Welding Tips and Tricks

I was wondering what amperage's other people were choosing with this model. I can often find some setting for the A/C side, usually from someone welding with an AC 225 Buzz Box, but I am more interested in the DC side, especially with 3/8" mild steel scrap in various positions. I would like to save any tips for any other metal thickness's, as well. I don't have infinite amperage adjustment, hot start or DIG functionality. Perhaps this post will help some others who might have bought one of these Lincoln AC/DC machines from LWS and experience lots of rod sticking at the start. I've been using 1/8" 6010's, 3/32" 7018's and I've been forced to run them like Speedy Gonzales to keep from sticking. Give me the correct Amp choice and I'll permanent marker them to the side of the welder for when my bother borrows it, as he had the same problem.

The DC settings are 30, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 90, 95, 105, 115, 125A

Well, 1/8 6010 run good 90-110amps.
3/32 7018 run good 80-90amps.

1/8 6010 I run from 70 amps all the way to 110 if I'm trying to down hill something fast. I'd say 75-85 amps is good for most things though.
3/32 7018 I usually set at 92-95 amps but 80-95 amps is a good range. Just depends how you weld. Try those and see what works for you in the ranges I gave

Unfortunately, I don't have infinite amperage choices with this welder. I probably won't be doing any downhill welding for now, because I want to practice for passing a structural welding test. I would like to learn to weld downhill later, tho.

Consider these amperage choices from the tapped transformer. I am trying to keep as tight an arc as I can, but I'm having a hard time without any DIG control on this welder.

75A -
85A -
90A -
95A -
105A - This was the 1st setting where I didn't feel the rod sticking like crazy, but it still seemed too hot to me.
115A -

DylanWelds wrote:1/8 6010 I run from 70 amps all the way to 110 if I'm trying to down hill something fast. I'd say 75-85 amps is good for most things though.
3/32 7018 I usually set at 92-95 amps but 80-95 amps is a good range. Just depends how you weld. Try those and see what works for you in the ranges I gave

Hard to believe you could stick a rod.
3/32 7018 at 85-95 amps shouldn't stick, or else you've got operator problems.
1/8 6010 shouldn't stick.
Just hold a longer arc.
85-95 should do good .

What polarity are you running these rods?

Len


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Reverse Polarity, DCEP for both rods which I have been using 6010, 7018.
I saw someone said they also had a problem with 6010 sticking with this same machine, so at least I am not the only one. I think he gave up using 6010 on the machine, but never figured out why he was having that problem. 6011 worked correctly, for him and the 6010 with the same exact setting on his Thunderbolt didn't stick.

Braehill wrote:What polarity are you running these rods?

Len


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I can't say I've ever used that machine, so I was just trying to get the general questions out of the way. I've only run 6010 on a gas powered machine but most of my 7018 has been with old transformer weldors. I run mostly 3/32 at around 90 amps or so, and if they're dry they stick very little. Old 7018 rods that have set around open stick a lot.

Len


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I run 3/32 7018 on 85/90 amps , and it works good for me. DCEP

Tom

I'm going to try again tomorrow, but 3/32" 7018 @ 90A DCEP on this machine without arc control is going to be a challenge. It wasn't working for me before, but I am more than willing to try again. I didn't cook the 7018's and they're probably a month old and it's quite humid in Louisiana. Maybe I just need to long-arc for 2-3 sec before moving and starting to weld or burning an inch of the rod on a separate piece of scrap before trying to weld my coupon with it. I'm going to try varying my rod angle, too. I think maybe my arc is too short, since I used a more modern machine in school with a tight arc. My longer arcing skills are lacking, apparently.

I just found out the pos rickety "welding table" that was given to me and I had been trying to sturdy was not the free welding table, but a perfectly good home-aid deer stand. Ooops. No wonders I had trouble welding anything to it, it's made of 1/2" EMT tubing and it's damn hard for an amateur to weld anything to it with a stick welder. At least I was trying 1/16" HF 7014. Those rods were like cherry red spaghetti noodles. I still blew holes and had to quit.

Still trying to run butt welds on the 3/8" scrap. Can't blame that on the EMT.

mbmalone wrote:I'm going to try again tomorrow, but 3/32" 7018 @ 90A DCEP on this machine without arc control is going to be a challenge. It wasn't working for me before, but I am more than willing to try again. I didn't cook the 7018's and they're probably a month old and it's quite humid in Louisiana. Maybe I just need to long-arc for 2-3 sec before moving and starting to weld or burning an inch of the rod on a separate piece of scrap before trying to weld my coupon with it. I'm going to try varying my rod angle, too. I think maybe my arc is too short, since I used a more modern machine in school with a tight arc. My longer arcing skills are lacking, apparently.

I just found out the pos rickety "welding table" that was given to me and I had been trying to sturdy was not the free welding table, but a perfectly good home-aid deer stand. Ooops. No wonders I had trouble welding anything to it, it's made of 1/2" EMT tubing and it's damn hard for an amateur to weld anything to it with a stick welder.

Still trying to run butt welds on the 3/8" scrap. Can't blame that on the EMT.

