Welding Tips and Tricks

I have a Miller Maxstar 200 (DC only) & can do some decent TIG work at times (a lot of the time it works, but looks like crap). I haven't done any stick welding since high school metal shop back in the 90's. As most of what I'm doing now is tinkering with tractor implements, the metal is often pretty dirty & rough, contributing to my ugly welds.

Stick does better with lesser prep work, correct?

What type or rod should I pick up to start working on some stick practice? I figure everything will basically be mild steel in the 1/8", 1/4" and occasionally up to the 1/2" range. I think I have enough knowledge from here or way back in metal shop to start practicing on some stuff, I just don't remember any of the rod types & sizes to figure out what I need to pick up to start practicing & what not.

I really like Hobart's 335A 6011. Childs play to run.

10lb can of 1/8" Fleetweld 5p+ 6010
10lb can of 3/32" Excalibur 7018.
10lb can of 1/8" Excalibur 7018.

Should get you started.
Most welding stores will carry these rods.

JMHO.

~John

For someone just starting out, I used to start my new people on E7024 just to get them running some beads on plate and learning to lay down some material, and setting up the machine. Have them play with the amperage to see what it looks like when too cold and too hot, etc...After they start getting cocky, thinking this welding thing is easy...then I let them try striking off the E7018 to bring them back down to reality.

Seriously the E7024 runs like butter, almost like using a caulking gun.

I would use 6011 either Hobart or Linc elec, HOBART is probably easier to use and I would get some 7018 excal.

Use the 6011 on rust and come back with the 7018 on top.

Tom

I like 7014 if you are basically just starting out. It will practically run itself. Jody has a couple of nice videos that demonstrate this. He lays the rod and stinger on the table and just lets go. the rod burns itself and lays a halfway decent bead. For a noobie, you can drag the flux on the plate, and basically not worry about arc length. This lets you focus on your arc strikes, rod angle and speed of progression. Once you get those down, then you can move on to a 6010, 6011, 7018, etc. Its how I taught myself to stick weld.

Jody just released a great video on rod types, applications, amperages, and a whole lot more! Check it out here: http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/sti ... -rods.html

6011 is slightly more rust tolerant, but the cleaner you can get your base metal the better.