Fun with a cheap stick welder

[homebrewed]

I recently bought a cheap inverter stick welder from Amazon to play with. I never have used one prior to this so wasn't sure how difficult it would be to use. The photo below shows my very first attempts at using a stick welder:



My first "bead" is on the bottom. The arc length clearly was far to long. I used 2mm 6013 rod. The first try was at 80 amps and that was WAY too much current. It ate up that rod like nobody's business. The center bead was done at 70 amps. Better. The top two short beads were done at 60 amps. Better yet and might actually be useful for making something . I also was learning some technique along the way so I probably now can get 70 amps to look better, too.

Based on my initial trials, the 2mm rod seems pretty small for most jobs I'd be doing. I need to get some larger-diameter rod and see how that works. According to the manufacturer the welder can go up to 200 amps so there's a lot of headroom to play with.

I'm not going to be using the welder to make stuff like trailers where the failure of a weld could spell catastrophy. It mostly will be for repairing gardening tools, making workbenches.and the like.

The slag is pretty tough, took a bit of chipping to get it off.

This type of welder basically is a type of heavy-duty switching mode power supply. SMPS'es don't seem to be as reliable as the old linear PSU's but with one of those you're not going to be getting 200 amp capability in a box you can (easily) lift with one hand.

 

[markba633csi]

You are right about the arc length- the spatter means too far away; a common beginner error
The other error is moving too fast- but I see that's a thin piece, easy to burn thru
Practice on some thicker stuff
-M
With 3/32" and 1/8" 60xx series rods you should be able to fix just about anything

 

[Ulma Doctor]

6013 is designed to be used on new, clean steel with good fit up- little spatter during use
6010, 6011 are designed for unprepared metal , and poor fit up- higher spatter during use

try to keep a 15° drag angle and let the rod dictate your speed by watching the puddle instead of the arc

 

[markba633csi]

Not sure if this rule applies to dc but for ac the thickness of the rod dictates the current
for example 1/8" rod = 0.125" = 125 amps approximately
When you master the art of welding you'll feel like a bunny flying first class with a bow tie:

 

[homebrewed]

All good feedback, much appreciated! The welding side of things is a relatively new venture for me so it's fun to see what's possible with hobbyist-level tools. I started with a HF wire welder (interestingly enough, it cost more than the new stick welder). I didn't like the result with the AC so I modified it to output DC with a high power bridge rectifier and capacitor and that improved things a lot. I think I spent about another $50 for the upgrade parts. It now is a DCEN welder.

So far the stick welder looks like it will be a step above the HF welder but I'm not going to get rid of the HF box. I think it still will be good for welding smaller-gauge stuff like gardening tools. The welding wire is a bit under 1mm in diameder so there's less chance of burning through thin stuff. I've already used it to repair a rake and a small hoe and they're holding up OK so far. It struggled when I used it to make a few home-made house jacks (actually barn jacks) so the stick welder will be a welcome addition to my welding repertoire.

 

[Karl_T]

I keep this power chart taped to my stick welder

 

[snoopdog]

Try some thicker stuff for practice, run a flapper wheel over it, and don't worry about whipping the rod until you get your rod angle and speed. Watch the puddle.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

6013 is a straight drag , no whip is used

6010, 6011 , 7010, 7011 ( and all the other XX10, XX11's) are fast freeze rods- the whip or a box pattern is most often used
i often will make the cursive E pattern, when fit up is poor

 

[homebrewed]

6013 is a straight drag , no whip is used

6010, 6011 , 7010, 7011 ( and all the other XX10, XX11's) are fast freeze rods- the whip or a box pattern is most often used
i often will make the cursive E pattern, when fit up is poor

Good info, thanks!

 

[pontiac428]

You should give 7014 a try. It's a good all-rounder for low alloy steels, but the arc control, slag lift, and bead finish will make you feel all good inside. It's what I learned with as a teenager. Master the basics, then try dirtier/more finnicky fillers like 6010.

Edit: Unless you're a farmer. If you are, you're ready to go to work on some equipment!