Welding Tips and Tricks

hey guys ive been stick welding for a while and am tryin to get ready for my cer. test overhead and vertical. all I have at the house to practice with is a lincoln ac only stick welder. any tips, tricks or ideas on getting this to run smooth? the machine i used to use was one of those lincoln squarewave digital welders that can be used for stick, tig and mig. so welding with this buzz box is alot less forgiving.

Thanks
MIke

That's a tough one there. You could practice your technique, but depending on the rod you are using an arc will act different on AC versus DC. Unless you are going to take your test using AC with an AC rod you might want to find a DC machine to practice with.

Jim

Thanks Jim. i figured that. Im on the lookout for a better machine. how about the 7018 rods meant for ac units? you have any experience with them? or any tips and getting a decent weld outta the ac machine. the welds im laying now are decent but nowhere as good as if i were using the dc unit.

I have an old buzzbox that only does AC. I bought some 7018AC rods and it seems to come out looking just as good as with DC. Try it out.

good stuff, thanks.

Years ago I passed a 3G cert using a 7018 AC rod. When you get used to it it runs just as good, but if you are gonna practice using AC and test using DC you might have a litte bit of a learning curve from one to the other.

being that ac is harder to weld with, when i do use a dc machine it should be pretty easy for me right?

It's not so much that it's harder. It's that the arc acts differently on AC than on DC. If you practice on AC then go to a DC machine, the characteristics of the arc may be different enough to give you a problem until you get used to the DC.

Thanks for all the comments. i worked with a dc welder for about 3 months and passed a few practice certs vertical and overhead with the 3/8th plates. I also did a 1 inch plate but never got to test it. but that was about 2 months ago now so i wanted to get a little more time in before i go for the actual test. I dont mind the ac unit i have, but i think im gonna start looking for somthing that i can run dc with, cause im pretty sure the test will be with dc. hey, doesnt hurt to learn both.

Mike, I recently purchased a Lincoln AC/DC welder. Used only once, for 195.00! The best price I could get new from Lincoln was $430.00. I put an ad in Craigs list and got a reply in 8 Hours!