Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 30
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default Arc Welding, Slag from Weld

    Hey guys i have been looking at stick welding videos the past couple of days and one thing i noticed i am looking in front and behind the weld both positions i noticed from the video you are meant to drag the pool and look over the weld, how do u see where your welding to?

    how do u work out what is slag and what is the molten pool? this is my biggest problem as all i can see is slag which makes me think "Crap" the weld is building up to high and i rush on forward because i can only see the arc and the slag building up i cannot work out the molten pool size or width

    would love to be able to stick weld by far the cheapest method of welding and i can weld in the wind

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    67

    Default

    One trick to mark out your proposed weld bead is to draw parallel lines using a ruler and marking pen. One of the best marking pens is a metal tipped "whiteout pen" used for correcting writing mistakes. The pen leaves a highly visible white line that's not affected by the heat and you'll find that while you're watching the weld pool, you'll be aware of the parallel lines indicating where you're welding to. Just watch the weld pool touching your parallel marking lines; if you're going too fast or slow, you notice the pool expanding or contracting within your marked lines. Hope this helps. - Peter

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Thanks Peter, i have a basic job coming up its welding the square blocks on a front trailer axle and the disc brake mounts i know i can tig it good but thought i may try stick

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    A job has just raisen i need to make a flywheel puller out of 15mm plate steel need to dril 3 bolt holes and a center bolt hole than weld 4 nuts over the holes to the plate i am going to stick weld it together

    I will use the Norther Tools 400lb Stubby rattle gun to pull the flywheel off so it is going to quiet give me welds a good run

    I will have to use nuts and bolts that bunnings sell

    This is the rattle gun https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tool...9195_200649195

    I will also be putting the new air compressor to use

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Grabbed my sheet metal bender out of the shed today and needed a second lever arm on it so grabbed the unimig arc 180 and a old rod that was already in the torch had been sitting around and welded on the arm i had watched a video yesterday on youtube and how to find that magic amp number i pre set 80amps 2.4mm rod and started blowing holes and welds were what i was normally welding so i tried to use the sheet metal bender and the arm broke off

    I than reset up again reduced the amps to 75amps and had another go, just by dropping 5amps i was able to fill in those holes and run a absolute beautiful bead i made sure i slowed down to date i have been moving to fast but today it just clicked i was on the ball the arc was stable the pool was nice and had a nice cherry ball of fury it was a nice width weld was sort of a 45 degree angle across the inside corner weld not concaved or bulberous and cold it just felt so bloody comfortable to weld it was as if everything was aligned
    I was using the Lincoln 6013 2.4mm rods welding off cut 3mm 75×50×3mm could not believe with the correct setting and enough 'juice' it didnt even feel like it wanted to blow a hole

    I think i have finally keyed on to arc welding

    Can post pics but i'll have to get the bender out of the shed

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    Revesby - Sydney Australia
    Age
    56
    Posts
    1,185

    Default

    Nice when things just "click"

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    3 different welding machines all being used around each other one being swapped for the next and so on, lots of thinking of where i am going wrong and what i can do to help my self without training and trying to remember everything and forgetting it by the time i use that specific machine again

    i will be compiling a list for each machine as i work it out, for the mig i will be noting it down in texta inside the machine its only for my reference and i don't plan on selling the machines i can actually understand but if for some reason i move on and up maybe those texta settings may help the next person

    with this arc welder i think my problem were moving to fast and not enough amps by going excessive amps than backing it down i have found a really sweet spot i like and i think i will take this over amp approach on everything i weld by welding on scrap first and backing down the amps untill i no longer blow holes

    when i first picked up the Mishto welder i think from memory that was my first real go at stick welding i kept blowing holes in some 2mm or 3mm square tubing and i just had enough but i have lernt a lot since way back than, rod thickness plays a important role so i have just learnt by watching youtube videos the thicker the rod the more amps in return more heat input and blowing holes i learnt a good rule is use a rod no thicker than the material being welded, i had no idea that rod thickness dictated the amperage i assumed u use the amps on the machine according to the thickness of material your welding not rod thickness

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Hey guys something has just happen and i really need to get my aluminium trailer rolling i have mig the spring hangers (8mm) to the spring hanger frame (10mm) but the weld is a bit cold half of the welds were done dc tig the other half done mig i would like them all done tig but strapped for cash could i possible stick weld the 8mm to 10mm with a 4mm rod on a 180amp machine?

