This is a tip I pick up along the way for arc welding. This works great if your welding thick pieces using high current. In a job where you would normally need a few passes, cut down on the amount of passes by using another welding rod with the flux chipped off as a filler rod in addition. Just like using a filler rod in tig.

 

Thanks for the tip, jazzzmonkey. However that seems a little advanced for something aimed at beginers. I grew up with stick welding and do not think I could do it.

Clint

 

Wow, never thought of that!
Another stick welding tip I got from a veteran welder: bend the unfluxed end of the rod at a 90 degree angle to the rod before clamping it in the holder. That allows you to change the angle of the rod in an instant by swinging it with your (gloved) free hand. That really helps when working in tight places or where the weld changes direction and is much more comfortable since you don't have to twist your wrist or the holder to get the right rod angle. Try it next time and you won't go back.

 

You can also bend the rod in a curve to reach around an obstruction. Or any shape needed, if much bending is done, you can only weld for a short length of the rod, but it allows you to reach the spot that you couldn't with a straight electrode. Just don't break off the coating on the portion of the rod that will go into the weld.

 

While it was mentioned to use a stick welder for frame repiars - I believe that you will find that most modern frames require mig or tig and not stick.

I had a welding shop and welded part time for a heavy equipment company doing their fabrication and repairs.

The problem with stick welding of newere frames ( I cna't speak to the ones in the early 80 and back) is that stick welding tends to over heat the area of the frame and can cause it to become brittle - even though the weld may look perfect. That is why mig is the prefered method - it does not over heat the area. If you must use stick on a frame then one of three things can be done. Use eutectics rods - very expensive but won't cause some of the problems. If you use 7018 (and I wouldn't use 6010, 6011 or 7011) then you can either peen the weld as it cools. That will change the structural properties of the weld slightly so the it doesn't tend to cause the frame to crack on the sides of the weld of temper the whole area with a torch - about 4 to 5 inches on either side. Then let cool and you should be good to go.

ONe of the most amazing things was that even though a weld may look perfect - structurely it may not be. When I was in welding school (many moons ago) getting ready to take a cert test we had to weld steel plates together in four positions, flat, up, horizontal and overhead. Were not allowed to use down due to flux always flowing into the weld pool. The plates had to be completed in three passes then ground smooth. A 2 inch strip would be cut from the center and then pressed into the shape of a "U". The weld couldn't break (obviously) or have any cracks on the edges.

Try it sometime - it is a good training tool to teach you that you can learn to weld and trust your work.

 

Another thing is that in tight areas, when you bend the rod or even if you don't you can hold the actual rod in you welding hand to give you more control. Almost like holding a pencil. This works good up to about half the rod. Give you a much better feel - so to speak!

 

This is just what I've been looking for!

 

i have to do this very thing almost every day at work.
at the end you end up wasting alot of rods and you have origami left over.
the most bends in one rod ive ever done was 4 and i got actually about 2" of useable rod out of that

 

Pretzels, anyone? How do you weld a pretzel?

 

I hope the AAR certifications are a bit tougher than DOT certs. I could find nothing in DOT specs that did much at all, other than refer to "other applicapable codes."

 

My "tip" is you can use TIG to locally heat frozen bolts. Had a crank bolt 93' Honda, stuck even with +1000ft-lbs CP 3/4 impact jacked up to 125psi. Gas torch only helped to MELT timing belt cover. Couple seconds with the TIG and bingo out it came!!!
Tig is $$$ but very vesatile, I have a Lincoln Squarewave 175
Mig is easy, mandatory equipment if you work on you own stuff. I have a Millermatic 175 (220Vac) worth every penny and the perfect size.

 

I'd like to know why a top-down weld isn't structurally<sp> safe?

 

gravity! the molten filler rod runs down and fills the joint before the parent metal melts giving poor penetration.

 

I tried both ways - top down, bottom up - and screwed both up. The weld pool runs down and puddles - mostly on the floor but also on your jeans if you are careless!

The welding I had to do on my trailer frame, I just did several slightly longer tack welds on the vertical part, a careful bead on the horizontal, and then chickened out and ran a safety bolt through the entire thing.

That way if my welding breaks the bolt should hold, and keep my spare tire and sewer connections from falling off! I am sure the guys behind me will thank me.

 

I dunno, I think it must be related to the ability of the individual holding the gun/stick.
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I could take some pics of my top-down welds that I used to build the wheels for my tractor, and maybe scrounge up a few more from various things as well.

My welds don't "run", I use a "U" shape going top down, grabbing material from either side of the weld.

I think either technique or machine settings would be the real issue.

How many of the thousands upon thousands of IFS install does anyone think were welded in bottom up, or had the frames laid over to weld flat(not likely)?