Welding Tips and Tricks

First class was Monday. Instructor is a good welder but not a good teacher. Brief safety talk, some oxy-acetalene instruction, we cut some coupons and after a very short arc strike demo we were set loose in a booth. I was hoping for a little direct observation and correction. Tonite, I'm going to drag a little more info out the instructor. I'll also post a picture of my pad of beads. The first session we were running 1/8 7014 on a/c on 3/8 plate. Machines are Idealarc A/C,D/C 250's, l just got one of these off Craigslist for $100.

That was how my class started. Safety lecture>O/A torch instruction (so you can cut your own coupons)> brief machine introduction>start welding.

It isn't a bad way to teach a craft that is "hands on". As long as the instructor can weld and knows how to pass a weld test (and having a CWI cert helps), they should pass that on to you in the booth. If you feel you need more oversight, don't hesitate to speak up. I was a bit lost and nervous my first few nights, but I made sure to get his input as I progressed. As much as I could without being an interruption to the other students.

Hopefully, your instructor should catch on your your speed of learning and help you at your pace and not to the curriculum pace.

There are 5 students. If l were the instructor, l would have stopped by each booth and observed each student. We were told there would be no classroom time at all. I understand that seat time is important but a little theory goes a long way.

Is he not checking in with each of you at all?

Where in NY are you? I am by far not the best stick welder, but I would be happy to have you over and watch you burn rods for a couple of hours and compare notes. I am in CT near waterbury.

And if you want we could also do some TIG...same story. I am not the best, but I have the gear and we could compare notes.

RocketSurgeon, Not once.
Louie1961, I'm in Pawling NY. , southeast corner of Dutchess County. I have a small workshop in Beacon NY too. P.M. me, I'm interested

Here's a pad of beads l did last night. I have covered 3 coupons this size both sides in 2 sessions. I am making use of seat time. Most of these were 7014 then l took the plunge and tried some 7018, a little more difficult to initiate an arc but I'll get it . I need to work on filling the crater at the end of my beads and l know they're not stacked perfectly but here for your viewing pleasure..........

I tried switching direction, didn't work well so l stopped. I will spens a lot of time working with my non dominant hand next time as this is something that must be done. The beads appear to switch direction on this pad because I started in the center of a warped plate to see if l could pull it flat, worked quite well. There are also tie-ins about every third bead, I'm burning every rod down to about 1 1/2 inch. Other students are dropping rods that aren't long enough to make a full pass. I figure tie-ins are part of the process so I better practice them

sedanman wrote:I tried switching direction, didn't work well so l stopped. I will spens a lot of time working with my non dominant hand next time as this is something that must be done. The beads appear to switch direction on this pad because I started in the center of a warped plate to see if l could pull it flat, worked quite well. There are also tie-ins about every third bead, I'm burning every rod down to about 1 1/2 inch. Other students are dropping rods that aren't long enough to make a full pass. I figure tie-ins are part of the process so I better practice them

Looking real good! Don't worry about trying to do everything the first week. One step at a time.

When you end the bead and still have plenty of rod left (especially 7018), take the rod out of the stinger and tap the end to remove the excess flux. It helps with restart of the rod and you are less likely to have scorch marks on the work.

(Honestly, your first pad looks better than my first.)

My 2nd horizontal t joint.

Looking good! Keep at it!

Coming along nicely!

Steve S

Thank you both. I had a chat with the instructor and he stepped up his game.

Last night was my first time using 6010.

sedanman wrote:Last night was my first time using 6010.

Yeah yours look a bell of a lot better than mine. Nice job. I was gonna take a class but I figured I could buy a stick welder and just practice my butt off and post them here.

Keep the pics coming.

Looks good. A lot of people like to slam the old 5P (farmer rod, etc.) but it is a workhorse. Dirty, no problem, wet, no problem. If a 6010 gets chaulky and starts burning funky, dip it in water, shake it off and keep going, not joking. I have literally welded couplings over holes with water pouring out of it with the 6010. Just pisses me off they make it without red flux anymore, a nostalgic thing. Now you can't yell at the FNG's... "NO, the red ones dingbat"

Louie1961 wrote:And if you want we could also do some TIG...same story. I am not the best, but I have the gear and we could compare notes.

Louie;

I would make the offer too, I'm a little farther away, but if you feel like a drive come on up. I remember the yearning for knowledge I felt. As a beginner at SMAW I had the local farm supply store where they sold bulk 5/32 1109 rod. It was some time later I learned they were reading it off the rod upside down. I'd have given my shirt to have a bit of instruction from someone more experienced. It turns out it's less mysterious than going it alone.

Willie

THAT is funny!