Need more welding help.

[FMJ]

I've been practicing a lot with 3/32 7018 rods, and i've improved a lot, but sometimes I notice that there are holes in the welds, sometimes in the beginning, sometimes in the end and sometimes randomly on the sides of the weld.
Also, I'm using DC with about 125-130 volts and I can only use 3/4's of the rod before it gets red hot and burns way to fast...the welder is run on a 50amp if that has anything to do with it.

I'm also wondering if 3/32 is a good size to use?

I can't seem to get any good pictures but i'll go try one more time.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hossbaby50]

Inclusions (the holes) are not that big of a deal as long as the weld itself is a good weld and there are only a couple inclusions.

Sounds like you might be running to much power if the rod is getting that hot. You might switch to an easier rod to learn on like a 6013. They run well and help you get the technique down, then once you have good welds switch to something like 7018 and hone your skills with that.

Harley

 

[camiswelding]

hes good with 6013 but I have been trying to get him to use 7018 for his frame project

Evan
Im almost done with mine... gone for a week ..Ill try to get pics when i get back
cam

 

[FMJ]

Heres one pic of my welds, that is one of the first ones that i started to get right. Since then i've gotten better at keeping a consistent width but they all pretty much look like that one.

 

[FMJ]

hes good with 6013 but I have been trying to get him to use 7018 for his frame project

Evan
Im almost done with mine... gone for a week ..Ill try to get pics when i get back
cam

Sounds good, I still have some more practicing to do before i can start.

 

[RSNHELL]

3/32 6011 IS AGOOD ROD TO LEARN WITH aaaaaalso 6011 is an all position rod ,whereas 7018 is;nt. you can"t run 7018 downhill, It must be run flat or uphill, also try running 7018 on A/C, you may find it works better.

 

[camiswelding]

evan... the weld "looks" ok but it appears you are having problems at the beginning and end of the weld...

if you look at your weave you will see its not consistent... it gets wider at the end and you then let the rod sit for a sec which melts everything flat.... practice weave without power on,,, use your other hand if you need to as a steady rest or brace if you have to....
practice...

 

[mojo-jojo]

Volts may be a little to high, try turning down to around 90-95. when I was learning my uncle told me to take the size of the rod and convert to the decimal equivalent and use that as a starting point 3/32=0.09375

 

[FMJ]

yeah, i've gotten better at starting them and also keeping it more consistent, I tried to take a picture but it didn't work out. I noticed today, that the start of the weld has slag that comes off easy but the end turns into glass-like stuff that is hard to get off?

 

[Zeus33rd]

Way to hot for 3/32 rod. If the rod turns red, then your cooking the flux off the outside of it. The flux is was protects the weld puddle from the outside air and prevents impurities. You're getting holes at the begining of your weld because the flux is tapered at the end of the rod and therefore not really enough to suffieciently cover the puddle. When you run a certification test, you use "run off tab's" at the start and end of the plate. It's a piece of steel an inch or so long to start and end your weld on. All the start and stops end up on those run of tabs. You're getting holes in the middle and at the end of the weld because you're cooking the flux off the rod and reducing it's effectiveness. You should beable to burn it all the way to the numbers without it turning red. 125 amps is at the upper end for a 1/8" 7018 rod. Waay too hot for 3/32. When your heat is correct, your travel speed is correct and all is right with what your doing, the slag will peel up off the weld on it's own. Turn your heat down and your slag removal problems will go away too. MojoJojo is correct about the starting point as far as amps for 3/32. 7018 is a tough rod to use well. It's gonna take time to get good with it. It's also a "drag rod" or "lazy mans rod". Meaning that you don't have to hold the tip of the rod up off the work surface like with 6010/6011. Since the rod itself burns up inside the flux, just rest the flux on the surface, set your travel angle to and let the weight of your hand carry the weld along. If the angle of the rod is closer to vertical, then your travel speed will be slower and you'll get a bigger weld. Closer to horizontal, travel speed will be faster and you'll get a smaller weld. You should also clean up the material you're practicing on. It'll make getting an arc started alot easier.

6011 is an all position rod ,whereas 7018 is;nt.

Wrong. 7018 is an all position rod. You can weld flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead with it. Just because you can't weld downhill with it, doesnt mean it's not an all position rod.

 

[FMJ]

So I don't need to keep the rod the width of it away from the surface of the metal? And yeah, I turned it down to about 90 and it's working much better.

 

[Zeus33rd]

So I don't need to keep the rod the width of it away from the surface of the metal?

With 7018 you don't. I believe 7014/7024 are the same. 6010/6011 you do need to hold the rod off the weld surface.