Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm a hobby welder. Just putting things together for the fun of it.

I've inherited my grandfathers old twentieth century welder - the one with the low, med, high and cutting taps, and I think it goes up to 225 amps. It's safety green if that rings anyone's bells. To be honest, I've found very little information on the welder. Anyway, after repainting and replacing the cables with 20' of OO cable (I realize now I could have run 100 ft with that, but it's done), and to my surprise she started lighting rods up.

Anyway, I had a project and had read 7018 was a great rod, so I got some 1/8" Hobart rod in 6011, 7014, and 7018AC. I got so I could run everything but the 7018AC rods (including a couple old 6013's I had laying around). I upped the amperage from the 7014's, and proceeded to stick every 7018AC rod I touched to the work. I don't think I ever got up to the welders max power, but after having to unclamp from 3 or 4 rods, I gave up thinking I may have gotten a box of mismarked rods (may have gotten to about 180 amps or so).

Any advice here? The old welder works great, and there's no reason I shouldn't be able to use the AC rods - besides the fact that they won't strike for me. This is frustrating.

Welcome to the forum sling-it.

sling-it,
First welcome. I am not totally sure of the problem and hopefully someone can else can give you a good answer.
I would first ask if this is a AC or DC machine. I assume with its age it is AC.
The second question I would ask is are you striking your are like a match or are you pecking the rod. If you were getting the other rods to burn I assume you are striking it correctly. One thing to keep in mind is on a brand new rod, once you strike the first arc, 7018's become harder to start. Two things you can do to help. If I am in the field I lightly tap the rod to remove the flux that will be sticking out past the rod and you will be good to go. The other thing is to take a file to the end of the rod and it will strike better then.
This link might help you out.
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/stick-welding.html

Yes, the welder is an AC only machine.

I'm aware of the restrike problems with 7018, and had been scrubbing the slag off for restarts, but I still could only manage to stick rods. After wiggling loose a couple times and trying again, I'd have to eventually unclamp.

I'm determined to get the hang of the 7018 though. I may peck a little more than strike, I'm not really sure right now.Will the strike method really make a different rod of it?

Also, does the AC version run as good as the DC version? I like the properties of the 7018, but I didn't even have this much trouble when I was learning to weld way back when.

What amperage you set at?
With 7018AC you should be set over 135amps for flat on 3/16 steel; and thicker.

John

I think the welding machine is, well, poor.... 7018AC on AC isn't a bowl of cherries.
It's still gonna spatter and run kind of rough. That's alternating current.
If you had a DC welder and some regular 7018, you'd be having a better day, for sure.
I was raised on a AC 225 and regular 7018, years.
It was a rough life, hard starting, hard to chip, had to run a 1/8 rod at 145amps uphill on 3/8 plate to keep the rod from going out.
Just a poor welder is what it was.
I finally got a Everlast PowerArc 160STH, and believe me, I was welding!
I had just opened a 50lb box of 1/8 Lincoln Jet LH 78, and 133 amps on 1/4 in plate on the Everlast, and drag.
slag peeled up in one piece, wasn't a touch of spatter, and that weld was perfect.
Amazing. DC is The BOMB.
But, back to your situation.
You have some experience with stick welding, I'm guessing?
If you having sticking issues, and your a good weldor, it's most likely not enough amps.
Yes, you've heard guys say they can run a 1/8 7018 at 105 amps and 115 amps.
That's a DC machine with very high quality rods and a highly skilled weldor.
In your case I would start off with about 135amps, if your in the flat position. 15-20 deg drag rod flux "scrubbing" on the metal.
Good luck.
John.
ps. might get some pics of your welds, we might be able to diagnose the exact problem.

Thanks for the reply AK. Like I said, I'm not sure right now where I ended up at. I know I was well above 120, and probably as high as about 180. By the time I was done messing with it, I had turned it up 3 or 4 times, as well as down again. I gave up and ran it with 7014, which did wonderful.

I'm not what anyone HERE would consider a good welder. I learned in hs on a Lincoln AC box about 30 years ago, then rescued a deprived machine 1 year ago, with no stick experience between. I like to say "for as little as I know, I'm pretty good at it".

It sounds like I'm trying to use expert rod on old school equipment, with beginner experience. square peg, round hole, little hammer.

