Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi y'all,
I am a retired gospel singer age 58. I bought a house in Detroit for $3,600.00 and I am fixing old rice burners and minibikes. I try and recycle old motors and frames into project bikes.
I bought my first welder, a cheap 100 amp AC unit and it came with a bunch of E1603 rods, I watched some guys on youtube and tried it out. Initially I did well. I cleaned up an old lawnmower blade and ran some beads out.

The next day I tried to do a simple weld of 2 random pieces of steel, using the same lawnmower blade, I was unable to get the damn sticks to stop sticking. All I did was spend half an hour going "Dzt , dzt, dzt, dzt dzt....I am very frustrated. I feel i need to re wire this thing to a 5o amp 220 circuit and try and get some heat going.

Anyway wazzup welder dudes? I was a wood carpenter/ builder remodeler. I can really use welding skills if I can figger it out!

Peace n love,
RevPops, aka Matt Pittaway
www.hishousemedia.com

Welcome

One word of advice, a cheap 100 amp stick machine will make you go mad and start cursing.

Inexpensive and cheap are not necessarily the same thing.

I have an ESAB 161 stick/tig that was about $500 new - and welds awesome

I have other high dollar machines that I got dirt cheap on the used market (like a $2,500 Lincoln for $500).

Keep after it and have fun!

Welcome to the forum! I am not a fan of the 6013. I would suggest switching to the 6011. Minnesota Dave is spot on about the welding machines!

Welding some of those frames can be very, very difficult. Pot metal and just garbage metal. You might be better off with some kind of brazing? I don't know, just putting that out there.

Also, for the "Dzt , dzt, dzt, dzt dzt..." I would consider putting that to music. You know, start out with the sound ... then bring in a solo piano, followed by the group singing/harmonizing some kind of melody. Stick with your minor 7 chords, keep it 'blusey'. You could make it a song about frustration and how patience is a virtue .. or something like that. Including some shameless, screaming trumpets is always advised.

Matt welcome to the forum.