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Learning to Weld
by Phil B on May 29, 2011 Table of Contents Learning to Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: Learning to Weld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Educational resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: How I started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 3: A stick welder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 4: Ventilation, UV, and spatter burns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 5: Preparation before welding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 6: A good ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 7: Preheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 8: How to stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 9: Striking the arc with a stick welder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 10: Some general guidelines on heat settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 11: Do not move too fast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 12: The hot side is the short side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9
Step 13: Cast iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 14: Helpful accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Step 15: Wire feed welders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Step 16: Staying on the joint line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Step 17: When to replace the wire feed's tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Step 18: For the ladies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Step 19: Make your own stick welder? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Author:Phil B
I miss the days when magazines like Popular Mechanics had all sorts of DIY projects for making and repairing just about everything. I am enjoying posting things I have learned and done since I got my first tools. I enjoy studying the Bible and I am also a Lutheran pastor. I like to dabble with some electronics projects. I have a lathe, a radial arm saw, a router, and a flux core wire feed welder. I appreciate Instructables from others that are practical and address real problems with useful solutions. These are the type of Instructables I try to write and publish.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
If you want to see more about how to weld with an oxy-acetylene unit, there are a number of videos at YouTube. Just search for oxy-acetylene welding. (The photo is from Bing Images.)
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Image Notes 1. Side view of one member in the joint. 2. Side view of the other member in the joint.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Image Notes 1. This is pipe. If it were heavily coated in paint or plastic, the Vise-Grip jaws would cut through the coating to make a good electrical contact without grinding away the coating. (Do not weld on galvanized pipe without grinding away the zinc coating. Then use good ventilation.)
Step 7: Preheating
See the Instructable already linked in step 5, unless you already viewed it there. It shows some welding on heavy stock well beyond the normal capability of my 125 amp. wire feed welder, yet it worked because I preheated the joints with a MAPP gas torch before welding. That gave my welder a boost and extended its capabilities. Preheating is also useful when joining two pieces of steel different in their thicknesses. Pre-heat the thicker piece to make getting a good weld easier.
Image Notes 1. A year or so after I bought this MAPP gas torch it began to leak. The center of the knob's top had a soft spot hiding a screw under it. I was able to remove the screw and replace the Shrader-style tire valve in the torch head. The torch has been fine for more than 25 years since.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Image Notes 1. Notice the yellow crescent of light at the front of the bead near its top.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Image Notes
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
1. Partially used electrode--the burned end is toward the mouth of the keeper.
Image Notes 1. This is the gas kit. Only MIG welders have the necessary internal fittings to make a wire feed welder a MIG welder. A steel gas bottle filled with gas is also required, but does not come with the welder. 2. Welding gun and gun liner tube, with a MIG shielding nozzle on the gun 3. Ground cable and clamp 4. Welding wire spool--These are usually 1 pound or 2 pounds. Some welders are designed to hold spools up to 10 pounds. 5. Control knobs--One usually controls the voltage setting and the other controls the wire speed. This welder is an auto-set welder. The user programs the thickness of the metal and the welder does the rest. The welder's switch is just below and to the right of these knobs. 6. The side of the welder is hinged. Lift it up to reveal settings for the tension on the wire spool and for the pinch of the rollers. The welder polarity can be changed under this cover, too. A common problem is "birdnesting." That happens when there is an obstruction in the gun liner and the rollers continue to feed wire. A bird's nest of mangled wire appears near the rollers. 7. Handle for transporting the welder to a job site. These welders weigh around 50 or more pounds. 8. DVD with the manual, etc.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Image Notes 1. 1 inch pine lumber to guide the weldor's hand at its heel. This is one option for guiding the weld to follow the joint. See the other text box for another. 2. Another option for following the joint. The direction of travel is toward the left side of the photo. Look here just ahead of the arc for a small view of the joint that can be followed to guide the weld.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
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Comments
44 comments Add Comment
applegeek says:
Jun 7, 2011. 5:52 PM REPLY I've heard you should not put the cable over your shoulder because of the magnetic field or something. I think I read it in some other 'ible and a welding safety guide too.
Phil B says:
Jun 7, 2011. 6:36 PM REPLY I suppose that could be. I do not know. I probably do that five times a year and then for only a few minutes each time. I probably have more to worry about from my cell phone, which I do not use very often, either. Perhaps some others will be able to add something on this. Thank you for looking and for commenting.