I like 3/32" 7018 at 100 amps. I like to run hot enough to drag on the plate without sticking.

Also, 7018 is not a long arc rod. I've seen manufacturers that recommended 1/16" arc length for a max, more commonly I see 1/8" arc length max on 1/8" electrode.

Good luck

Try striking your arc and long arcing for the rod to heat up. Always works better like that. I always do that no matter what, just a habit I've made

Yeah, I want to go 100A, but the machine only offers 95A or 105A and there seems to be a big difference between them. I did not want to long-arc the 7018 or the 6010, but I couldn't seem to weld straight away at 95A on this particular machine. I am going to try again today. I will try to post a pic, just to show the penetration in the metal. I'm probably just doing it wrong, or have the wrong angle, or IDK. I never used one of these type of transformer welders before with the limited steps and how you must deal with them, when it's either too hot or too cold. I don't want different rods, because I will test on this size and would like to practice with this size. I'm just limited to this machine, is all.

MinnesotaDave wrote:
I like 3/32" 7018 at 100 amps. I like to run hot enough to drag on the plate without sticking.

It seems like it makes kind of a mess right at the start of my weld, but it feels like I'm not going to have a choice on this machine. Now I have to figure out how to long-arc a 3/32" 7018 even tho everywhere it says to never do it. I don't care what the books say, I just want my welds to look like Jody's and have the flux glass and fall off. I want to get rid of my chicken hammer, altogether. I hate all that banging on the weld and when I get mad at it, it's worse. I try to use Jody's pinkie-to-thumb collapse technique with stick, but my fingers are fairly thin and I get locked-up somehow and crunch them down trying to finish the electrode. I need someone to film my hands because I can't see them when I'm welding.

DylanWelds wrote:Try striking your arc and long arcing for the rod to heat up. Always works better like that. I always do that no matter what, just a habit I've made

Without ARC control, and when forced to use a little too high or a little too low amperage, should I be adjusting my rod angle to compensate for this and which direction? The 6010 and 7018 aren't run the same. You fellas are pro's and probably don't even have to think about it, just fix it with the rod angle. I was thinking more of an angle with the 7018 if running it a little cold to try to get the slag to backoff from under the rod. Otherwise, I may just need to go real fast, idk. With my 1/8' 6010 @ 105A, I go as fast as I can, but I have trouble seeing already and if I have to go that fast, you can guess what happens ... It's a bead, but it's not where it's supposed to be

I was giving it another shot today. I concentrated on the 3/32" 7018, which is admittedly somewhat humid. I was attempting to pad a 3/8' piece of scrap and adjusting the temp and examining how difficult it was to chip the slag between settings. I had a bucket of water this time and just kept dipping the piece. The slag seemed to be easier to chip at 90-95A. At 105 it seemed to be turning more into ash. 90-95A and it looked more like a mocha burn blister on a skinny 6-in hot dog. I'll definitely have to improve my starts even though I was preparing the tip of the electrode on a piece of wood. I think I'll stay at either 90 or 95A, because that jump to 105A seems to leave too much burned ash and is causing too much popping with my 7018. It's not 7018AC, btw.

I am posting this guide, in case it might help someone. Here are the recommended amperage selections for a few different electrodes, when used with this welder. It's taken from the manual which only mentions Jet-LH® 78 on DCEP. These are not recommended amperage ranges, these are "supposed" to be the correct tapped transformer selections, which are non-infinitely adjustable. I had problems trying to run my electrodes below 105A DCEP, although I wanted to run them cooler. The drop below 105A is down to 95A and I was sticking like crazy until I could get the sucker burning. Maybe I could do it when I get better, but Lincoln doesn't recommend it on this welder. Perhaps there's a problem with the OCV maxing at 79V and the lack of advanced ARC control features?

I would like to hear of others successfully running this welder using the different settings. I intend to save all the info for my future projects. I also found out I had been using Lincoln's E7018 MR. I am also wondering if E7018AC runs BETTER on this welder on either AC or DC? ... although I'm not presently using 7018AC.

I just have to learn how to weld faster, because 105A seems pretty damn hot.

1/8" E6010 @105A DCEP
3/32" E7018 @105A DCEP (Jet-LH® 78 MR® = AWS: E7018 H4R)
3/32" E7018AC @ 90A AC

0k,
First thing is that you shouldn't bs sticking 3/32 7018 at 95a, or even 85a.
I've run them at 77amps, but, that was at 100% dig.
As to 7018ac, don't buy it.
Stick to some Jet LH-78, or Excalibur.
Buy a new box.

Other than that, practice being steady, and feeding the rod smoothly.

John

Check this out... The chart on the side of the machine is different from the chart in the user manual. I don't care about every little setting, but I am actually using Jet LH-78 and they can't even get that one right. The sticker says I should be running the 3/32" @ 85A just like you were saying, not at 105A (as in the manual).

No wonder people get confused. It still says to run 1/8" 6010 @ 105A, tho.

AKweldshop wrote:0k,
First thing is that you shouldn't bs sticking 3/32 7018 at 95a, or even 85a.
I've run them at 77amps, but, that was at 100% dig.
As to 7018ac, don't buy it.
Stick to some Jet LH-78, or Excalibur.
Buy a new box.