Well, if your saying you did a wonderful bead with 7014, and I'm not surprised, those rods are nice.
On the other hand, 7018 requires good, clean metal, tight amp tolerance, good rods, optimum arc length and rod angle and a good machine.
That's what makes it such a hard beginner rod for guys, but once you get the hang of them, it should come to you.
But Hobart rods are poor quality, I would try and get some Lincoln 7018AC rods, as I'm sure they will perform a little better.
But, I'm still thinking the machine is the root of all your evil.
Do you know any guys that you could run a bead or two on their nice DC welder??

these videos here, show a couple tips

http://welding-tv.com/2012/04/05/stick- ... rom-bubba/
http://welding-tv.com/2011/11/05/stick- ... sometimes/

sling-it wrote:.

I'm not what anyone HERE would consider a good welder.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. We are not here to judge, rather to help each other. I remember my days first trying to stick weld, to say I was terrible would be a understatement! I did the peck rod thing and wasted a lot of rod.
Actually a AC machine might be a great welder to start on. You might say HUH? Think about it, if you can get a machine that doesn't weld as good as these new machines, with all their features like Hot Start, imagine how good you will be on a Maxstar of Dynasty!
I think I am agreeing with AK, more amps and more practice.

...And AK lets see the pics of your perfect weld

A 1/8 7018 drag?

And, yeah, what super welder said.
If you learn to be a good weldor on AC, your gonna be awesome on DC!!
Trust Me.

~John

Superiorwelding wrote:

AKweldshop wrote: I had just opened a 50lb box of 1/8 Lincoln Jet LH 78, and 133 amps on 1/4 in plate on the Everlast, and drag.
slag peeled up in one piece, wasn't a touch of spatter, and that weld was perfect.

Coming Up!!!!
I still have the same welder, and the same brand of rods, so I'll go and run a bead for you, Be back in a few hours.

Bye,
~John

Come to think of it, I haven't taken many pictures of my welds over the years. BUMMER!!!!
I'd better start now.
~John

AK
I think that is one of my biggest regrets, not taking pictures of welds/projects.
......but why is it that our best welds seem to always be somewhere where no one will never see them, or they are the root pass that will get covered up?

Very true.

I wish I had an album of ALL the projects I've done in my life, would be interesting one day to be showing it to my Grandkids.

~John

Just a thought - what's the OCV on the welder ? does it have 2tappings ? as 7018 ( UK at least ) requires 70volts or it's a complete bar steward & won't run / start .

OCV?
What is it, and how does it affect a 7018?

Sling-it, our apoligies for the hi-jack

Open Circuit Voltage - (OCV) -pretty much all 7018 in the UK is AC or DC - but it requires a minimum of 70 volts to work - most better AC stick welders have a tapping for general purpose rods ( 50 volts ) & a second at 70 volts for 7018 - many engine drives have separate volts / amps controls - one of my favorite old Petbow sets went up to around 95 volts for specialty rods ( & zapping the apprentice when he held stuff for tacking up ! )

When you look at the XMT these guys are yousing, you see the screen on the left is volts, is that adjustable OCV?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNAxJwk8GgM

AKweldshop wrote:Sling-it, our apoligies for the hi-jack

No problem. I'm learning.....I think

I don't know that machine - but it certainly looks like the OCV is user variable or it would'nt need to display it except when using CV mode with a wire feeder & that would never be up in the 80 volt range- my comment on 50 / 70 volt was really aimed at older transformer machines - as used here - of the inverter machines I've had a meter on most see to be up around 70 volts which is likely why they strike up so well - but they usually have no adjustment.

Just for reference, here's a couple pics I found of the machine I'm talking about. Mine's in much better shape, but it's the same model.

Old? Yes, I know, but it was my grandfathers, so I like it.

Ok, cause I've noticed how inverter arcs are so different....
My Invertec v275s ran a 7018 like a dream, but my Everlast 160sth runs 7018 totally different.
The Everlast, just when I would run a 7018 weave at 110 amps the rod would stick and cut out....
But the Invertec would ace it. smooth and creamy, one hand, and great wash-in.\
I wonder if the Invertec had higher OCV than the Everlast?

~John
Sling-it, I'm sorry for the Hi-jack