Help with stick welds on square tubing

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I am in the process of building a welding table and am using 2X2X3/16 inch square tubing and am working on the legs currently (position = horizontal corner?) , and of course I move the project around to keep most of my welds horizontal. The frame is currently top down with the legs sticking vertical toward the ceiling. I am having trouble getting the welds to blend into each other on the corners, i.e. the welds are narrow on the corners where they connect. I am trying to hesitate to let that metal build up in the corner region before proceding and hesitating at the end as trying to wrap around the corner. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I am tacking and root pass with 50A with a 3/32 6013 and capping with 70A 1/8 7018 for aesthetics. Thanks in advance, jwr2200
Reply:Honestly, on material that thin, I would just run the 7018.  I would backtrack on your starts, i.e strike an inch or so into the path of your weld, so the arc is well established by the time you get to where you want to begin.  Once you trail around the corner, you can also put a slight oscillation into your motion to make the bead a little bit wider.
Reply:Post a picture when you can. No harm in grinding off and rewelding substandard work. Flush grinding may leave a weak spot, I'ld show off my work and level of skill for later amusement. I get to look at my earlier work before schooling...hitch recievers, tow/recovery points, what-not. They remind me of what I was doing wrong, D'OH!!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Amps are way too low for either rod.  Try 6013 at 90 or 7018 at 120amps.6013 should look as good as 7018.  I suspect you are having a heat problem.  Maintain a short arc with 6013, practice feeding the rod.  I am suprised your question wasn't about the rod sticking.  I don't think you are moving much of a puddle to move around a corner nor maintain an steady arc especially with 1/8" 7018 at 70amps on 3/16 metal.
Reply:help me understand why you say my amps are too low. The 6013 show a rating of 20-70amps on the box and at 60amps they blow through the metal regardless of travel speed. The 7018 rods show a minimum of 70 amps and I can't remember the upper end, something like 150 or so. I am running an inverter machine and compared to the little bit of stick welding I did years ago with a buzz box machine in shop class this 304 XMT machine has noticeably more power, or should I say "cleaner" input and seems to require about 10% less amps for any given task I have messed with. Thanks for the comeback, jwr.
Reply:When welding around corners just run the bead past the joint a little bit, then when you restart the puddle on the little bit that was welded past you can tie it in and continue on to finish welding it out. maybe try some 3/32 7018 at 85 to 100 amps with a nice fit up, no gaps, and if needed concentrate the heat on the thicker material and feather it onto the thinner stuff. hope i was of some helpNothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.
Reply:When you say you are blowing holes.  Where are the holes occuring--are the holes occuring on the flat steel or the on the edge.  If on the edge then concentrate your heat on the flat heavier portion, as Doug stated.  Clean metal (remove oil and scale in weld area) and good fit up are important.  3/16 is fairly thick metal from my perspective.  I stick weld 1/16" material with 3/32" 6013 at 50-70amps most of the time.  You should not be too easy to  blow holes in the side of 3/16" steel.  I celebrate when I get to stick weld anything 1/8" or greater.I just think you don't have enough heat.  You state you are trying to blend the corners. Hence the metal is even thicker in that area which would require more heat at least to start.The guys have given you some good advice. However I think you have a heat problem and not a cornering problem. You mention trying to hesitate--If you have a good view of the puddle (not the slag), then move the puddle where you want.  Hesitating causes too much slag to build up around the rod.  Both rods you mention I found difficult to find the puddle, when I began.     Good luck.  Practice on some scrap.  Then grind it out and reweld as stated.I use a couple of inverters,  while I don't know your machine.  The amperage seems too low.
Reply:I'm with Tapwelder, Your heat is too low.  Bevel your edges of the tubing and run the 1/8 7018 at around 125-130 amps and you will be fine.  If a 3/32 6013 is burning thru 3/16 tubing at 50 amps you might have something off with your machine as far as the amp rating goes.....I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:using my calculator, 3/16" is .1875" That converts roughly to 187 amps to weld in a single pass with full penetration.  This is only a guide.  Another thing I read here that seems to work is one amp for one thousandths inch of rod.  3/32 =  .093 or 93 amps.  This too is only a guide.    Crank it up  David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:and move faster...
Reply:I tried everything mentioned and helped me greatly. Posted a new thread to thank everyone.