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Stick welding: Tips for top performance

5 steps can help a welder avoid getting stuck with poor

welds

THE FABRICATOR® AUGUST 2009

AUGUST 1, 2!

By: Brad Hemmert

A beginning sti! "e#der an $r%d&e better "e#ds by $aying attenti%n t% t'e (i)e basi

e#ements t% estab#is' a g%%d* %nsistent te'ni+&e: &rrent setting* #engt' %( t'e ar* ang#e %(

e#etr%de*mani$&#ati%n %( e#etr%de* and s$eed %( tra)e#,

F%r t'%se "'% are ne" t% it %r $er'a$s "'% d%n-t "e#d e)ery day* sti! "e#ding.a#s% !n%"n

as s'ie#ded meta# ar "e#ding /SA1.is %ne %( t'e m%re di((i&#t $r%esses t% #earn,

E3$eriened "e#ders "'% an $i! &$ a stinger* $%$ an e#etr%de in* and #ay d%"n great

"e#ds time a(ter time an ins$ire great a"e in %t'er "e#ders, T'ey ma!e it #%%! easy,

T'e rest %( &s may str&gg#e "it' it* '%"e)er, T'at d%esn-t 'a)e t% be t'e ase i( y%& $ay

attenti%n t% (i)e basi e#ements in)%#)ed in estab#is'ing a g%%d* %nsistent te'ni+&e:

4, C&rrent setting

2, 5engt' %( ar

6, Ang#e %( e#etr%de

7, ani$&#ati%n %( e#etr%de

8, S$eed %( tra)e#

T%get'er* t'is is !n%"n as C5AS, r%$er#y addressing t'ese (i)e basi areas an im$r%)e

y%&r sti! "e#ding res&#ts,

"reparation "revents Aggravation

1'i#e sti! "e#ding may be t'e m%st (%rgi)ing $r%ess %n dirty %r r&sty meta#* d%n-t &se t'at

as an e3&se (%r n%t $r%$er#y #eaning t'e materia#, Use a "ire br&s' %r grinder t% rem%)e

dirt* grime* %r r&st (r%m t'e area t% be "e#ded, I( y%& d%n-t* y%&-re '&rting y%&r 'anes t%

ma!e a g%%d "e#d t'e (irst time, Un#ean %nditi%ns an #ead t% ra!ing* $%r%sity* #a! %(

(&si%n* %r in#&si%ns,

1'i#e #eaning t'e materia#* ma!e s&re y%& 'a)e a #ean s$%t (%r t'e "%r! #am$, A g%%d*s%#id e#etria# %nneti%n is im$%rtant t% maintain ar +&a#ity,

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A#$%&T'S%(%)T

a target;-<b#an!- 're(;-'tt$:==ad,t'e(abriat%r,%m=de#i)ery=!,$'$>n;ea6d?@-img

 b%rder;-0- a#t;-- sr;-'tt$:==ad,t'e(abriat%r,%m=de#i)ery=a)",$'$>

%neid;49Dam$n;ea6d?@- ==a

 e3t* $%siti%n y%&rse#( s% y%& 'a)e a g%%d )ie" %( t'e "e#d $&dd#e, F%r t'e best )ie"* !ee$

y%&r 'ead %(( t% t'e side and %&t %( t'e sm%!e t'is gi)es y%& a #ear )ie" t% ens&re y%&-re

"e#ding in t'e %int and !ee$ing t'e ar %n t'e #eading edge %( t'e $&dd#e, aintain a

%m(%rtab#e stane s% t'at y%& an s&$$%rt and mani$&#ate t'e e#etr%de "it' ease,

*+A(S Takes Time to +earn

&##ing a## t'e C5AS $%ints /&rrent setting* #engt' %( ar* ang#e %( e#etr%de* mani$&#ati%n

%( t'e e#etr%de* and s$eed %( tra)e# t%get'er may seem #i!e a #%t t% t'in! ab%&t "'i#e