    A family members health is a real concern and last thing i want to do is get rid of my projects

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    You don't say what rod you're using, but 180A should be enough for a 4mm 6013 - obviously the amps depend on thickness, and there's no reason you can't run a thinner rod with multiple passes.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Hey Rusty, i only have 6011 and 6013 both 2.4mm rods on hand if i can do multiple pass that would be ok i just thought if i used the 4mm rod for more heat into the thicker material for more of a bite would be better, i dont have any 4mm rods but they are cheap to buy about $15-$20 just cant afford a gas refill atm, i still have 500kpa i think that maybe 1/4? A tank of argon but when i tig it i need to sit and let the heat soak in which will eat thru my last gas supplies

    I've kind of got the hang of this stick welding if i can properly pick it up would be fantastic..

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    I just checked i have these Rusty some lincoln size unknown box doesnt say anything other than 50-80amps and they are 6013, i have 2 boxes of gemini 2.6mm rods 6012

    Which would u use?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Tried today finally got the hang of it laying down a weld they are not pretty my starts and endings are not very good and just as i done my last weld for the day i tried continuing around the corner which was very difficult to reposition while keeping the weld going

    kind of worked out i was zig zagging to fast going from strike, A to B to A to B and it would create a crater in between the two points so i really slowed down to the point i thought the weld was going to pool up and be useless but in fact once i finished and looked at the slag it looked ok

    i just need practice on cornering and moving slowly, these welds are around 16mm to 20mm wide using the lincoln rods think they are 2.4mm or 2.6mm i thought u could only get a thin weld from a thin rod, had the rods at max at 80amps

    any tips to take on board where i a going wrong?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    586

    Default

    First thing:
    I've watched weld which wouldn't hold 5KG. So not all pretty welds are good welds.

    That out of the way, last pic, middle part is looking the goods, no undercut, good bead profile.

    With the starts:
    Consider starting your arc forward of where you need it to start, then weld over it once you reposition and get in your groove.
    Finishes:
    Your tragvel speed went a bit AWOL, but not to worry, work on keeping consistency thru the whole weld. Usually a circle motion towards the end of the weld before you break the arc will help with the crater fill and and sunken bits which will cause issues later on.

    For anything else, get comfy with the grinder. Chuck a wheel in it, grind out (longitudinally) the bit that bothers you, then bonus nachos- you get to practice your re-starts!!!

    For re-starts, some rods are cantankerous for re-striking. Remove from electrode holder, and give it a razz-up with a file. I've also been known to tap it on the work bench to get the glassy flux off the rod end and get it back to bare metal. 7016's are bad for it.

    On that note... don't be afraid to try different rods. there are rods out there that will blow your mind. If amperage allows for in-position (flat) work, consider a 7024 rod (Jet rod)- big fat, deep penetrating welds that will reignite your love of stick welding. Dicking around with some chinese GP's will kill the mood faster than a fatt-o-gram at a bucks show.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Sydney, NSW, Australia
    Posts
    1,836

    Default

    Thanks Com i am still trying to work out what is the molten pool from slag, what i am seeing is this big firy cherry ball where it looks like mars the planet and u can see the ball moving around in all directions i dont know if that is the arc or slag i have been looking over the weld while welding rather than in front of the weld like tig

    I think my inconsistancy is not knowing what is the molten pool and what that cherry red mars plant looking ball of fury is

    I will try to focus again tomorrow on the arc maybe the molten pool is only where the rod tip is and that ball of fury maybe the slag hardnening?

    Wish i could get a close up video

    From the youtube videos i watched last night i seen that u dont want under cutting i thought this was ok it meant penetration and that the new weld 'bites' into the metal as one

    I will try 75amps tomorrow these welds were done at max amps 80a because i thought i wanted maximum heat input to really sink tge weld in maybe i am taking the wrong aproach
    Attached Images Attached Images

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    1,322

    Default

    As mentioned, the main part of the welds looks good, so most likely strong enough for the application.

    With regard to the weld pool, you typically see ripples in it just behind the arc, and the main thing you want is for the edges to wash out - that can be achieved by slowing the travel speed, as you've found, but can also be helped with a bit of stick movement from side to side - not a lot, but just enough to ensure the pool is moved towards each edge.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Welding aluminium- weld building up...
    By silkwood in forum WELDING
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 30th Jun 2019, 05:49 PM
  2. Stick Welding and slag
    By GSRocket in forum WELDING
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 9th Mar 2014, 09:56 PM
  3. Replies: 21
    Last Post: 18th Jan 2014, 09:54 AM
  4. Welding slag
    By garfield in forum WELDING
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 19th Dec 2010, 06:25 PM
  5. Arc Welding Slag
    By Matty5700 in forum WELDING
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 15th Jun 2009, 11:03 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •