I wanna go buy a stick welder now
i miss it

 

How old are the rods? You live in ME and Im guessing its pretty humid. Try getting some new rods and an air tight rod storage container.
Also, one thing that helps with the rod sticking is to drag the tip across your work piece to the spot you want to weld heating up the tip of the rod and burning the flux. A white hot tip will arc much easier.

 

Usually with 6011 rods, moisture is not too big a problem (unlike something like 7014 or 7018s). You can always thrown them in a 200F oven for an hour or so to dry them out.

 

Good point

 

6011 are used for underwater welding as well......for an aside.

 

I am getting a welder for 45 bucks, with a face mask and a brush, 100A 240v. good enough of a deal?

 

the deciding factors for me between stick and mig were price (arc is cheaper) the fact that you can weld in the wind with arc, and the versatility of arc.

 

yes... it is much cheaper!! I will go back out and practice again, the guy who let me borrow this welder, said that if the rods were moist, to throw them in the oven, so maybe i try that too. I will figure this out!! thanks.. I will upload pictures of my sad welds when I can make some!! lol Right now I'm busy fixing another friends s-10 blazer...yuck!! so many problems at 123k...lol I told her to buy a yota!! lol

 

6011 is the "old" workhorse rod and should do you fien, however you will get a much nicer bead with a 7018.

You need to get a chart at your welding supply or in one of the many welding books that will show you the settings for a given job. It sounds like you are fighting the setting.

 

ya...thats exactly what I was thinking... I have tried on all the different settings, and it seems that at max (100amps) is where its best set, as I turn it down, it just becomes harder and harder... that is why I was wondering if this welder is powerfull enough.

 

Ok...so I think I have figured this thing out. I discovered that I was having a hard time because... 1) my sticks were moist, 2) the welder needed a new power switch 3) I am an idiot!! lol I did manage to get a length of 1" tube steel welded to the bracketts, its not pretty, but she holds. In the process, I got the worst flash burned eyes I have ever had...u know, when it feels like someone pulled your eyelids up, and tossed sand in your eyes..lol all better now tho.
I figured that the power switch was a problem... as I would start to lay a bead... the welder would shut off, or stop arcing, after a while.... it wouldnt even stay on, unless I held the switch in the middle, when I did this... I had 5 min of nice bead, before it stopped working all together. Also, tried heating the rods in a 300* oven for about 20min, and the made a big difference in striking the arc.
Thanks for all your help.... pics to come.

 

Heres some pics.... I still have another tube to weld to the brackets, but now... I have a mig welder, and a new 110amp arc welder. I have to tell you... my problem was the welder...The mig...well its as easy as it gets... the new stick welder...wow...its really not that hard, its not like mig... but easier than tig for sure, and the best part... got both for $140...any way... heres what I did the other day.... Now that I got my sticker, I'm gonna grind it out, and do it better, maybe even get larger tube........









Yeah, they are pretty sad, but the new ones will look nice.

 

1. Flash burned eyes? Were you not wearing a shield? What good is it to have a great truck and then BE BLIND AND NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT. Get eye protection dumbass. (Yes, I know that is pushing the rules - but not wearing eye protection while welding is asking for a Darwin award)

2. What are you trying to build here? That little pipe isn't going to provide any protection to the truck. If you're trying to have a "bumper" so you can pass inspection, most states require the bumper to be 4" tall. If it's cast iron pipe or glavanized, that would explain some of your welding problems too.

 

No... I was wearing a shield... It kept flipping off at the worst times, and for some of that, I was on my back, also while starting my arc, I would get my rod into position, then flip my mask down...I was apparently not quick enough sometimes...lol.

This was just meant to get me a sticker...it did, I have a "friend" with a lic, and he told me to just get something on there.The pipe is steel; I know it was the welder i was using that gave me all the trouble, i used the same rods with the new welder, and no problem, I'm still not good at it... but will be soon enough. I didnt finish it cuz the other welder stopped working, and I just got the new stick, and mig yesterday. I am going to the upnorth festival to see bob wier for the weekend, but next week, I'm gonna fab something nicer. I have a bunch of scrap metal kickin around. My only concern right now, is my power bill...cant wait to see that..lol

 

actually, due to the low duty cycle of the welder, I doubt it used much at all. Unless you are welding all the time, you shouldn't really notice a difference of more than a few (if not less) dollars.

sorry. haha

but yeah, thats the same reason a welder that draws 30 amps comes with a cord rated for 15.

 

Yes, electricity cost is not that high. You'll see 2-4KW draw with a typical 220V welder while it is running, so that is under 50 cents per hour for power. The killer with MIG is the consumables, I find between wire and shielding gas (Ar/CO2) you are looking at $20/hr. on that.

 

are you an electrician?

 

He's an electrical enginerd IIRC

 

I am on my way to that haha. thats why I ask.

 

I have a dumb question, if it has not already been asked. Is the welder ac or dc output? They make ac rod and dc rod and using the wrong one makes life a living hell. Plus, the fact that the pipe you are welding is either galvanized or even worse, cast iron, make a world of difference in the quaility of weld.