Phil B says:
Jun 8, 2011. 9:31 AM REPLY I did find a forum discussion on hanging the welding cable over an arm or a shoulder. Most of the concern related to becoming tangled in the cables as a tripping hazard. There was some concern related to electromagnetic fields and heart pacemakers. There was also a concern for possible yet unknown health effects. One person posting quoted some guidelines from Lincoln that discouraged hanging cables over one's shoulder, but no explanation or reason was given.
applegeek says:
Jun 8, 2011. 12:36 PM REPLY I'm not too concerned about all the hype over long term effects of EMFs in cell phones and microwave ovens yet (the studies are mostly inconclusive or sketchy); what I read said that doing that could stop your heart. It didn't mention pacemakers specifically, so I'm not sure if your heart would be at risk without a pacemaker.
Phil B says:
Jun 8, 2011. 2:01 PM REPLY My father had a small electrical business. I was his helper during high school. The danger was always considered to be an electrical current that flowed across the chest cavity and the heart, either from one arm to the other, or from one arm to the other leg. Only a surprisingly few milliamps were needed to be fatal. But, that is much different from a nearby EMF. While the heart beats as a result of electrical activity duplicated in a pacemaker, an EMF would, I believe, be unlikely to produce an arresting current flow across the heart. I simply do not know if a heart could be stopped by a close proximity EMF. It would seem the presence of a metal would be required. Perhaps someone reading this has more and better information.
Phil B says:
Jun 8, 2011. 2:33 PM REPLY I found this article on the effects of EMFs on living tissue. It does not sound like an EMF from a welder operating on 60 Hz alternating current is likely to stop a heart, but it may produce tissue changes over time that result in heart disease. Other hits mentioned type 3 diabetes caused by EMFs.
applegeek says:
Jun 8, 2011. 12:37 PM REPLY Phil, have you ever tried making your own welder according to instructions similar to the article you linked to? Do you think those are reasonably safe when compared to a store-purchased welder?
Phil B says:
Jun 8, 2011. 1:40 PM REPLY I have thought very seriously about building my own welder from one of those sets of plans I linked. In summary, you can find very good used welders for very reasonable prices. I did not make the Mother Earth News lawnmower/alternator welder because I showed it to someone who welds professionally and he gently told me he thought I would be disappointed with its low power at only 50 amps. I was quite interested in making the Popular Mechanics welder from the two-part article. But, it seemed I was always lacking a key part, like the iron transformer core. Or, I began to price the copper wire I would need and the price rose quickly. I think if the calendar suddenly moved backward a dozen years and I had no welder, I would be making one of the little units using two microwave transformers. Still, based on experience I had with my 120 volt stick welder, the two amperage settings were a very good feature. The little microwave welder has only one setting, although I think I saw one set of plans for a microwave welder that used a common lighting fixture rheostat to control the input voltage. In the end I concluded a good used welder had more features for very little more money, maybe even less money. (I bought my Miller Thunderbolt 225 stick welder on eBay for $75. Shipping was an additional $50. All in all, it is (IMHO) a better welder than the comparable Lincoln "tombstone" stick welder a friend bought in good condition at a flea market for $125 (same total expenditure). I have no doubt the welders in the plans are safe. Insulate your connections well. Use safe practices when welding. Ground the chassis of the welder. For extra protection, put it on a GFCI protected circuit. (I am assuming a GFCI does not act up because it protects a welder. This would really be optional
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
spiritwalker6153 says:
Jun 5, 2011. 9:14 PM REPLY This is probably the best how to article on welding I have seen. Very well thought out. Good of you to add the safety pieces as well since many others including some of those on national television seem to forget it. Thanks for a well done article.
Phil B says:
Thank you very much.
christiaansa says:
Jun 5, 2011. 6:41 AM REPLY To fill holes, you might try to use another rod. Clean all the flux on it that only the wire is left. make sure you do not touch anyware on your work. Use this extra piece of wire while weldind to fill the hole, something like brazing. Be extremely careful, you might get a severe shock if you touch the earth/work piece while doing it. But with a bit of practice you can fill up any whole, even on thin material. PLEASE BE CAREFUL
kill-a-watt says:
Jun 5, 2011. 5:55 PM REPLY If you can get a piece of copper water pipe inside the pipe you are welding, you can use that as a backer. The weld will not stick to copper and the pipe could be removed afterwards. Jun 5, 2011. 7:21 AM REPLY I have always had a lot of trouble with an electrode sticking if the flux was removed. I am surprised you can start an arc without the rod sticking, unless I used a carbon rod to help start the arc. See the link I gave to another Instructable in step 9. I am assuming you are using a stick welder and not a wire feed welder. Thank you for commenting.
