Help with electrodes sticking.....

[Alec.S]

Hi again....
I am mostly a newbie to stick welding and I have been having problems with the rods sticking to the work piece.....I know this can happen but what am I doing wrong (do you think?) And what should I do differently?
I either tap the electrode to the workpiece or kinda' scratch it and 80 percent of the time it sticks unless the electrode is past critical temp.....
thanks in advance.....

alec

 

[brightspark]

best thing to do is weld a bit of scrap plate onto your earth clamp . then strike the ark on that .when its away transfer onto your job giving a clean hot start some rods strike easier than others

 

[Toscane]

Use quality rods and make sure they're dry. Check your settings so it's not too low. Don't wait after you get the first arc, keep going and raise the rod to the appropriate level as soon as you get the arc.

Sometimes when the setting is too low, rods tend to stick. Also, they tend to stick a lot when they're cold.

 

[Alec.S]

Thanks guys...I am using cheap screw fix rods at the mo......I am still deciding which rods i should buy..... ( http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=19245 )


alec

 

[brightspark]

the only thing u can do is buy some and see how they go . if there good they will strike up quite easily run a good bead without spitting and fa,.,./.,/ting try welding with there minimum setting then to the max . practice makes perfect

 

[Alec.S]

thanks....
Also.....Does sticking harm the machine?

alec

 

[brightspark]

thanks....
Also.....Does sticking harm the machine?

alec

if its the oxford u have there bomb proof . it wont realy affect it for the amount of time it sticks .i sumtimes dry rods out by makin them stick till steam comes out

 

[Alec.S]

Yes....its an oxford 110 amp...
few ..... I was scared that my incompetence was killing it slowly but surely...
But...what should i do with my "technique " so as not to do itto often?

thanks...

alec

 

[brightspark]

Yes....its an oxford 110 amp...
few ..... I was scared that my incompetence was killing it slowly but surely...
But...what should i do with my "technique " so as not to do itto often?

thanks...

alec

a good quality dry rod will strike quite easy on reasonably clean metal. i tend to tap and stroke it along at the same time. once away it shouldnt splutter or stall if it does increase the amperage a little if it still does it try difrent make of rods have a look in the welding tutorial its quite informative

 

[Hitch]

These old machines are harder to strike up than the modern ones.
Could well be damp rods causing your sticking by the sound of it.

 

[Toscane]

I also use the same technique as Brightspark. Slight tap and stroke at the same time and its done. It's very minimal though, just a 2 or 3mm works for me but I use an inverter so it might also got something to do with that.

If I'm not mistaken, the one I use has hot start feature.

 

[busa]

Alec.
Does your Oxford 110A welder have output terminals for 50V and 80V OCV? If it does then select the 80V terminal. Using the higher OCV makes for easier arc striking particularly with smaller rods.

 

[Alec.S]

Busa : yes it does.......

alec

 

[Alec.S]

Busa..... A problem with that is that i won't get a high enough amperage..... ( I only get about 80 amp max on 80 ocv.......
keep up the responses !

alec