First Weld- Scratching Tips?

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So I did my first welds today. No pics, because there's enough pics of bird poop on this board. The father in law was doing a project for one of his relatives, and when he was done, he had me burn some 7018s on a piece of old rusty metal.I don't think 7018 is designed for use on rusty metal without much prep work, especially if the rust is very thick. That having been said, the hardest part right now seems to be getting the arc to strike. It's nothing like the scratching method from my welding manual (which shows the rod making a long arc down before contacting the metal), and the tapping method didn't work either. I tried a scratching motion and that seemed to work better, but does anyone have any tips on how to scratch an arc better?I also found out why Miller calls them Bobcats. They growl like them.
Reply:7018 doesn't like really dirty rusty metal the way say 6010/6011 does. And once you strike a 7108, it is often hard to re-strike because slag tends to cover the very tip, insulating it. Either switch to a 6010/6011 rod, or clean up your metal before using 7018. with keep a brick on your work table. You can strike the tip of the rod on the brick to remove the slag before re-striking on the work piece.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Yeah, I noticed the tip slagging up too. I was tapping the tip with a chipping hammer to break it off, but you're right about the brick. I'm liking my flip-front passive hood. Takes a few seconds' more thought than an auto-darkener, but it really works. Not bad for a $30 (or so) Tractor Supply cheapie.
Reply:You don't give any info so all we can do is guess at this point why you were having trouble. Rods are often hard to get lit if you are running at the lower end of the amp range for the rod being used. Or it could be a poor ground due to the rusty metal, or rusty metal keeping the rod from making good contact. Or it could even be your technique, just to name a few biggies..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Amperage was around 125, if I read the dials correctly. The ground wasn't super good either. The metal was *that* rusty.
Reply:125 is about mid range for 1/8" 7018, so it should light relatively well even if your technique isn't perfect. Chances are high then it was simply the really rusty metal either causing a bad ground or preventing good contact with the rod..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:*nods*I wouldn't be too surprised if he set the whole thing up as a learning experience for me. I did learn some stuff from that. Number one was to get the damn grinder out and grind it first. Two was that puddles, arcs, and plumes of sparks don't scare me half as much as accidentally striking an arc with my lens up. I did that exactly once.
Reply:You can grab the rod tip when your done and just break off the build up. With gloves of coarse it will help with your restrikes
Reply:Originally Posted by teh603Amperage was around 125, if I read the dials correctly. The ground wasn't super good either. The metal was *that* rusty.
Reply:This is a Bobcat 225, so it has slightly different ranges. Your 7 in that range is probably closer to what 6 is on this, since the range itself is higher (70-150).