Welding Tips and Tricks

Nothing fancy, just recycling some old 5"x5"x 4.8mm square tube to make into a rack to hold my steel/aluminum.





Welds are nothing to look at; edges were rough-cut with plasma using no guide, I was purposely long-arc'ing it, stubbing into the weld puddle to purposely stick the rod (as I tried different Arc Force settings), trying different hot-start settings. Just getting an over-all feel for it. The verdict: This. Little. LUNCHBOX. kicks. a$$. Even without setting it to cellulosic mode, it lit up Lincoln Pipeliner 6P+'s (E6010s) without even the slightest hesitation (with correct amperage, and appropriate H.S & A.F.). I think if I do set it to cellulosic mode, 6010s will probably just obliterate into dust! But really, it has a real nice arc, very forgiving, and easy-start's all the rods I tried, from Lincoln Excalibur 7018MR H4R, to Pipeliner 5P+/6P+, to cheapie "Best Welds" and Blue Demon rods. It gobbled them up and spit them out.

The 5”x5”x 4.8mm took me a bit to compute.

Lol

Poll:

Product review of this machine using:

A) clean, mill-scale free, pristine, bare, clean steel
or
B) "realistic" hot-rolled, with millscale, slight rust, dirty, painted, etc ?

Even though A has it's place, B gives a better perspective IMO. Obviously rod choice would make a difference, but even then, one cannot have every single rod in existence any how.

Finally a review video series on this cool little stick welder!

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Next videos I'll do some arc shots with various electrodes. Gotta get back into practice!

That little welder is really a nice stick welder! I'm green with envy.

Nice video Oscar!

More videos coming real soon!

What did you think of the intro screen with the Bruce Lee whhoooaoaaa! yell?

Oscar wrote:More videos coming real soon!

What did you think of the intro?

You need to work on the audio. Be a bit more uplifting and energetic.

Raise the box/machine up and get it off the floor.

Show some of the details, like what you did to the stinger to make it unique (I do know, just sayin').

I don't want to criticize too much, I know how hard it is to create videos, but trying to offer constructive criticism.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:

Oscar wrote:More videos coming real soon!

What did you think of the intro?

You need to work on the audio. Be a bit more uplifting and energetic.

Raise the box/machine up and get it off the floor.

Show some of the details, like what you did to the stinger to make it unique (I do know, just sayin').

I don't want to criticize too much, I know how hard it is to create videos, but trying to offer constructive criticism.

No can do, not my style! If I did have a more uplifting and energetic character, then you would have seen it already on the video. I keep it real! I over think things as it is, lol. It wasn't a video about the stinger, I already posted all those details on the forums. I do what I can with the space I have available. Besides I did get it up off the floor when I went over the settings. In no way shape or form will my videos be on a "professional" level like people who do it for a living, like Jody. I'm keeping it real. I'm a hobbyist. So my videos are hobbyist-level also, and I intend to keep it that way. Kinda how like "Indie" films are that for a reason. Same here.

Oscar wrote:No can do, not my style! If I did have a more uplifting and energetic character, then you would have seen it already on the video. I keep it real! I over think things as it is, lol. It wasn't a video about the stinger, I already posted all those details on the forums. I do what I can with the space I have available. Besides I did get it up off the floor when I went over the settings. In no way shape or form will my videos be on a "professional" level like people who do it for a living, like Jody. I'm keeping it real. I'm a hobbyist. So my videos are hobbyist-level also, and I intend to keep it that way. Kinda how like "Indie" films are that for a reason. Same here.

Ok, was only trying to offer some advice. I have done quite a number of presentations to large audiences, especially when I was working for Sun Microsystems, and it takes some adjustment, just as videos do. I would like to do more videos, but just haven't focused the time on it, I hope to more with my shop/home build.

Don't change yourself, be the way you are, the last thing you want to do is try to be someone you're not. Honesty will always shine though in the end.

As far as uplifting, I didn't mean change your personality, but speak closer and possibly clearer into the mic, try to pronounce the words clearly. That would help the volume issue greatly.

Anyway, you asked.

Oscar wrote:More videos coming real soon!

What did you think of the intro screen with the Bruce Lee whhoooaoaaa! yell?

There I fixed my post.

Oscar wrote:

Oscar wrote:More videos coming real soon!

What did you think of the intro screen with the Bruce Lee whhoooaoaaa! yell?

There I fixed my post.

Ah, now I get it...I thought that was your cat screaming the first time I listened to it...

