Welding Tips and Tricks

As some of you may remember I was on the fence buying the Primeweld thinking the stick feature was not as good as I wanted, but it turns out it is just fine. I have no issues with it.

I tested out some 1/8" 7018 Lincoln Excalibur on some 1/2" plate. These plates are used for rebar anchors, I *think*, I found some of them down by my yard that were left by some foundation contractors. This is a 122 amps fillet weld. Was going ok until I hit that hole in the center...



Then I laid this 6011 bead on the edge of the same 1/2" plate, this was at about 92 amps using a 1/8" Lincoln rod from Home Depot I think.



I also ran some 3/32" 6011 and 3/32" 7018, no pics though...

All in all I have no issues withe Primeweld, stick works absolutely fine for my use.

...and the infamous 6010 test that other people have purported to work flawlessly? Curious to see if it really does work.

Oscar wrote:...and the infamous 6010 test that other people have purported to work flawlessly? Curious to see if it really does work.

I don't have any 6010 rod. No water cooled stinger either...

I'll test it in time, but don't expect any problems, a friend burned some with no issues. Even if I only had 6011, I'm totally fine with that. I mostly use tig.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:I don't have any 6010 rod. No water cooled stinger either...

Well you can easily get one of those.

Oscar wrote:

TraditionalToolworks wrote:I don't have any 6010 rod. No water cooled stinger either...

Well you can easily get one of those.

Agreed, I can get a whole pack of 'em, I just need to go to the store and pick up some 6010.

I don't really need it though. 7018 and 6011 could suite me just fine for the stick welding I do.

Even the crappiest inverters can usually run 7018 OK. I'd be interested to see what it does with cellulose rods. I had an AHP unit that ran 7018 OK, but with 1/8th 6011 at 80 amps, it would chew through 3/8ths plate like a carbon arc gouging rod. I would have to turn the amps way down to like 40, to even get it close to running right. That was the reason I got rid of it. The arc force was not adjustable and it was all screwed up if you ask me.

I need to try mine again on stick welding. I've got a few 6010, but have low expectations.

Louie1961 wrote:Even the crappiest inverters can usually run 7018 OK. I'd be interested to see what it does with cellulose rods. I had an AHP unit that ran 7018 OK, but with 1/8th 6011 at 80 amps, it would chew through 3/8ths plate like a carbon arc gouging rod. I would have to turn the amps way down to like 40, to even get it close to running right. That was the reason I got rid of it. The arc force was not adjustable and it was all screwed up if you ask me.

I ran it on the edge of 1/2" plate and I also ran one in a fillet, so I don't know about your AHP, but this is not an AHP. I also ran 3/32" on both 6011 and 7018, 72 amps on the 6011 and 92 amps on the 7018.

I did try to weld some 1/16" steel with 3/32" 6011 and couldn't keep it from blowing holes through it. I do have some 1/16" 6011 but was just too lazy to get it out and try it. I honestly don't stick weld on 1/16" steel, most all of my stick welding is outdoors on pretty heavy stuff like my flatbed hitch, sawmill bed, stuff like that...

A guy over on WeldingWeb ran 6010 on his Primeweld. You can go look it up over there. I don't have any cellulose other than the 6011.

I'm not saying this is as good of a stick welder as your 800 lb. 100 amp sucking behemoth Miller but it's adequate for my use of stick. I mostly use tig and this machine weighs 48 lbs.

v5cvbb wrote:I need to try mine again on stick welding. I've got a few 6010, but have low expectations.

When I was buying my unit Mike at Primeweld said it was possible to run it by experienced welders. There is not a lot of difference between 6011 and 6010, although there is some. I wouldn't call myself an experienced welder, not with stick.

A gent over on WeldingWeb (MJD) ran 6010 on his Primeweld and it ran fine for him. I do know him and we exchange email and PMs quite a bit, he's a pretty competent welder, IMO, and works on a lot of heavy equipment, trailers, and such like that. He has Miller welders also. He said his Primeweld runs 6010 just fine.