Other than that, practice being steady, and feeding the rod smoothly.

John

Well,
No machine chart it accurate.
Every welder welds different.

Mainly personal opinion.

Are your rods good????

I tried building a pad and dipped my plate every couple of passes or so. 85A seemed to be the best setting for the 3/32" 7018 MR. I swear it wasn't the other day, but it was today?? .... I still haven't found the ideal setting for the 1/8" 6010. I ran it 85A to 105A. 110A was a no way. I do know for a fact, with a cold plate the 7018 had the best looking bead on the 85A setting which I found surprising. I will post some pictures of the stringers, but I'm also having trouble with my eyes. I am wearing some new contacts, but they are mono-vision, so my vision is blurred. I have astigmatism, so I can't simply put cheater lenses in my helmet and can't afford Synereyes Hybrid Contacts.

I will post a separate string at each of these 4 amperage settings (85, 90, 95, 105A) and let the pros tell me what the book can't. I appreciate all the help. Hopefully this thread will help someone who buys a welder like this at Home Depot.

AKweldshop wrote:Well,
No machine chart it accurate.
Every welder welds different.

Mainly personal opinion.

Are your rods good????

mbmalone wrote:Unfortunately, I don't have infinite amperage choices with this welder. I probably won't be doing any downhill welding for now, because I want to practice for passing a structural welding test. I would like to learn to weld downhill later, tho.

Consider these amperage choices from the tapped transformer. I am trying to keep as tight an arc as I can, but I'm having a hard time without any DIG control on this welder.

75A -
85A -
90A -
95A -
105A - This was the 1st setting where I didn't feel the rod sticking like crazy, but it still seemed too hot to me.
115A - ]

If you're having problems sticking, try a different brand of rod. Also, don't let the "dig" feature make you think that it would make you a better welder. Your issues are more than likely coming from the operator (you) and not the box.

AK gave some good amperage numbers with the electrodes he mentioned. Also, make sure your stinger and work clamp are debris free. I regularly I take a wire brush to the contact points on the clamp and stinger, just to clean them up.

Also, make sure your weld surface area is clean too. Shiny metal is best to weld on. Finally, are you using a 50A circuit or something like a 30A dryer circuit? The 50A is what you want to be using.

Sometimes a different brand of electrodes makes all the difference in the world too. Hopefully you're using quality electrodes like Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB etc.... Stay away from Radnor, Harbor Freight etc.... Always remove and wire brush ALL the slag before you continue on with a restrike.

I'm just practicing, so I'm trying to use the rods that I already have. They are Lincoln's, but I don't expect them to weld perfectly since they've been sitting around for a while. I am going to clean my stinger and ground clamp. I had been using an awful 1/2" emt welding table and the connections were arcing all over the place. Now I have a proper solid welding table and I used a grinder on those rusty table connections and the work area. I've been trying to use the lower amperage settings, 85-95A. Over 95A, there is a 10A jump to 105A on this welder. I am using a 60A circuit, right off the panel and a 25-ft sting lead/15-ft ground. I know it's just me. Things are getting better, with the lower amperage. The worst problem was the last welding table. I wanted to post some padding pics, but my eyes have been giving me trouble. I'm in monovision contact lenses and they're not working for me.

Tombstone wrote: If you're having problems sticking, try a different brand of rod. Also, don't let the "dig" feature make you think that it would make you a better welder. Your issues are more than likely coming from the operator (you) and not the box.

AK gave some good amperage numbers with the electrodes he mentioned. Also, make sure your stinger and work clamp are debris free. I regularly I take a wire brush to the contact points on the clamp and stinger, just to clean them up.

Also, make sure your weld surface area is clean too. Shiny metal is best to weld on. Finally, are you using a 50A circuit or something like a 30A dryer circuit? The 50A is what you want to be using.

Sometimes a different brand of electrodes makes all the difference in the world too. Hopefully you're using quality electrodes like Lincoln, Hobart, ESAB etc.... Stay away from Radnor, Harbor Freight etc.... Always remove and wire brush ALL the slag before you continue on with a restrike.

As far as I can tell, 90A DCEP seems to be the sweet spot with this welder.
I have occasionally used 95A when the plate was a lot thicker (lots of padding), but when testing 105A with 7018 MR and capping, it usually seems waaaaaaay too hot with the electrode burning up or turning cherry red and bending/melting at the stinger (with a quarter of the rod left to burn). Sometimes, you really do just need a LITTLE more heat without wanting to jump to the next tap. I would prefer to have a setting for 100A, but I'm out of luck. @85A I stick, stick, stick

When the electrodes aren't good, does a flame sometimes run up the length of them, because some of my slightly rusty Hobarts are doing that? I have been using a mix of Lincoln's and Hobarts and the Lincoln's seem to be able to take more heat.

I am open to suggestions, if anyone else is using this tapped transformer welder. I don't know if it can weld open-groove pipe, without having a dig feature?

AKweldshop wrote: Well, 1/8 6010 run good 90-110amps.
3/32 7018 run good 80-90amps.