Nice videos! Also watched your video on the Invertig 400. Appreciate the content you're putting out.

Spartan wrote:Nice videos! Also watched your video on the Invertig 400. Appreciate the content you're putting out.

Thank you.

I can't say exactly why I want this thing as badly as I do, but ever since I first saw it on HTP's site I just have, maybe it's because the sale price brings it just into the realm of something I could conceivably come up with the money for. But I like that something as "full featured" as it with a 200 amp output and is capable of doing code quality stick welding with 6010 is actually that portable. You could work pretty much literally anywhere there was a range or drier outlet within 50 feet just by carrying your whole rig minus an adapter and heavy extension cord in a single case slung over your shoulder.

I'm curious exactly how much the pulse features might help on particularly thin steel, or well really any situation where those of us with a more "mortal" level of skill might need or at least prefer a wire fed process for a little more control.

If it had a gas solenoid and HF start, or even one of those features, I'd probably already own one but then again if it did it would probably be priced closer to the Invertig and possibly closer in size as well.

sbaker56 wrote:I can't say exactly why I want this thing as badly as I do, but ever since I first saw it on HTP's site I just have, maybe it's because the sale price brings it just into the realm of something I could conceivably come up with the money for. But I like that something as "full featured" as it with a 200 amp output and is capable of doing code quality stick welding with 6010 is actually that portable. You could work pretty much literally anywhere there was a range or drier outlet within 50 feet just by carrying your whole rig minus an adapter and heavy extension cord in a single case slung over your shoulder.

You can also run it off of a 120V/20A outlet. You just need a voltage converter to do so. And you're limited in amperage to about 100A (depending on arc length) because you can only pull 2,400W from an outlet. I can do this by using a LiteFuze LT-5000 120/240V converter:

sbaker56 wrote:I'm curious exactly how much the pulse features might help on particularly thin steel, or well really any situation where those of us with a more "mortal" level of skill might need or at least prefer a wire fed process for a little more control.

I was doing this just yesterday and got some footage for my upcoming video (perhaps by tomorrow or later today). Welding 1/16" square tubing (actually it was just a smidge thicker wall, about 0.070"), using pulse with a 1/8" Böhler E6011 electrode.

I'm definitely intrigued.

sbaker56 wrote:I'm definitely intrigued.

As tired of video editing that I am (I just finished my 6010 video, took 6 hours to make/edit a 7min video!! lol), I am gonna work on the thin-gauge video for ya! I have the clips, just need to do a voice over recording. I decided after the 1st Inverarc 200TLP video as suggested by TraditionalToolworks (thanks btw), that I did have to improve the audio at least just a little bit, as talking over the noise on the actual video clip wasn't gonna cut it.

Part II


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Part III

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Just watched both, Definitely noticed the pulse seems to help blowing through, at 80+ amps I'd be blowing a hole straight through steel that thin no matter how I tried manipulating the electrode. One thing I did notice that is directly related to the machine, it really handled long arcing well even at lower amps where a transformer type machine would simply go out.

sbaker56 wrote:Just watched both, Definitely noticed the pulse seems to help blowing through, at 80+ amps I'd be blowing a hole straight through steel that thin no matter how I tried manipulating the electrode. One thing I did notice that is directly related to the machine, it really handled long arcing well even at lower amps where a transformer type machine would simply go out.

Exactly. In a manner similar to TIG, it helps limit the heat input. Except that with stick it has to be carefully adjusted because unlike TIG, the electrode is the filler metal, so the amperage "theshold" must be exceeded (to a reasonable degree) in order to have successful metal-deposition. Basically, so long as the pulse-peak is well within the range of "typical" use of that specific electrode type and diameter, you will be able to deposit metal while limiting heat input when the pulsing drops to the back-ground current, which in this machine is always 50% background current (amps on the low-part), and the peak is always 50%-on on each pulse period.

What is REALLY neat is that on the Pro Pulse 300 and the Invertig 400, the pulse parameters are completely adjustable. Want 10% on-time at 260A, 15% background current, with a pulse period of 2.8s( 0.28s peak/2.52s background)? Just have to tell it you want it so. I'd be willing to bet I can get even a 5/32" electrode to play nicely with that thin-wall square tubing. I still have more scrap left over.

[removed because I'm a dip$#!T and didn't see it above]

TraditionalToolworks wrote:Since Oscar is obviously not gonna share with us here on WTAT, he did add another video that has improved audio, IMO, something I criticized him for on his previous videos.

Scroll up please. Look at my posts from Wednesday