Because of what Mike at Primeweld said, I just never figured that I would be able to run 6010, but guess what? I don't need to run it... I honestly didn't expect I would be able to run 6011 as well as it did for me. My Everlast green weenie does run 6011, so it's not like I can't run it on there if I need to, but for myself I just proved yesterday I can run it on the Primeweld.

My green weenie will not run 6011 without turning up the Arc Force, it doesn't have Hot Start, and probably why they don't claim it will work with 6010.

I don't do pipe welding, and I rarely use stick, but I do use it for outdoor work. This Primeweld rocks on Tig and satisfies my needs for stick.

TraditionalToolworks wrote:A gent over on WeldingWeb (MJD) ran 6010 on his Primeweld and it ran fine for him. I do know him and we exchange email and PMs quite a bit, he's a pretty competent welder, IMO, and works on a lot of heavy equipment, trailers, and such like that. He has Miller welders also. He said his Primeweld runs 6010 just fine.

He didn't like my gas saving pressure reducer, lol

Oscar wrote:He didn't like my gas saving pressure reducer, lol

That doesn't mean too much, I don't see the point in it to begin with myself as I stated yesterday. I do know that MJD has been welding for many years and although I have not met him, I know someone that has and speaks very highly of him. I know he has a Miller XMT he uses mostly for stick, and I think a Millermatic 251 or 252. He uses MIG for a lot of stuff, but all the heavy stuff uses stick for the most part...that's going by my recollection. I don't speak for him, but I believe him when he says the 6010 runs fine on the Primeweld. He is not really a TIG welder, that is primarily why he bought the Primeweld.

Are you trying to say that because he didn't like your gas saving idea he's not competent?

Not at all, I'm sure he knows his stuff. I was just making commentary. My mods are obviously not for everyone, and I'm smart enough to know that. I post my findings not as a "how-to", but more so as just documentation, so others don't think I'm trying to make them follow my footsteps. People for some reason are infuriated that I post what I do if it goes against what they believe; to some it's just non-sense with no real-world value and honestly that's fine, because a lot of what I gedankenexperiment are just things that intrigue me and eventually implement to fit my needs. Nothing more, nothing less.

Oscar wrote:People for some reason are infuriated that I post what I do if it goes against what they believe; to some it's just non-sense with no real-world value and honestly that's fine, because a lot of what I gedankenexperiment are just things that intrigue me and eventually implement to fit my needs. Nothing more, nothing less.

Well, in all honesty you shouldn't be surprised when you post something on the Internet. That is what will happen.

Even in this thread, I got the idea that Louie is a skeptic to believe that the Primeweld can burn cellulose rod at all, mainly because of his experience with the AHP. For me it will be just fine, I can't imagine needing more stick welder, although who knows...maybe one day I will find one and buy one...I passed on a like-new round top Lincoln 225 which had the PF Capacitor in it, guy was asking $250...looked like it had barely been used...but in the end I decided that I didn't really need more welders, especially one that only does stick (Lincoln had an HF Tig box, but finding one would be like hen's teeth). More so, did I really need a 400 lb. transformer stick welder? I actually like my inverters for size/weight and power usage.

So I get it, people are critics of me, just like you point out they are of you, I think it's fair to expect that on the Internet. This is the age we live in.

Does my Primeweld 225 stick weld like a Lincoln round top 250? Probably not. Does it stick weld like a Miller XMT? Probably not. Does it even weld like a ESAB Miniarch 180i? Again, probably not. Does it stick weld good enough for a hobbyist like me or many others that won't need to stick weld all the time? That it probably does. And one thing is for sure, it's a damn good Tig welder and that's what I tend to do most.

The irony to all this is that Louie is also a hobbyist. His view is obviously different than many other hobbyists. Could that be because he has hung around WeldingWeb for years? Certainly could. I haven't seen many of his projects so don't know what he actually builds, just pointing out the way of the Internet...when you post something you open yourself to comments from all...hobbyist, pros and everyone in between which includes armchair welders. As long as our welders work for any of us, it's all good. That also goes for your HTP fleet, yes, I am a bit envious. You did build a tig torch stand recently, so they're working out for you.

DISCLAIMER: probably more response than you expected, but I'm a wordy SOB, nobody pays for anything I say.

