Stick Welding Tips, Certification tests, machines, projects
Progress from first week at ArcLabs
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Greetings,

I will try to update this thread as I progress through my training....

As you may have read in the Member Introduction Forum, I'm a brand new welding student. Starting this past Monday with some classroom time and Tuesday we hit the shop floor to get some gear issued... (I apologize for the potatocam picture)

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First up was oxy-propylene cutting of 3/8" steel into 4 equal pieces, grind it clean then start learning/practicing SMAW technique, stringer and whip beads in the flat position. The image is using 6010 rods. Not bad for someone who has never welded before, maybe. lol

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All day Tuesday and Wednesday was practicing and honing my technique with 6010 and 7018 rods. Thursday I was instructed on welding in the horizontal position with 6010. I bit more difficult as I need to find a comfortable position for my arms to help maintain speed and hand/wrist control. I don't have an image of that plate.

By the time I left the shop on Thursday afternoon, I was exhausted but had a smile on my face. I'll be watching more videos and reading up on techniques over the long weekend to start fresh on Tuesday morning.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend.

~Rod~
"Go as far as you can see and once you are there, go farther."
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BWR
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Welcome Rod, and your plate doesn't look bad at all for beginner. It looks like your catching on and your beads look like there stacked together pretty tight. Stacking your beads tight together and tie in is very important while also watching your undercut. Looks like to me your heading in the right direction if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask someone here will help you out. Also another thing to remember is don't get discouraged, welding isn't something that is learned over night it takes time to master the craft. And no matter if they will admit it or not every good welder started out the same way you are, also check out Jody's video's he has some really good ones.
-Brad
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Brad,

Thanks for the encouragement. My tie-ins do need some work and there was a video to help me visualize and understand the technique better.

I'll save the discouragement for my bowling game. It took me about 15 years to maintain a 220+ league average so I would never assume that I could master the craft overnight.

It will be a fun ride.

Rod
"Go as far as you can see and once you are there, go farther."
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Gentlemen,

I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. Currently certified in SMAW all positions..

Here's my first attempt. As you can see, one piece was unsat so I retested the following morning at passed. No images available of those pieces.

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I come home exhausted every day after class but I sincerely love the feeling of a hard days work. Welding, grinding, cutting 8 hours Monday thru Thursday, 0700 - 1500. I'm glad I have a 3 day weekend as Friday is my recoup day.

I was also featured in ArcLabs recent and newest commercial. If you're on FB, search for ArcLabs and look in their video section. I'm the handsome Black guy. :)

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I'm now working on MIG flux-core and hardwire, open root, 1G and hope to get through all positions this week.

Happy welding.

Rodney
"Go as far as you can see and once you are there, go farther."
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Good on ya, Rodney!

My best league average was 163, but as "most improved bowler" that season, my average was misleading at the end of the season in a handicap league... Had a "best game" of 262. Now that one of my wife's knees is artificial (and the other needs done) I don't bowl as we can't do it together.

Looks like your welding is coming along fine! You fit right in, here, for not being ashamed to show the weld that "didn't go so well". I'm not afraid to show my fails, and try to analyze why. I've been at this about 30 years, and am constantly amazed at what I don't know.

Steve S
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My lead instructor told me this after my first attemtp......

I wish I could fail every student after the first attempt. That way I know they didn't get lucky.

I realized at what point during my welding the failure occurred and it was during my root pass 3G towards the end of the root where I should have stopped, repositioned, grind and tied back in but I carried the weld to the end in an uncomfortable position just so I could complete it on one swoop.

I've been bowling so long, I tend to ignore the pain and pay for it the next day. :) Last year I averaged 225 on Sunday nights and 215 Wednesday nights (more beer flows on Wednesdays). I'm also getting the wife into league this year too.
"Go as far as you can see and once you are there, go farther."
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I've only bowled "mixed league", because it was something my wife and I could do together.

Today, in fact, is our 24th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, we're spending it apart. I'm staying at work, making the income, and she's at her mom's house, taking care of injured invalids. God bless her. I know she'd stand behind me if the roles were reversed.

We all fail at welding sooner or later. This is important. The "golden arm" who never fails is in for a rude awakening when it happens on something critical. Learning how to learn from fails is at least as important as learning how to do it right.

Steve S
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Otto Nobedder wrote:I've only bowled "mixed league", because it was something my wife and I could do together.

Today, in fact, is our 24th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, we're spending it apart. I'm staying at work, making the income, and she's at her mom's house, taking care of injured invalids. God bless her. I know she'd stand behind me if the roles were reversed.

We all fail at welding sooner or later. This is important. The "golden arm" who never fails is in for a rude awakening when it happens on something critical. Learning how to learn from fails is at least as important as learning how to do it right.

Steve S
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! AND MANY MORE!
"Go as far as you can see and once you are there, go farther."
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:D 8-)

Thank you, Rodney.

Steve S
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Rodney, looks like everything is coming rite along for you. Glad to see your still working hard to get what you want and learning the trade. I got a young guy working for me and I been trying to help him with his welding, unfortunately I had to start him off on mig because thats what we needed the most at the time.He was doing good with it to the point I could cut him lose by himself. So we been working on tig and stick and the first thing I showed him was how to use a grinder to cut a bad weld out with and he asked me why did you show me that. I said because there will come a time when you will have to grind out a bad weld you made. I said there aint a welder out there that can HONESTLY say that they have never cut one of there welds out. And I told him if he meets someone that says he never has cut out a weld he made to get away from him and anything he is welded or welding on. I told him that I have cut welds out many times but I have learned something from each and everyone of them. Best of luck to you in your endeavors, dont hesitate to ask questions.
Brad
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