Phil B says:
christiaansa says:
Jun 5, 2011. 8:19 AM REPLY sorry, did not make it clear enough. You use the electrode without flux as a filler rod. So you still weld with a normal rod, but keep this cleean work at point of we;d, therefore you deposit more metal without more heat as when you wuld use a thier rod. With a wire feed welder, you an adjust amps lower, and normally don't burn holes. Actualy, if a person follow your instructable, you won't have holes to worry about. Thanks for the insructable excelent aand hard work.
Phil B says:
Jun 5, 2011. 1:50 PM REPLY Thank you for the idea and for your comment. I did spend more time working on this Instructable than I would care to admit.
christiaansa says:
Jun 5, 2011. 10:09 PM REPLY Wait wait, I've only gave input as someone mentioned the problem of holes, I had my fair share of them. There is no way I would or could atemp a proper and complete instructable as this one. We appreciate it. have agreat day. (Kill-a-watt - thank you, i will use your ida for sure. Jun 3, 2011. 7:36 AM REPLY
rimar2000 says:
Phil, I was concerned that you don't published an instructable, and now I see that the wait was worth it.. Congratulations. As an apprentice, I have some suggestions:
First, find human help. The manuals say only things they think you don't know, but in my case I spend almost two months trying to get the arc, because my welder is very cheap and I am too fearful, then the welder was set at very low power. To strike the arc in place. The beginner is too overwhelmed with all new thing, the worst of all is the blindness of the solder mask (if it is not electronic). Your method is good, but I solved the problem of blindness by using a powerful illuminator, about 200 watts. That way I could see quite clearly the tip of the electrode for position it in place. Now I no longer use that illuminator, but it helped me much at first. While you are learning, always distrust your weldings, because until you have learned, it is likely that you believes that welded, when in fact made a mess of slag. Especially if the safety of someone depends of that welding, do not rely on it until to ensure that it is really well done. If I remember some other tip or trick for beginners, I will add it.
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 7:59 AM REPLY Thank you, Osvaldo. After publishing 173 Instructables, I have just about exhausted everything I have ever learned. But, I have thought that after publishing each of the last 150 Instructables. Human help was important when I first used an oxy-acetylene welder. There probably were people who could have helped me when I bought my little electric arc welder, but decided to plunge into a beginning. Here we often say, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread." That little welder sat on my shelf for about 10 days before I had the nerve to plug it into the electrical outlet and turn it on. I have also used a halogen shop light to illuminate the work so I could strike the arc better. One big advantage to MIG welders is that there is no slag. What you see is what the weld is. I have finally learned to weld more slowly so the arc has time to fuse the metal, not just to put down a layer of slag. All of my welds are beautiful until I pick up the hammer to remove the slag. Thanks for your comment, as always. Please feel free to add things you have learned.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
alaskanbychoice says:
Jun 5, 2011. 7:32 AM REPLY Not to knock what you say, but MIG welding does in fact involve slag sometimes. It all depends on the method used. If you are using Duel Shield wire with CO2 or 75/25 then you will have slag. If you are using inner shieded wire you will have slag. I will guess that you use a copper coated hardwire when MIG welding and are using 75/25 gas mix, so you see little slag. What you do see is very minimal looks like melted glass at the edge of the weld. Keeping your lenses clean makes a big difference in the reflection and how well you see when striking an Arc. Some people are using very dark lenses to weld and have a hard time seeing even once they strike an Arc. Most probably use a #10 filter, some may even be using an 11 or 12. Depending on the application I will drop down to an 8 or 9. Using stick to weld isn't as easy for the beginner, but keeping the rods dry is a must, broken flux on the rod will hinder your welding ability. A metal box with a lightbulb kept on inside creates enough heat to keep rods dry. When using rods like 7018 that create a rather hard slag on the end of the rod when you stop, it's easier to restriek a weld if you first tap the end of the rod on a non-grounded piece of metal first to break that bit of slag off the tip, then proceed to tap strike your Arc where you need to weld.
