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Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot | Since you've got a buzz box, start with 6011. Fancy rod isn't needed on most mild steel repairs, and certainly not on that. Start with 1/8" rod, at 120 amps or so.
Weld flat on about 1/4" steel. Practice, practice. Then do some T welds. Practice "stitching" the pieces together, without undercutting them. Then try some lap welds, where you lay one piece on top of another. Then start trying them tilted at a small angle, then increase the angle.
Not only is 6011 a good rod to learn with, it works well for many repairs as it will burn through a little rust and paint. I much prefer 7018 for most welding jobs, but it requires clean steel and more practice, and a DC welder.
Before you go welding something on a machine, try and get some scrap pieces of similar thickness, and weld them together in the same manner and position, to make sure you have everything set right. I've done a fair amount of welding and fab work and still do that at times. There is nothing magic about welding, just takes practice. | |
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Welding judges please