TraditionalToolworks wrote: You did build a tig torch stand recently, so they're working out for you.

...AND a MIG torch holder too!



With the combined welding amperage of 1,520A of all my machines, I used a whopping ~45A.

Oscar wrote:He didn't like my gas saving pressure reducer, lol

BTW Oscar, I just want to point out that I am not posting to WeldingWeb anymore, mainly because of the majority of people there. MJD (his name is Mike, BTW) is one of the few people I have met at WeldingWeb that I have become friends with. The majority of them are probably nice people in person, but @$$#O!E$ online. MJD is a standup guy, IMO.

Oscar wrote:...AND a MIG torch holder too!

That looks nice!

I got the idea that Louie is a skeptic to believe that the Primeweld can burn cellulose rod at all

You read way too much into my statement. All I said and all I meant was I wonder how it runs 6011? How a machine runs 7018 doesn't tell you much about how it will run 6011. I love 6011 BTW, I could care less if it runs 6010 or not. I actually hope it runs 6011 like a champ, it will make that an even better welder.

The irony to all this is that Louie is also a hobbyist. His view is obviously different than many other hobbyists. Could that be because he has hung around WeldingWeb for years?

Again, you read way, way to much into my brief commentary. I am not a brand snob. There is one company I won't do business with anymore because of the way I personally was treated. But beyond that, buy what you want, its your money. I wish you nothing but the best.

Oscar wrote:

TraditionalToolworks wrote: You did build a tig torch stand recently, so they're working out for you.

...AND a MIG torch holder too!



With the combined welding amperage of 1,520A of all my machines, I used a whopping ~45A.

I've got the same scissors and several of those magnetic bases. I'm only at less than half of your total welder output Oscar. You will this round!

v5cvbb wrote:I've got the same scissors and several of those magnetic bases. I'm only at less than half of your total welder output Oscar. You will this round!

They're pretty good right?

Louie1961 wrote:You read way too much into my statement. All I said and all I meant was I wonder how it runs 6011?

Well, the very first pic in the OP was 6011 bead on the edge of a 1/2" mild steel plate.

Louie1961 wrote:I actually hope it runs 6011 like a champ, it will make that an even better welder.

It ran it find for me. I mentioned I ran both 3/32" and 1/8", the 3/32" was Forney in the yellow plastic box, and the 1/8" was Lincoln in the 1 1b. clear plastic, Fleetweld 180-RSP, either from Home Depot or OSH when they were in business. The Forney yellow plastic box came from OSH, it's made in Mexico. The Fleetweld runs better, IMO, but 6011 is harsher than 7018.

Louie1961 wrote:Again, you read way, way to much into my brief commentary. I am not a brand snob. There is one company I won't do business with anymore because of the way I personally was treated. But beyond that, buy what you want, its your money. I wish you nothing but the best.

That's totally fair, maybe that company is AHP, I don't know...I've been pretty vocal about not being treated with decency by the green weenie crew at Everlast, and I will not buy another welder from them, nor will I buy AHP as it's the same people. I knew that Oleg had a big share in the company, but found out the other share is owned by his wife...

So look Louie, I wasn't trying to not run 6010, and I did run a fair amount of 6011, I had no trouble starting it, it burned pretty nice. I was running 92 amps on the 1/8" Fleetweld and 72 amps on the 3/32" Forney, maybe could have gone down slightly on the Forney, but it ran it pretty decently to me. I'm not a great stick welder and haven't welded a bead of stick in about 2 years.

I would even say that my Primeweld runs 6011 as good or better than my green weenie i-Tig 201 which has an Arc Force knob.

Both 3/32" and 1/8" 7018 was Lincoln Excalibur, I just favor and like that rod for 7018. I do have some 1/16" Hobart 7018 but didn't try it. I do have a pretty good selection of stick rods, but most are only 1 lb. packs. I only buy 10 lb. of Excalibur because that's the smallest they sell it in. I'm not a stick electrode hoarder. I probably have more tig filler.

