getting ahold of it?? as in did you mean lerning to drive it around where you wanted it or what it should look like and so forth. but iyt looks like all aply.
i realy gotta get off my but and give this stuff a try. seems like stick can be verry usefull to know, even with MIG & TIG already as an option.

[Black Wolf]

Molten Weld Puddle

The only thing I could add is that while you are watching the shiny molten puddle immediately next to the electrode, you can also see the colour change in the weld metal next to the puddle as it 'freezes'. When you learn to watch both you will be able to keep track of where you are in terms of proper fusion & eliminating undercut at the toes of the weld, and also where you have been in terms of how much weld metal has been deposited and how wide the bead is.

Some quick tips as you learn - before starting your welder put an electrode in the holder, position yourself over the workpiece and pay real close attention to the angles. Electrode angle should be 1/2 of joint angle, so when welding butt welds (180 degrees) electrode should be 90 degrees to seam when viewed from end. Next to check in electrode inclination angle. For most SMAW procedures, you will want a backhand technique which has your electrode pointing approx. 15 to 20 degrees opposite to the direction of travel or back into the puddle where you came from. This is viewed 90 degrees to the weld. When you get a handle on this, then work on short arc and long arc lengths and learn what they do.

Just practice. You'll get it. We all had to start somewhere. Some of my first welds looked like someone was flinging monkey sh*t with a slingshot!!!

[HMW]

Glad I could help