Stick welding is difficult. Who knew.

[premmington]

Yes, it's been a hot button years ago.
Learn stick welding first, do the practice time, burn rod, burn rod.

Then move to MIG.

Other way around, same results as your seeing.

I would agree...

But I am so old - there was not many MIG sets about when I started to learn to weld - it was all stick welding and Oxy/fuel

 

[addjunkie]

I would agree...

But I am so old - there was not many MIG sets about when I started to learn to weld - it was all stick welding and Oxy/fuel

Your not old, just a mere bairn, twas riveting in my day!

 

[Agroshield]

The welder is synergic, hence I set what rods I am using and the thickness of the material and it sets the expected amperage needed

And what does it think the current should be for your choice of electrode and material thickness?

The challenge with abdicating all thinking to a machine is that you do not learn anything, only that you switch it on and either it works or it doesn't. Part of the synergy in the process is synergy with the ape holding the stinger - it has to make assumptions about the arc length you are holding and the travel speed. If, because you are learning, you are doing something different, the computer will say no.

If possible, switch phasors to manual and do some controlled tests at known currents: start at 40A, for instance, and see how the arc strikes and what you have to do to maintain it. Double the current to 80A and appreciate the difference. If either of those two setings is non-optimal, pick a halfway point, 60A and see what happens.

 

[Kram]

I suggest get some 1.6mm 6013 rods. I like them, very easy to control, start easy, great for tacking any thickness. They do burn quick but your only task is to keep the arc length short - I find it easy on these. On very thin stuff under 1mm you may want under 30 amps, on 2mm thickness or higher, I use 60A.

Stainless rods are great for the slags ability to ping off as it cools. Wear safety glasses!

 

[Onthespotwelding]

Who knew that MMA is so difficult

The rtech 181 mig has the “easy set” menu pre set settings.

If your getting the rod stuck your doing something very very wrong as I found it impossible to do on my RTech 251 mig.

Best thing you can do is look at the arc tutorial at the top of the forum.

 

[8ob]

I suggest get some 1.6mm 6013 rods. I like them, very easy to control, start easy, great for tacking any thickness. They do burn quick but your only task is to keep the arc length short - I find it easy on these. On very thin stuff under 1mm you may want under 30 amps, on 2mm thickness or higher, I use 60A.

Stainless rods are great for the slags ability to ping off as it cools. Wear safety glasses!

I agree. Op is practicing on 2mm thick material, 1.6 rod would make more sense.

Bob

 

[Erie Fred]

I would agree...

But I am so old - there was not many MIG sets about when I started to learn to weld - it was all stick welding and Oxy/fuel

And that is why welding is easy for you.

 

[Guineafowl]

Till you get your hand/eye in, strike some arcs somewhere else to warm the rod tip up, before starting the bead. Helps with sticking. Some people use the earth clamp, which ends up looking like a sea monster.

Make sure you’re dragging the weld, top of the rod inclined slightly ahead. I like to keep the arc tight and weave in overlapping C shapes.

As you get better, learn to watch the puddle behind, not the arc. The slag should be blown back to reveal the actual weld puddle underneath. With time, you’ll be able to tell the difference. Keep your head out of the smoke - beginners often peer too close.

Keep your rods dry and the metal clean.

 

[Mick Annick]

I would agree...

But I am so old - there was not many MIG sets about when I started to learn to weld - it was all stick welding and Oxy/fuel

Same for me, I learnt both as an apprentice. After a couple of years in an office job I went back to work into a car dealership, ‘you can weld - the MIG’s over there’ WTF? I soon picked it up, badly…

 

[MikeBs]

If you are getting a flatish weld, weld pool wide 2 to tree times the rod diameter you're spot on.

This is just what I’m getting, when I wire wheel all the slag off it does look like the ‘stack of dimes’ that is mentioned in videos, but there is no height to it.
I was expecting it to look similar to MIG with a bead on the top of the scrap. It looks as though I have turned the surface of the scrap into the ‘stack of dimes’ without actually adding any material from the rod.
I am going to the scrap merchant on Friday afternoon to get some thicker stuff and have another go over the weekend.

 

[Richiew]

The weld is sinking in as there's not enough base material to take the heat. It's probably too liquid.

