Subject: Re: Novice welding

From: [email-masked] (Peter Wiley)
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 03:26:53 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Robert Galloway) writes:
>>You will have a lot better luck if you get some new rods. Go to a welding
>>supply store and get some contact rod. It doesn't require as much care to
>>use.
>>
>>My only other advice would be to toss it off a bridge, but that would be
>>snippy.
>>
>>Best of luck.
>
>
>Maybe it's just me but I've found that while it may be easier to maintain 
>an arc with drag rod, I have a harder time getting a good weld.  They 
>work best in downhand position in long, straight passes.  The slag builds 
>up too fast in corners or where you have less than ideal fitup.  Like I 
>say, maybe it's just me and lack of technique.  When at their best, they 
>make a really nice looking weld with the thick slag shielding the bead 
>until it cools, then chips off in big chunks.  Other times, the slag can 
>be a bear to clean out of your weld.

Yes, I found the same thing as well. Years ago I switched to cellulose
fluxed electrodes from the rutile fluxed ones. These are a pain to use -
you have to have pretty good arc length control - but you can weld all
positions including overhead with them. I have a couple boxes of the rutile
fluxed ones sitting around unopened.

Peter Wiley

---

From: James Foster x2912 <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1996 17:54:01 -0500

I was curious
> about arc welding, especially for thicker materials.  With the gas welder,
> I was unable to do decent welds on 1/4 and up material.

Well, no matter what the method, a key to welding on thicker material is
in the preparation. You pretty much have to grind/chip/file/whatever a
vee groove in order to get penetration so you can work from the bottom
up
(or both sides in). You can't just blast away at the surface and be
assured
of getting through and through fusion.