"e#ding* b&t it be%mes se%nd nat&re "it' $ratie, %n-t get dis%&raged, A(ter a##* #earning

t% sti! "e#d re+&ires a #earning &r)e, E)ery%ne sti!s t'e e#etr%de t% t'e "%r!$iee in t'e

ear#y days* #eading m%st t% "%nder i( t'at-s '%" t'e $r%ess g%t its name,

C&rrent Setting, T'e e#etr%de y%& se#et "i## determine "'et'er y%&r ma'ine s'%&#d be set

&$ in C $%siti)e* C negati)e* %r AC, a!e s&re y%& 'a)e it set %rret#y (%r y%&r

a$$#iati%n, /E#etr%de $%siti)e $r%)ides ab%&t 40 $erent m%re $enetrati%n at a gi)enam$erage t'an AC* "'i#e C straig't $%#arity* e#etr%de negati)e* "e#ds t'inner meta#s

 better,

T'e %rret am$erage setting $rimari#y de$ends %n t'e diameter and ty$e %( e#etr%de y%&

se#et, T'e e#etr%de man&(at&rer &s&a##y indiates t'e e#etr%de-s %$erating ranges %n t'e

 b%3 %r in en#%sed materia#s, Se#et y%&r am$erage based %n t'e e#etr%de /see igure 1*

"e#ding $%siti%n /ab%&t 48 $erent #ess 'eat (%r %)er'ead "%r! %m$ared t% a (#at "e#d* and

)is&a# ins$eti%n %( t'e (inis'ed "e#d, Ad&st y%&r $%"er s%&re by 8 t% 40 am$s at a time*

&nti# t'e idea# setting is rea'ed,

I( y%&r am$erage is t%% #%"* t'ree senari%s may %&r:

• %&r e#etr%de "i## be es$eia##y sti!y "'en stri!ing an ar

• %&r ar "i## !ee$ g%ing %&t "'i#e maintaining t'e %rret ar #engt'

• %&r ar "i## st&tter /see igure 2

One y%& get an ar g%ing* i( t'e $&dd#e is e3essi)e#y (#&id and 'ard t% %ntr%#* y%&r

e#etr%de 'ars "'en it-s %n#y 'a#( g%ne* %r t'e ar s%&nds #%&der t'an n%rma#* y%&r am$erage

mig't be set t%% 'ig' /see igure - , T%% m&' 'eat a#s% an a((et t'e e#etr%de-s (#&3 $r%$erties negati)e#y, I( t'e e#etr%de starts t% g#%"* y%& 'a)e a $r%b#em,

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5engt' %( Ar, T'e %rret ar #engt' )aries "it' ea' e#etr%de and a$$#iati%n, As a g%%d

starting $%int* ar #engt' s'%&#d n%t e3eed t'e diameter %( t'e meta# $%rti%n /%re %( t'e

e#etr%de /see igure ., F%r e3am$#e* an 0,428Jin, @040 e#etr%de is 'e#d ab%&t 4=? in, %((

t'e base materia#,

H%#ding t'e e#etr%de t%% #%se#y t% t'e %int dereases "e#ding )%#tage, T'is reates anerrati ar t'at may e3ting&is' itse#( %r a&se t'e e#etr%de t% (reee (aster, T'e res&#t is a

"e#d bead "it' a 'ig' r%"n /see igure 5,

E3essi)e#y #%ng ars /t%% m&' )%#tage $r%d&e s$atter /see igure /* #%" de$%siti%n

rates* and &nder&ts* "'i' is "'en t'e area %&tside %( t'e "e#d is %na)e %r reessed, 5%ng

ars a#s% %(ten #ea)e $%r%sity,

1'en (irst attem$ting t% sti! "e#d* it seems nat&ra# t% &se a t%% #%ng ar* $%ssib#y t% 'e#$ get

a better )ie" %( t'e ar and $&dd#e, I( y%& 'a)e tr%&b#e seeing* m%)e y%&r 'ead* d%n-t