 

[jo1010]

A flat weld and blow through means either too much current or speed of travel is too low. Sticking to the job could just be beginners problems with dexterity. Otherwise If everything is right the slag just just peel off the weld - sometimes on it's own (maybe in an ideal world haha).
There are also some crappy 6013s around (a while ago I chanced some Aldi ones that were clueless at starting an arc).
Practice and practice with a variety of thicknesses etc - it's an art !

 

[Memmeddu]

This is just what I’m getting, when I wire wheel all the slag off it does look like the ‘stack of dimes’ that is mentioned in videos, but there is no height to it.
I was expecting it to look similar to MIG with a bead on the top of the scrap. It looks as though I have turned the surface of the scrap into the ‘stack of dimes’ without actually adding any material from the rod.
I am going to the scrap merchant on Friday afternoon to get some thicker stuff and have another go over the weekend.

Pictures needed

 

[MikeBs]

Hi again,
Couldn’t get any really thick stuff at the scrappy, but took a few pieces of 3mm which is better than the 1mm I was practicing on.
The 1st picture is of some 3mm scrap with 2.5mm 6013 rods at 80A.
Exhibit A is one handed. Keeping an even arc must take some practice for anyone that can do this.
Exhibit B is using both hands with one hand keeping the rod steady about half way down the rod.
The second photo is just me sticking two horseshoes together. I do a lot using these and rebar.
My first observation was how fast it is compared to MIG. Those runs took literally seconds to do.
Second is how hot it gets the material. I can normally grab a horseshoe on the other side of the weld for a split second to move it after MIG. After MMA it surprised me that I had to reach for pliers. Do horseshoes have a low melting point as they seemed to react very differently to the scrap steel?
I’m only 3 rods into this journey and have another 47 6013 to use before I reach for the Stainless ones.
So please be gentle, I’m a very sensitive 64 year old who has lived a sheltered life.

 

[Erie Fred]

Hi again,
Couldn’t get any really thick stuff at the scrappy, but took a few pieces of 3mm which is better than the 1mm I was practicing on.
The 1st picture is of some 3mm scrap with 2.5mm 6013 rods at 80A.
Exhibit A is one handed. Keeping an even arc must take some practice for anyone that can do this.
Exhibit B is using both hands with one hand keeping the rod steady about half way down the rod.
The second photo is just me sticking two horseshoes together. I do a lot using these and rebar.
My first observation was how fast it is compared to MIG. Those runs took literally seconds to do.
Second is how hot it gets the material. I can normally grab a horseshoe on the other side of the weld for a split second to move it after MIG. After MMA it surprised me that I had to reach for pliers. Do horseshoes have a low melting point as they seemed to react very differently to the scrap steel?
I’m only 3 rods into this journey and have another 47 6013 to use before I reach for the Stainless ones.
So please be gentle, I’m a very sensitive 64 year old who has lived a sheltered life.

Now your getting somewhere.

Practice, practice, practice.
You've already improved greatly.

Forgo the 47 rod rule, and buy more regular rod before wasting the expensive stainless rods.

 

[fizzy]

Hi again,
Couldn’t get any really thick stuff at the scrappy, but took a few pieces of 3mm which is better than the 1mm I was practicing on.
The 1st picture is of some 3mm scrap with 2.5mm 6013 rods at 80A.
Exhibit A is one handed. Keeping an even arc must take some practice for anyone that can do this.
Exhibit B is using both hands with one hand keeping the rod steady about half way down the rod.
The second photo is just me sticking two horseshoes together. I do a lot using these and rebar.
My first observation was how fast it is compared to MIG. Those runs took literally seconds to do.
Second is how hot it gets the material. I can normally grab a horseshoe on the other side of the weld for a split second to move it after MIG. After MMA it surprised me that I had to reach for pliers. Do horseshoes have a low melting point as they seemed to react very differently to the scrap steel?
I’m only 3 rods into this journey and have another 47 6013 to use before I reach for the Stainless ones.
So please be gentle, I’m a very sensitive 64 year old who has lived a sheltered life.

If you have trouble starting a weld make sure the metal rod is sticking out slightly from the filler. I learnt this the hard way - if not use some snips or a file to remove excess filler
If you want an easy rod to learn with try a 7024. Also known as a jet rod as they put metal down fast.
They are also knows as a drag rod - you just touch it on the steel and drag it towards you. Simple. ONLY for nice flat welding - no up or down hill.
Also only on thick metal. Try welding 6mm before you try the thinner stuff!