another Welding Rod question

[KRS]

When laying down a bead with 3/32" 6013 rods, at 90 amps, what is the relationship between rod length and bead length, meaning if you have a 12" rod, how long can you expect a single bead structural weld of 3/16" width to be?<br /><br />Will a rod go 3", or 4" or ???<br /><br />Thanks.<br /><br />The reason I ask is... I am getting 3.5" out of this rod, and that distance takes me 30 seconds or so, and I'm not getting hardly any penetration, so I'm wondering if I should be getting 2" or so and be going much slower.

 

[ob]

Re: another Welding Rod question

Depends on the gap or lack of you might be filling with the bead.On a flat piece of 1/2 iron (no gap) you can lay about a 6" long bead with a 3/32 rod layning a 3/16 wide bead.If you want to get real picky,you'll know if your temp and welding skills are just right if the slag curls off like a scorpions tail.

 

[KRS]

Re: another Welding Rod question

Well, tried again without any penetration, the weld is just sitting pretty on top of the work.<br /><br />I even tried beveling the surfaces, and it just looks like a worm stuck to the metal, not going into it at all.<br /><br />I believe this is caused by not enough power, I have maxed out my wal-mart special WS0970 70-90 amp Campbell Hausfeld machine.... I am looking at the Lincoln 225 AC machine, it's only $239 at a local retailer.<br /><br />For the money is there anything better?<br /><br />and<br /><br />225 amps should be waaay more than I ever need, right?

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: another Welding Rod question

Originally posted by KRS:<br /> <br />225 amps should be waaay more than I ever need, right?

Plenty for light/medium home use.<br /><br />The amp rating of a stick welder is at rest - no load. Once loaded, the duty cycle determines the rating. Cheap welders have low duty cycles.<br /><br />It is entirely possible that your 90 amp welder is down as low as 40 or 50 amps at the business end.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[heycods]

Re: another Welding Rod question

If you have to wait a while to save the money to buy a AC DC machine do so. the DC welds so much easier. I wouldnt go back to ac for all the rice in china.

 

[tommays]

Re: another Welding Rod question

The small welder SHOULD be able to do a good weld with the right size rod.<br /><br />So i would be doing some more practice makes perfect it can take a LOT of time to learn good welding skills.<br /><br />The angle you hold the rod ,how you let the puddle form ect.<br /><br />A bigger machine is not going make you a better welder but practice and some reading up on how to will <br /> <br /><br />tommays

 

[KRS]

Re: another Welding Rod question

Good info guys, thank you.<br /><br />I have read that DC welding is easier. The Lincoln AC-225 for $239 price goes up to $379 for the AC/DC machine.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: another Welding Rod question

if you are not getting enough penetration try standing your rod more toward a 90 degree and slow down. If it still won't penetrate then hold the rod so you are "pushing" the weld. Then you will be forcing the heat ahead of your weld. <br /><br />I agree DC welding is much easier.

 

[one more cast]

Re: another Welding Rod question

KRS, Are you practicing on a solid piece of metal or are you trying to do a butt weld. A butt weld may work better for you with your low amp welder. Also a big problem that many new welders have is not feeding the rod into the puddle fast enough. Concentrate on watching the puddle. Also try using metal about the same thickness or just a little thicker then your rod.

 

[KRS]

Re: another Welding Rod question

Good help.<br /><br />I heard about "pushing" the weld too.<br /><br />I am doing a butt weld, on my boat trailer, where the bowstop assembly bolts to the trailer, there is a 10" long piece of "C" channel, turned "C" down, and it is butt-welded to the forward and rearward cross-pieces.<br /><br />This piece receives quite a bit of "yanking" from the bowstop being moved around, so it needs to be solid.<br /><br />I ground out the welds on the front side, and tried again at 90 amps with a 7014 1/16" rod, and the weld was beautiful, but the 12" rod only got me 1.25" of weld.<br /><br />See the picture for a description...<br /><br />

 

[KRS]

Re: another Welding Rod question

The bowstop has since been redone, and it isn't rusty like that .<br /><br />The bowstop assembly was off-center, so I got looking at it and the piece it was welded to (the one I cut off and am trying to weld back on) wasn't straight, so that caused the bowstop to be off.<br /><br />A few of you might remember I posted that my bowstop failed while towing back from Roosevelt Lake, and the uneven pressure must have caused the failure.