Phil B says:
Jun 5, 2011. 2:03 PM REPLY Thank you again for the additional information. I did not know slag sometimes forms with MIG welding. I had thought about mentioning a light bulb to dry stick electrodes that have taken on too much humidity, but figured anyone who started welding as a beginner would soon be seeking more information, and would run into it. I decided to mention keeping the electrodes stored in dry conditions and let it go at that for now. I have run into a crust forming over the end of stick electrodes and had arrived at the strategy of tapping the end on something not part of the grounded circuit. One of the great things about Instructables is the exchange of additional information that comes in the comments. Jun 5, 2011. 11:14 AM REPLY
rimar2000 says:
I use stick welding because MIG or TIG are far out of my budget.
My difficulties to start the arc was due to the electrode adhered to the piece in the moment I touched it. That was caused by very low amperage.
rimar2000 says:
Jun 3, 2011. 10:01 AM REPLY Your saying is very wise. I remember a time at church, when the teacher ask "what is courage?" (Jos 1:9). A pupil answer "it is to have not fear". I said "no, that is rashness, the courageous feels fear, but go forward". Another tips for beginners: Be humble, don't undertake big or very tiny works. When the sheet or tube to weld is thin, you can weld it by means of little and brief touches, otherwise you will make a hole on it. When you have done a hole in the piece, or there is a gap between the pieces to weld, you can still save it, by means of little, brief and consecutive touches at its edges. Between a touch and the other must be only the time need to the iron harden, no more. A second or less. Always have a grinder at hand, to smooth the lumps. When aesthetics matter, after grinding the weld you can use car putty to fill little dimples.
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 10:15 AM REPLY I have long said that with woodwork you can make little pieces from big pieces. But, with welding you can also make big pieces from little pieces. Once someone on a blog said he had burned a hole in a metal tube he was welding. He wanted to know what he should do. The answer he got was, "Fill it!" A person can do that with welding. It is slow and patient work. You have probably noticed that an arc starts more easily with more control when the metal and the electrode are both still hot from welding. That makes filling holes easier, but it is tempting to be in a hurry and make the partially filled hole bigger again. Your definition of courage is good. I once saw a humorous card for hanging on your wall. It said, "If you can keep your head (not panic) when everyone else around you is losing theirs (fearful and in panic), then you just do not understand the situation."
ElectroFrank says:
If you can keep your head, when all around you are losing theirs, you will soon be the tallest man in the room. :-)
soul_eater says:
Amazing recopliation for the begineers in welding Good Job
Phil B says:
Thank you.
anode505 says:
Jun 5, 2011. 1:16 PM REPLY MIG is great, but has its pitfalls for newbies. It can be just a metal 'caulking gun'. Penetration is the key; at first. Work on getting that negitive radius bead. Sharp corners are the starting point for cracks/failures. (Flux core is miserable to work with (IMOHO), all the splatter. Get a gas capable welder.)
Phil B says:
Jun 5, 2011. 1:31 PM REPLY I was getting quite a bit of spatter with my flux core wire feed welder when I got smarter. The spatter was bouncing off of the aluminum pan I was using as a welding table surface. I changed my procedure so the jig I made hung over open air instead of the aluminum pan. Spatter cleanup dropped to nearly zero. Compare steps 3 and 6 of this Instructable.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
alaskanbychoice says:
Jun 5, 2011. 7:56 AM REPLY You can also use a backing plate to make a full penetration weld if the back side if accessable and you woudl be abel to grind the plate off later. Another method for a a full penetration weld is to use a ceramic backer that has a concave shape to it that you stick the opposite side of a weld. This combined with a small gap creates a very nice weld. The ceramic piece come in lengthes that make it easy to break apart and tear the aluminum fail tape that adheres them to your work area. When filling a hole or a gap with filler metal you can also use a chunk of brass as a backer to keep the molten metal in place. Be very careful how you do this method. Holding onto a piece of brass while welding above it is not advised, used clamps to hold it in place. The welding process will not weld to the brass and you simply pull the brasa or knock it loose from the welded object. While you may need to do a bit of grinding and welding where the brass held the filler metal from just dropping through it makes a tough weld situation much easier to deal with.