I'm not too surprised it ran 7018 and even a 6011 fine, They'll stay lit on some pretty crude rectified DC buzzboxes and I doubt they'd add a stick welding mode if they hadn't at least put a little work into making sure they ran. Additionally I've always heard pretty good reports from everyone who did try stick welding with it.

I'd really be curious it could actually keep a 6010 lit through a whole rod though, it takes a lot better machine to keep a 6010 lit than it does to burn any other rod and everything from cheaper built transformer based DC machines to some high dollar light weight inverters from Miller and Lincoln like the Maxstar 150, multimatic 200 and others just won't do it.

Interestingly enough, I've found arc force actually isn't necessary to run 6011 or 6010 at all if the machine is capable enough. I suspect it might compensate if the machine would otherwise struggle. I've ran 6010 with arc force set low, or even all the way down on my machine without any trouble, although I'm not sure if I could've pushed it through 1/4 plate without sticking like I can when it's turned up.

sbaker56 wrote:I'd really be curious it could actually keep a 6010 lit through a whole rod though

The guy over on WeldingWeb that ran 6010 on his couldn't put the rod out even when trying to stuff it into the puddle, he said it just kept burning the 6010 and welded it just fine. He ran it at 91 amps for a 1/8" rod of some old brick red rod.

sbaker56 wrote:Interestingly enough, I've found arc force actually isn't necessary to run 6011 or 6010 at all if the machine is capable enough.

That's interesting as my Everlast i-Tig 201 claims it will run 6011, but I need to turn the arc force up to get it to run. Could be as you say, the machine is probably not a very capable machine. Not a bad DC Tig machine though. I think it will only run stick at 160 amps. My Primeweld will run stick at 180 amps. Since I use 1/8" rod as the largest so far, I only really need 140 amps most.

I would expect your machine to turn 6010 really well, it is one of the best stick welders on the market from what many people say.

I would say my Primeweld runs stick good enough that I'm glad I didn't pursue getting that Invertig 275-S, although my Primeweld and that would be a nice combo...as it is I have my Primeweld and my i-Tig 201, I can do both Tig and stick on both of them. That will work out well for my new shop, one will stay at home and one will go to the lake.

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TraditionalToolworks wrote:

sbaker56 wrote:I'd really be curious it could actually keep a 6010 lit through a whole rod though

The guy over on WeldingWeb that ran 6010 on his couldn't put the rod out even when trying to stuff it into the puddle, he said it just kept burning the 6010 and welded it just fine. He ran it at 91 amps for a 1/8" rod of some old brick red rod.

sbaker56 wrote:Interestingly enough, I've found arc force actually isn't necessary to run 6011 or 6010 at all if the machine is capable enough.

That's interesting as my Everlast i-Tig 201 claims it will run 6011, but I need to turn the arc force up to get it to run. Could be as you say, the machine is probably not a very capable machine. Not a bad DC Tig machine though. I think it will only run stick at 160 amps. My Primeweld will run stick at 180 amps. Since I use 1/8" rod as the largest so far, I only really need 140 amps most.

I would expect your machine to turn 6010 really well, it is one of the best stick welders on the market from what many people say.

I would say my Primeweld runs stick good enough that I'm glad I didn't pursue getting that Invertig 275-S, although my Primeweld and that would be a nice combo...as it is I have my Primeweld and my i-Tig 201, I can do both Tig and stick on both of them. That will work out well for my new shop, one will stay at home and one will go to the lake.

It's probably the best stick machine I've ever used, although I'm not sure how qualified I am to judge between it and the XMT 350 at school, but I'm of the same opinion that generally I don't need a machine to run quite that well to be a fine enough stick welder most the time and while I've joked before that some of these machines would burn a coat hanger, generally I've found the quality of rods themselves to be more apparent than that of the machine running them. The only exception I would say probably is 6010 and 6011, It's much harder to "choke" either rod on a higher end machine even once you account for arc force features and I've found it significant enough that my technique changed because of it.

I'm sure my machine will tig weld quite well enough for my purposes, especially given the foot pedal option. But had I expected it to be more than primarily keeping in practice at home or while tig welding my own things, I'd probably want the additional tig features of the Primeweld over anything else too.