#engt'en t'e ar, Start by (inding a g%%d b%dy $%siti%n t'at gi)es y%& an ade+&ate )ie" %( t'e

 $&dd#e* "'i#e a#s% a##%"ing y%& t% stabi#ie and mani$&#ate t'e e#etr%de, A #itt#e $ratie "i##s'%" y%& t'at a tig't* %ntr%##ed ar #engt' im$r%)es bead a$$earane* reates a narr%"er

 bead* and minimies s$atter,

Ang#e %( Tra)e#, Sti! "e#ding in (#at* '%ri%nta#* and %)er'ead $%siti%ns &ses a drag* %r

 ba!'and* "e#ding te'ni+&e /see igure 0, H%#d t'e e#etr%de $er$endi&#ar t% t'e %int*

and t'en ti#t t'e t%$ in t'e direti%n %( tra)e# a$$r%3imate#y 8 t% 48 degrees, F%r "e#ding

)ertia#J&$* &se a $&s'* %r (%re'and* te'ni+&e and ti#t t'e t%$ %( t'e e#etr%de 0 t% 48 degrees

a"ay (r%m t'e direti%n %( tra)e#,

ani$&#ati%n %( E#etr%de, Ea' "e#der mani$&#ates t'e e#etr%de a #itt#e di((erent#y t'an t'e

ne3t, e)e#%$ y%&r %"n sty#e by %bser)ing %t'ers* $ratiing* and n%ting "'i' te'ni+&es

 $r%d&e t'e best res&#ts,

 %te t'at %n materia# 4=7 in, and t'inner* "ea)ing t'e e#etr%de is ty$ia##y n%t neessary

 bea&se t'e bead "i## be "ider t'an neessary, In many instanes* a straig't bead is a## t'at-s

needed,

T% reate a "ider bead %n t'i!er materia#* mani$&#ate t'e e#etr%de (r%m side t% side*

reating a %ntin&%&s series %( $artia##y %)er#a$$ing ir#es in a K* semiir#e* %r st&tterJste$

 $attern /see igure , 5imit sideJt%Jside m%ti%n t% 2,8 times t'e diameter %( t'e e#etr%de

%re, T% %)er a "ider area* ma!e m&#ti$#e $asses %r &se stringer beads,

1'en "e#ding )ertia#J&$* i( y%& (%&s %n "e#ding t'e sides %( t'e %int* t'e midd#e "i## ta!e

are %( itse#(, %)e ar%ss t'e midd#e %( t'e %int s#%"#y en%&g' s% t'at t'e "e#d $&dd#e an

at' &$* and $a&se s#ig't#y at t'e sides t% ens&re s%#id tieJin t% t'e side "a##, I( y%&r "e#d

#%%!s #i!e (is' sa#es* y%& m%)ed (%r"ard t%% +&i!#y and didn-t '%#d #%ng en%&g' %n t'e

sides,

S$eed %( Tra)e#, %&r tra)e# s$eed s'%&#d a##%" y%& t% !ee$ t'e ar in t'e #eading %neJt'ird

%( t'e "e#d $%%#,

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Tra)e#ing t%% s#%"#y $r%d&es a "ide* %n)e3 bead "it' s'a##%" $enetrati%n and t'e

 $%ssibi#ity %( %#dJ#a$$ing* in "'i' t'e "e#d a$$ears t% be sim$#y sitting %n t'e s&r(ae %(

t'e materia# /see igure !,

E3essi)e#y (ast tra)e# s$eed a#s% dereases $enetrati%n* reates a narr%"er %r 'ig'#y

r%"ned bead* and $%ssib#y &nder(i##s %r &nder&ts, %te t%"ard t'e end %( t'e bead inigure 1 '%" t'e bead a$$ears in%nsistent* as i( t'e $&dd#e "ere trying t% !ee$ &$,

T'ese ti$s* a#%ng "it' $ratie and $atiene* "i## get y%& 'eaded in t'e rig't direti%n,