Welding Tips and Tricks

This is my first time on this site. Lets start off with a little history. My dad placed 3rd in Georgia back years ago for welding and he tried to get me to weld, I didnt want to hear it. My dad passed in November 09, and now my oldest son wants to weld! We have an old hobart that works well and we have been trying to build a t bucket on what I did hear my dad say, I wish I would have listen!!!, so we have 7014 rods can any one help me?

What is it specifically that you are needing help with?

Jim

well ive tried welding and the rod keeps sticking and when i do get it going it looks like crap! no idea what to set the welder on amps....etc....

If you are using 7014 rods then your amperage should be from 105-115. Try that out

First of all, how old is the rod you are using? If they are really old then I would buy some new. Second, the preferred polarity for a 7014 rod is AC. If you are using DC then for a 3/32 rod the amps should be around 75-95 and if you are using a 1/8 then the amps should be between 100-145. By the way, is there a particular reason you are using a 7014 rod?

The reason Im using them is because my dad left a bunch of them, and I really wouldnt know what to buy.

What exactly are you going to be using them on, just frame work? Are you going to be doing body work also?

not right now but later

Sorry! doing frame work now will be getting into body work

If the electrodes have been exposed to excessive moisture or if the flux is missing on parts of the electrode, that may be the reasons for the problems with them. Other than the preferred polarity being AC for this electrode, it is a decent all-purpose rod and will work for what you are doing. The problems you might run into when using this on both frame and body panels will be determined by the size of the electrode. If the diameter of the rod is too big you will have to use too much current to get it to run right for using it on sheet metal. It will be a situation of finding a happy medium if you can.