Any advice ?

[super noob]

Finished practicing me stick welding fairly happy with it although could have moved a little faster in places I think


110A AC 1/8th 7018's



Hows it look to you pro's ?

 

[aidank]

looks good TBH, v good in fact

what thickness steel 3 or 4mm?

110Amp AC~80Aamp DC I guess

 

[super noob]

Cheers it was 3mm box section

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

looks really good mate, maybe a few more amps but not many, perhaps around 5 more, and looks like you have been keeping a good tight arc when im joining 2 pieces I tent to weave, but that's down to preference Well done

 

[super noob]

the entire length is somewhere around 63" so it was a bit of a challenge trying to get everything straight ish but I kinda managed in the end

I'll give it a go tomorrow on 115A but that moves me onto the low volts side I think, currently on high volts and the 7018's I have don't seem to like the high amp side of the welder. 6013's love it but these 7018's seem to hate it for some reason!

If not I can bump it up to 120 as thats the highest setting on the high volt side of the transformer. But yes as you say it was a tight arc, was just trying to mimic what I'd seen when watching Jody on welding tips and tricks! That guy is awesome at laying down a bead

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Yeh, by far nothing wrong with the welds, if 110A works for you, I use ESAB 6013s they aren't fussy, I also use Babcock 7018 A3 low hydrogen rods, you need a tight arc with them so need around 120A to keep the arc lit when holding a tight arc, I also get Jody's vids in my inbox weekly

 

[super noob]

It might help if I was using better rods then these are some horrid sif ones!


Left them in the boiler room overnight where its warm and dry, went to use them the next day and they wouldn't light. Bunged them in the oven for 40 mins at 200* and then overnight with pilot light on and tried again the next day and they were fine so I leave all my rods in there now

Will see if I can get hold of those Babcock rods though, how much are they for a pack of 5kg ?

Subscribed on youtube too then eh I've also got chucke2007 I think or some name like that

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

no, they come in small vacuum packs of about 20 rods, so welders doing pressure vessels just take a few packs with them and don't need to dry them out expensive but good, I get them from a friend, he works with a big welding company

 

[super noob]

they're going to be expensive then

I think I may have to stick to the bigger boxes and leave them in the oven (pilot lights always on so makes no difference to me) Think ESAB or Oerlikon ones should do the job

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Yeh ESAB 6013s are good at £12 a box

 

[super noob]

£12 a box! ? Where from ? The Sifs are £20 a 5kg box here nevermind ESAB

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

I get mine from leengate welding supplies in grangemouth, they are good just phone round your local welding supliers

 

[super noob]

Only one local to me is Thomas Graham so I think I'm going to have to take my business to Barrow in Furness area, they should be cheap as the shops there will probably supply BAE systems for the ship and submarine building

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

yeh, leengate are good I get everything from them mig tig and arc

 

[super noob]

hmm closest one is manchester although they may do postage at £12 a box and if it was £5 to post I'll take that over thomas graham!

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

yeh, they are good rods, and a know plenty of people, myself included that wont use anathing else

 

[super noob]

What 7018's would you recommend that aren't those super expensive ones

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Iv never used anything but the Babcock ones to be honest anything with the ESAB badge will be good quality, try some of the 7018s

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

http://advancedweldingsupplies.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/80_50_176_53/products_id/272

have a look here that's the price per small pack of Babcock ones, if u were closer u could have some of mine

 

[super noob]

Cheers Jim will have a look and see if I can get hold of some local metal fabricators may give me a few if I ask nicely!

Thats pretty expensive for a small pack of rods and thanks for the offer but I'm only ever in Ayr or Edinburgh when I go up to scotland to visit family