Thread: sticky rod syndrome

Just purchased my first arc welder (cigweld compact turbo) with the intent of making some gates from 1" square tube.
Just to get things straight, i've never welded anything ever.......ah hem...
Practised for a while with some 5-6mm scrap plate with some (rough) success.
Then moved onto the tube (only about 1.2mm walls) for a test run.
-Cannot seem to stop the rod from 'sticking' to the work!!!!!!-
Using 2mm cigweld ferrocraft rods @ 70-90 amps
Should i just keep practising or could it be a technique error.

Try turning the amperage up. Generally Rods sticking is a sign of too low amps

Hi Colby,

Low amps or could be in just banging the rod too hard and breaking off the flux at the end-that makes the little bs stick.

Make sure your clamp is attached to the work solidly,
sometimes the current can't just make it through all the spatter and chipped flux on the bench top between earth and job.
Even better as a start technique is to clamp your scrap 5mm plate to the tube and strike your arc to get it going .

Quickly break it and while the end is still red hot scoot across to the new weld site and restrike. Appreciate it is a double quick process -no time for lingering or hesitation.The hot end of the rod re strikes easily if amps are right.

Lastly don't get hung up on the numbers on the amp indicator. Once you get the hang of it your eyes and ears will tell you if the amps are right and you will never need the indicator after that.-its a let the force be with you type deal.
hope it helps

Grahame

Is the scrap painted , powder coated or rusted?
A quick hit with a flap disc where your welding and where you are earthing can help, try to keep the Earth close to where you are practicing .

Are they old rods? They don't like moisture.

Colby

The trouble is that people like Grahame make it look like it is easy but the trouble is there are 100 little things that have to be right for it to be a success.

I've been welding for years and I'm still a crap welder.

So take heart with practice you will get better.

It just isn't like gluing two pieces of timber together.

throw the rods in your home oven on 180 deg for about 5-10 mins to rid of any moisture that may have accumulated in the rods make sure you have a nice clean area for the earth and as riley said keep it close to as practical to where you are actually welding when i started welding years back i always found welding thicker plate was easier than welding thin

Obviously the thicker the plate the higher the amps required the thinner the plate the lower as Bazza said it is like gluing wood together but I actually think of it as sewing metal together i usually strike an arc get it nice an hot and move slowly over the gap in a sideways motion stitching the two together

Another thing when first learning ..Get Comfortable!
Say on a bench, clamp scrap so you don't have to hold it, hold the torch steady, lean against something if you can, use your other hand on your wrist to steady it again.Some times it may help on your first couple to cut the rod in half so your not as far away, it wont hurt the rod.If your starting with a hand held face mask seriously consider a flip hood they start at about $12.00, its easier again with auto darkening and you can get a cheapy for $75.00 or so but first things first.

You wont always weld like that but your learning to just get the feel of it.You are also learning to drop your rod as its consumed .
Concentrate on running your practice beads in a straight line .Get into that habit quick.It will really help you later.

25mm box at 1.2 wall is not an easy thing to learn on so don't be discouraged Colby. If you get that down you'll be kicking! Expect to blow holes in it because you will, (we all do).

Is it a gate your making or frame thingy? It may be easier when starting to cut some triangular corners out of your scrap weld up your 25 box with that helping as gussets .Thick is always easier than thin .

Just to reinforce what Grahame said:

"Lastly don't get hung up on the numbers on the amp indicator. Once you get the hang of it your eyes and ears will tell you if the amps are right and you will never need the indicator after that.-its a let the force be with you type deal."

That very true.
Once you have a bead running you want to hear "Bacon on a fry pan" type crackling noise , The look Grahame refers to is seeing the flux "behaving" itself .

The sound and look particularly apply to Mig if you eventually go that way in the future.

Good luck , remember its all seat time ,
Most of all do not get discouraged, no one just picks up a rod and is a X ray quality welder .

thanks to all who responded to my sticky rod query. am playing with upping the amps with some success! might try some heavier walled tube as the higher amps are helping me make my scrap 1.2mm tube look.... um....creative?
has definately been helpful looking at some other members postings (past and recent) for a good overview of techniques and handy hints.
cheers once again.

I just had another rush to the brain.

In my years of training welders I found many new blokes hold their breath.This usually comes in conjunction with a death grip on the electrode holder.

This magnifies ay small wobbles you may have had in the first place,so try to relax.

Vision is another thing .If you can't see properly you cannot get the best out of your welding.
make sure your helmet visor shield lenses are clean,by taking them out and cleaning them. If you are really having trouble get your eyes checked.This applies particularly to the 40 + years group.

I had a few blokes in the night classes who blossomed after a visit to the optometrist.

Overall though the key is practice,practice and more practice.
Say 20 mins a night over a couple of weeks. Keep the start and the finish samples .Betcha improve.
With the thin stuff don't bugger around with it until you get the thicker plate really spot on.

You can then go back to the thin stuff knowing your technique is OK. Its then only a matter of reducing amps and increasing travel speed until you get no burn throughs.

Cheers
Grahame

hey matet sure if its been said but make sure you keep all you electrodes somewere dry and free of the cold the rods are really bad t weld with if the moisture gets to em i learnt from my mistakes and i keep the rods in my sock drawer lol and adding on what grahame said striking the rod till it gets hot on a piece of scrap does wonders and really improves your weld and confidence in knowing its not gonna stick and make a pita