Phil B says:
Jun 5, 2011. 8:24 AM REPLY When I mentioned my piece of aluminum angle I mentioned using it as a backing plate for welding thin materials in order to keep from blowing holes quite so easily. A backing plate would also be an assistance in filling a hole. I had not considered a ceramic backing. Thank you for the information.
alaskanbychoice says:
Jun 5, 2011. 7:44 AM REPLY When working with galvanized metals, if you need to keep them in that protective state, there are sticks that you can recoat the metal with to give it the galvanized coating back. While the weld is still hot you simply rub these zink sticks across the hot surface and it melts. It will adhere to the metal and protect your project. If you can not do this right after welding you can always reheat the piece with a torch an do the same thing. Using a wire brush just before it cools will give a like new galvanized look to your weld.
Phil B says:
Thank you for the information. I expect there will be those who need to do that.
pfred2 says:
Jun 3, 2011. 7:27 PM REPLY Phil strikes yet again like a Thunderbolt from on high! Now I have to ask, you do know that you can tap start stick arcs too right? Match dragging is total rookie material. I was done with that stuff by my third bead. What bugs me the most when I weld is a phenomenon I like to call "back lighting", where reflected light off my lens makes it more difficult for me to see while I am welding. I have an extra leather bib for my summer welding jacket that I throw over the top of my hood to cut it down. Although doing so does tend to make my hood fog up fast. So I should invent the hood awning and retire a multi gazillionare! My spark box:
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 7:58 PM REPLY Color me a rookie. I tried the tapping method a couple of times and always stuck the rod, so I stayed with what I know. Also, this Instructable is for someone who is just beginning, so the easiest method seems OK.
pfred2 says:
Jun 4, 2011. 4:49 PM REPLY I've been giving this a bit of thought lately and I have come to the conclusion that my machine just may have a bit better an arc starter in it than most welders usually have due to the fact that is a TIG/Stick welder. The engineers at Miller looked at each other and said you know if we throw a heavy lead on this puppy it ought to stick weld OK too. The marketers smiled and nodded. I mean sometimes all I have to do is get the rod close and I'm ignited. But this is the only machine I've ever stick welded with so are they all like that?
Phil B says:
Jun 4, 2011. 6:26 PM REPLY It is nice that your welder is TIG ready. My Miller is about 1975 vintage. It has a crank wheel on top for infinitely variable amperage settings, unlike the famous Lincoln "tombstone" welder that has a few click settings. I will have to try the tap method again while playing with the amperage output.
dbc1218 says:
Jun 3, 2011. 7:45 AM REPLY Nice Instuctable. Lots of good information and links. I have one of the cheap import welders I've used for odd jobs but want to get the Miller 211 for the bigger projects.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 8:44 AM REPLY Thank you. One thing I like about publishing on Instructables is that it gives me a convenient place to store and retrieve interesting links and useful information I want later. I have read that the cheap import wire feed welders can do a good job as long as a quality electrode wire is used. A complaint, though, is that the roller drive is weak and leaves the owner in a bind when it fails either to deliver wire at a constant speed or fails completely. I do not think anyone would ever regret buying a Miller (or Lincoln, Hobart, or Century). After WW II people were using military surplus aircraft generators.to make welders. I still think it would be interesting to make a gasoline powered welder using a heavy duty automobile alternator, but I really have no need for one, either. If someone would care to do it, I would certainly be willing to give their Instructable about the project five stars.
steliart says:
This instructable is so informative and useful to me Phil and I thank you very much for it. Very well done Steli
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 4:53 AM REPLY Steli, I thank you for your comment. I am very pleased you can use it. I apologize for giving electrode sizes only in English measurements, and not in metric.
steliart says:
No worries my friend i can easily convert them :-)
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 6:08 AM REPLY Good. I am also not certain about metric sizing. We might use a 3/32 inch rod that would convert to 2.4mm, but it may be more convenient for manufacturers to make it as a 2.5mm rod. I know that is close, regardless. After your first comment I added a couple of sentences to step 14 concerning the aluminum angle I sometimes use. It is also useful for a backing plate when welding very thin materials because it absorbs heat and helps to prevent burning holes in the thin metals. The bottom of an old aluminum fry pan works well, too.
knife141 says:
As usual, another excellent Instructable, Phil.
Phil B says:
Jun 3, 2011. 5:52 AM REPLY Thank you. I hesitated to write and publish it because I know you and others have welding equipment along with the probability of better training and more experience than I have. I enjoyed your Instructable on refinishing the church piano. Congratulations on getting it featured.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Learning-to-Weld/