Not specific. All jobs the same result. Tried different metals different amps, different rods. The result is the same, the weld looks good but it just breaks apart. If I try turning up the power, it just eats away at the metal and use the rods quicker.
The rods are new. I suspected the rods as the one's I was using were a bit old. Together with my inexperience I guessed this was the problem, but now I've replaced them, it still the same. I took the advice and ground off to bare metal, connected a good earth and tried again yesterday at different powers and it still just broke off. I can't see what I am doing wrong.
Need some pictures and info on a specific weld IE. get some mild steel plate, and some good rods and put a run down, photograph it and post the pic up then we will be able to help you
What material are you trying to weld, what rods are you using, what machine, what amps? Show us some pictures! If you don't give any info you won't get any advice.
My guess though is that you're using cheap Screwfix or machine mart rods, your amps are too low and you're just getting a slag weld.
As much as I appreciate the help, for all those asking me to provide metal types and amps and rod types, as I've said in previous posts, it all and various. Different metals, different rods, different amps.
I thought the concept of welding was to heat the metal enough to fuse together, I always get a good flux flow, but the metal either comes apart or gets eaten away if the power is too high. You're right, there is a lot of slag build up.
It's certainly a waste of time without more detail - "Different metals, different rods, different amps" and nothing about which metals, what thickness, which rods and what current.
To be more constructive, the first thing to do is to forget about joining things, just get a thick piece of scrap plate and learn to start the arc and make flat beads of weld consistently.
If the beads of weld just 'break apart' you've got an interesting problem.