Welding Tips and Tricks

I am a rookie welder. I am trying to weld one of the pivot points back onto my tractor's front end loader. Well actually re-welding it back on. I welded it on to the arm of the loader, but my welds were so bad I felt it necessary to grid away the first try and start again with good solid metal. I ground away so much of the first weld/metal that I now have a gap about 2"l x 1/8"w. I am happy with the alignment of the piece and the welds that are holding the piece on. There are both vertical and horizontal gaps that need fixing. I am using an old Lincoln 225 AC machine, and have tried 6011, 6012, 6013, 3/32, 1/8, 5/32 rods on quite a few practice beads and practice welds trying to figure out how to fill a gap, but I just keep burning larger holes in my welds. Any advice on how to fill a gap would be extremely appreciated. Thanks in advance, Zoomer

I am certainly no expert but have often either burned through or had other gaps to weld shut due to poor fit-up.

The rods you are using are for penetration (except maybe 6013) and you may be running hot or with too much arc gap. Buy some 1/8" 7018 AC and try that. It doesn't burn through so easily and will build up metal since the flux deposits even more metal.

7018 AC will take a little higher setting but keep the arc short. Build up the area with stringers. Don't try to do it all in one pass. Let the metal cool before the next stringer.

OK, now you real welders out there can have at it with advice.

Man this is a weird one being ive never welded AC accept aluminum TIG. You wouldnt happen to have a DC setting would you. That would make your life way easier.

GWD Thanks for the help. I'll try some 7018, and see how that turns out. I'll let You know.

Torn7th, Thanks for the reply, but no DC switch. It is an AC welder. Zoomer

If you buy 7018 make sure its for an AC machine, regular 7018 will not work. 7014 will also run alot like 7018. I have the same machine and generaly run 6011, but it does penetrate deep. If you ran 6011 were you stepping or just running a stringer?

As far as gap is concerned, have you ever done a weave? Its much like a mig bead and can successfully fill a gap if done right.

Well thanks for all the help folks. Got some 7018AC, just have not had the time to try it out. I been wondering about using some oxy-acetylene rod, or for that matter maybe just fill my gap using my oxy-acetylene outfit to do the whole job? Is arc stronger than oxy? What is a stringer? Or stepping? A weave? Is there a dictionary with this site? Lots of questions, and very happy for any answers. Thanks in advance, Zoomer

Stringers are multiple passes usually next to or on top of each other. (Example) You lay one pass down then you lay another either right next to it or on top if it after it has cooled a bit. Weaving it just what it says. When filling a gap or making a cover pass you move the rod from left to right or right to left in small increments. You start your arc then move to one side slightly pause then pass over the middle quickly and then pause at the other side. The pattern your looking for is a horizontal figure 8. Uphill welding is the best for this as it gives you very lilttle slag . Most of the time with the right amps the slag falls right off. On a 7018 in DC 3/32 rod ill use 75-95amps this usually works best for me. Bear in mind this is my opinion for not a PHD just a welder lol

Sounds to me like your travel speed may be a little slow. If your travel speed is to slow with a gap thats too big youll melt the edges right through and leave a big ol hole, and when you try to fill that hole, if you go to slow you'll just make that hole wider and wider.

What has worked for me(non-critical welds mind you) is to run stringers next to each other, on either side of the hole until you they reach each other in the middle. You gotta move kind fast because your just depositing metal on one side, ya know what I mean? If you go to slow you'll just melt that side in more and more.

If you got a piece of 1/2" or somethin like that layin around you can practice stackin beads on the edge of the plate. Id probably run 6011 too.

If you're going to use the 6010 but your hole keeps opening up u might try to whip it so you don't keyhole too big.
What i mean is get a puddle then in a quick motion flick your rod forwards about an inch and then back and build another puddle on the old one. 6010 solidifies super quick so you should be able to just stack these puddles on each other without it getting hot enough to drop through the hole. Your bead will look like a stack of dimes if you do it right. Remember to keep your rod arcing while you whip it forward too

first off if this is for heavy equipment with a good amount of weight on the weld the go with the 7018 1/8th inch rod. set heat a bit hot and reduce it if you need to. on the verticle welds start at the bottom and work up. chip the slag away at every stop to check the progress. you may need to adjust the heat as you go, or simply speed up or slow down. you will want to weave from left to right so the weld is about 5/8" wide. before you start grind the old weld to remove existing slag. you may need a couple passes. if so grind clean and smooth. good luck.