Welding Tips and Tricks

So I've been TIG welding for two years now, but I don't do much stick. I find stick to be harder than TIG actually. Anyway, I got a small job this morning where I had to weld a bracket that broke in a carwash. I used the SMAW process. I practiced at home the night before and all was well. But when I welded the material on site, what a disaster. Felt like I've only been welding for 2 days! I tried Cleaning the metal first but oil chemical was oozing out and bubbling from everywhere.. I had to keep grinding down my weld and welding again. Any tips or help with a situation like this? I had to run the machine on 110 so I used 6011 3/32 rod.

Here is a before pic. The welds on there are from the last guy who attempted this repair. I couldn't clean all the way down the crack.

In a situation like that I would get a carbide burr in an end grinder to grind all the way through. I use the small cone shaped ones that are about 3/8 inch at the widest and are a small rounded off point. Even then you will still need to grind out the porosity after each pass. It may take 3 or 4 passes before you start to get a clean weld due to having to grind out most of the last pass. Wish there was an easier way but in my experience it’s the dirtiest and fastest way to get a good weld back in.

Poland308 wrote:In a situation like that I would get a carbide burr in an end grinder to grind all the way through. I use the small cone shaped ones that are about 3/8 inch at the widest and are a small rounded off point. Even then you will still need to grind out the porosity after each pass. It may take 3 or 4 passes before you start to get a clean weld due to having to grind out most of the last pass. Wish there was an easier way but in my experience it’s the dirtiest and fastest way to get a good weld back in.

Ok thanks for the reply. I will look for one of those grinders. I feel like I regressed today in my welding skills. Lol. It was a mess and took a while too. I will try this next time.
I suppose the only other option would be to remove it all the way and clean it up.

Grind it as Poland said, but pre-heat it too. The heat will draw out a lot of the contamination before welding. Clean that away with Acetone, and you should tack repeatedly to put some heat in before welding. That will draw more goop out before you weld it up.

Onsite repairs of industrial steel sucks. The prep and re-do takes longer than the actual job.

cj737 wrote:Grind it as Poland said, but pre-heat it too. The heat will draw out a lot of the contamination before welding. Clean that away with Acetone, and you should tack repeatedly to put some heat in before welding. That will draw more goop out before you weld it up.

Onsite repairs of industrial steel sucks. The prep and re-do takes longer than the actual job.

It did suck. I was very unsatisfied with the end result too. I'm used to a nice puddle and dabbung rod. I couldn't even see a puddle half the time. Crap everywhere . I'll deff try preheat too. I thought of that after the fact. Hind sight is 20/20.

Looks like the last guy was scared of the Heat Crank.

When all else fails, give it another 5A and drive on!

Lightning wrote:Looks like the last guy was scared of the Heat Crank.

When all else fails, give it another 5A and drive on!

What rod and amps would you use on 3/8 like in the pic?

I can see why the previous weld broke. Very poor job.
Grind the old weld off and wire wheel it clean and weld with 1/8 7018. You could put a multiple pass weld on it.


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snoeproe wrote:I can see why the previous weld broke. Very poor job.
Grind the old weld off and wire wheel it clean and weld with 1/8 7018. You could put a multiple pass weld on it.


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I used 6011 because of all the oil and grease. Was really dirt in that crack.

It's filthy, nasty, ugly, and corroded! Use a cutting disk on a hand held 9" grinder, and cut away everything corrupt. If you then have clean metal to weld, all is solved, 7018 is your best choice. If it is still a bit nasty, consider stainless steel rod to coat the faces of the old gunk.

From your picture, I can't tell what ferrous metal you are welding. If it is carbon steel, 6010 (DC) or 6011 (AC) will blow away some corrupt steel, and create a pocket to deposit new filler.

Willie

From what I can see it appears to be just a flat piece on top. I would use the cutting disk and cut the whole piece out. Precut a matching replacement piece beveled as required to fit. With the existing piece gone you have more room to get in and clean as much as possible and have less chance of junk boiling up thru the weld.

homeboy wrote:From what I can see it appears to be just a flat piece on top. I would use the cutting disk and cut the whole piece out. Precut a matching replacement piece beveled as required to fit. With the existing piece gone you have more room to get in and clean as much as possible and have less chance of junk boiling up thru the weld.

This is exactly what I should have done. Your right. What amperage and rod would you run?

I'd have to see it, but either 6010 or 11, probably 5/32" or whatever I had handy, at the amperage that ran right. (I don't use amperages, I use marks on the heat dials on my welders and my eye, sorry.)

Ant428 wrote:

homeboy wrote:From what I can see it appears to be just a flat piece on top. I would use the cutting disk and cut the whole piece out. Precut a matching replacement piece beveled as required to fit. With the existing piece gone you have more room to get in and clean as much as possible and have less chance of junk boiling up thru the weld.

This is exactly what I should have done. Your right. What amperage and rod would you run?

Thanks, lucky guess. As far as amperage and rod,no clue. Haven't stick welded for years mostly trial and error. Nothing fell apart thou .

I would run the first pass with 1/8 6010/6011 and then stringer the rest with 3/32 7018.

Poland308 wrote:I would run the first pass with 1/8 6010/6011 and then stringer the rest with 3/32 7018.

Same for me, and that combo should work with a decent stick welder running on 120volts.

My Thermal Arc 161 does that combo well on 120v.

I would also cut off the old junk and clean some first.

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Poland308 wrote:I would run the first pass with 1/8 6010/6011 and then stringer the rest with 3/32 7018.

Same for me, and that combo should work with a decent stick welder running on 120volts.

My Thermal Arc 161 does that combo well on 120v.

I would also cut off the old junk and clean some first.

1/8 6011 on 110? It maxes at 90 amps on 110. I suppose I can run it on 90

Ant428 wrote:

MinnesotaDave wrote:

Poland308 wrote:I would run the first pass with 1/8 6010/6011 and then stringer the rest with 3/32 7018.

Same for me, and that combo should work with a decent stick welder running on 120volts.

My Thermal Arc 161 does that combo well on 120v.

I would also cut off the old junk and clean some first.

1/8 6011 on 110? It maxes at 90 amps on 110. I suppose I can run it on 90

My TA 161 tops out at 110 amps on 120v. But I'd probably use my little Bobcat 225 instead anyway - then I'm not limited on rods.

More power is mo' better

I run 1/8 inch 6010 at about 75-80 amps on open butt pipe. I often use the miller 150 stl on 110v

Ant428 wrote:Was really dirt in that crack.

Yikes, stay away from dirty cracks!

aland wrote:

Ant428 wrote:Was really dirt in that crack.

Yikes, stay away from dirty cracks!

Hahaha.