Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm welding some 1/8" steel with 3/32" lanth electrodes and 3/32" 70S-6 rod. I'm running a PT 185 transformer based machine at 160Amps max and 15-20CFH pure Argon.

I'm having some trouble with my rod sticking in the puddle. From my perspective behind the hood, the puddle looks plenty hot and I'm trying to get my rod inserted in the leading edge but still, it sticks too much for my liking and it messes up my rhythm.

Is my rod too big or what is the problem here?

Jon

Use 3/32" filler rod on 1/4" base material and up. 1/16" is what I would be using for 1/8" thick base material.

Thought so... Seems that this rule works on aluminum as well. I was having a similar problem with those aluminum frames that I've been welding. I actually ran out of 3/32" rod and all I had left was 1/16". I switched - instant difference, no sticking in the puddle and plenty of rod to get a good looking bead. THKS!

Jon

interesting.
the only time i have had sticky rods is with stainless, and thats a well known thing.

i suspect its because heat is border line or your adding a lot of filler, or a bit of both, which is freezing the puddle and the rod gets frozen in the puddle. try smaller quicker daps. or a bit more heat and a bit more travel speed.

I've experience this many times with steel, almost seems to be a magnetic effect the way the filler suddenly is drawn down and sticks, but yea you have to use a smaller dia filler and your aim has to be good

What i learned is whatever the size of the gap is, that diameter filler you need.

so if the seam is 1/4" wide, you need 1/4" filler. Seems to work for me. If it's 1/8" use 1/8"

In theory, the thicker the plate it wouldn't reguire you to get bigger filler rod, if it's 1/2" thick and you need to build up beads in a 1/4" gap, do 1/4" rod and run a single pass, then stack. Or 2, 1/8" passes and stack. I haven't had to do the above myself, I'm just thinking about it.

But, rule I was taught, the rod should be as big as the seam you are trying to fill, any bigger you end up with large beads, any smaller you end up with a lot less rod than when you started or bridging welds to make up for it which is bad all around.

ekbmuts wrote:I'm welding some 1/8" steel with 3/32" lanth electrodes and 3/32" 70S-6 rod. I'm running a PT 185 transformer based machine at 160Amps max and 15-20CFH pure Argon.

I'm having some trouble with my rod sticking in the puddle. From my perspective behind the hood, the puddle looks plenty hot and I'm trying to get my rod inserted in the leading edge but still, it sticks too much for my liking and it messes up my rhythm.

Is my rod too big or what is the problem here?

Jon

It's your torch angle. Straighten it up a little. Tungsten and filler rod sizes are correct. Sharpen your tungsten to a point.