stick on a dynasty 200DX

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Hello, I am fresh out of school and I want to make a box for wood storage. I just bought myself a Miller Dynasty 200DX, and for this project I need to weld using stick. Using 1/4" mild steel, with 3/32", 7018 rods. Miller calculator says the amps are between 65-100. DCEP. and DC? is that another setting?The other thing I need to know is about grounding. Can I attach my ground directly to the piece i'm working on? because i'll be working on the garage floor without any sort of metal surface under my piece.Lastly, when making a box(27"Lx13.5"Wx11'D), I assume you tack all the sides together before you start welding the whole length of metal, so it doesn't start warping on you? is there a preferred order to which walls get welded before the next?
Reply:It's been ages since I used my Dynasty for SMAW. Seems with 7018 I liked the dig set somewhere in the middle. Yes put your ground clamp on the metal being welded. I'd tack it every 4 to 6-inches. Take a die grinder and feather the tacks front and back. Feather all your starts and stops. Back step every weld, and move around a lot!Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:On my maxstar (basically same thing no AC ) I would try about 75-80 amps, when you said box I am thinking 1-8 inch metal, dig about 35-45 for flat . Like CEP said tack every 4-6 inches . I would use 6011 or 6010 for tacking though , grind down tacks and alternate your welds.Miller xmt304,  Miller S22 p12, Miier Maxstar SD, Miller 252 w 30A, Miller super32p12, Lincoln Ranger 9, Thermal Arc 181I with spoolgun, Hypertherm 10000 ,Smith torches. Esab 161lts miniarc.
Reply:I'm guessing fresh out of welding school? Miller calculator? OMG! Keep in mind that is a starting place. You are going to be adjusting your amperage for several reasons. Start learning this now. Learning what the steel does when hot, cold, etc. Learning, or getting used to your machine. If it burns a hole in it. well it might be a little hot. and vice versa. People get used to books and meters and are all but paralyzed when they go for a welding job. Get some scrap pieces and some different rods and school yourself. If it says DCEP you ask why? Don't ask, put it on AC and weld. When you see this for yourself you'll know. Experiment! Change the settings, Change rods, Change thickness of metal. As long as making a crappy weld is the only danger, do it. This is called First Hand Experience. Induce the mistake so you know first hand what happens. Your first job should be building a table. Nothing fancy, just get off the floor. Next,  Concrete Never fully dries out. When you introduce concentrated high heat it will rupture. Maybe mot to big but enough to put a small piece in your eye! Definitely do what MJD and CEP said to prevent warpage and the like. 6010,11,13 are going to weld different. My answer. Experiment. Good luck. Would like to see how you do.   . Originally Posted by raven forestHello, I am fresh out of school and I want to make a box for wood storage. I just bought myself a Miller Dynasty 200DX, and for this project I need to weld using stick. Using 1/4" mild steel, with 3/32", 7018 rods. Miller calculator says the amps are between 65-100. DCEP. and DC? is that another setting?The other thing I need to know is about grounding. Can I attach my ground directly to the piece i'm working on? because i'll be working on the garage floor without any sort of metal surface under my piece.Lastly, when making a box(27"Lx13.5"Wx11'D), I assume you tack all the sides together before you start welding the whole length of metal, so it doesn't start warping on you? is there a preferred order to which walls get welded before the next?
Reply:The DC stick setting is DCEP.  The DC TIG setting is DCEN.  You shouldn't ever have to unplug your ground from the machine because the Dynasty 200DX automatically swaps the polarity for you.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749You know, I wasn't all that impressed with my 350 as far as stick welding goes. Ill have to try some new rods, all I had was some junk iron crap laying around. Didn't care for the 6010 arc at all. It seemed really harsh.
Reply:My 200DX works excellent on SMAW with Lincoln 7018-MRs in DCEP.  No $hit.  92A and 132A DCEP for 3/32" and 1/8", respectively.  First two projects ever bullt with stick were with the 200DX.  Not sure why the "350" can't rip SMAW??"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Originally Posted by ManoKaiMy 200DX works excellent on SMAW with Lincoln 7018-MRs in DCEP.  No $hit.  92A and 132A DCEP for 3/32" and 1/8", respectively.  First two projects ever bullt with stick were with the 200DX.  Not sure why the "350" can't rip SMAW??
Reply:My Maxstar welds 7018 really well. I wonder other than the AC output what difference there would be .Miller xmt304,  Miller S22 p12, Miier Maxstar SD, Miller 252 w 30A, Miller super32p12, Lincoln Ranger 9, Thermal Arc 181I with spoolgun, Hypertherm 10000 ,Smith torches. Esab 161lts miniarc.
Reply:I don't know about the 300 and I've not tried my 280 yet but my Dynasty 200DX welded stick very well I often preferred it with 3/32" 6011 for thin metal.Millermatic 252XMT 304'sDynasty 280DXHypertherm PowerMax 1250Miller Trailblazer 302 EFIOptima PulserXR feeder and XR Edge gun and more athttp://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm
Reply:Awesomeness doesn't have to be expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Originally Posted by CEPThis is really confusing. I don't get it, I paid around $6000.00 for my Dynasty 300. But I paid $200.00 for this Red Face, and it will weld circles around the Dynasty 300!
Reply:You paid $200 for that red face, in that condition?  You robbed somebody or your leaving out details.  How much did you spend(time and money) to get that machine in that mint condition? Originally Posted by CEPThis is really confusing. I don't get it, I paid around $6000.00 for my Dynasty 300. But I paid $200.00 for this Red Face, and it will weld circles around the Dynasty 300!
Reply:Raven, I have a 200DX also and I stick weld with it on a fairly regular basis.Someone else alredy mentioned that you don't have to swap leads, the machine will set polarity based on the process you select on the front panel.for 3/32" E7018, I like 80-90 amps, depending on position and base metal thickness.  I happen to like a snappier arc, so I tend to run the dig setting close to the maximum with E7018.  I'll turn it down quite a bit with E6010.One thing you may or may not already know.  The Dynasty has a feature built in that detects when you've stuck a rod to the work.  It'll shut off the weld current if it detects a stuck rod.  Some like this, some don't.  You can get into a hidden menu on the machine and turn this feature off.  It also has a low OCV option when not actively welding.  you can turn this on or off as well.I prefer to turn off the low OCV option because I think it makes striking an arc more difficult.  Experiement with it and see what you prefer.Yes, you can attach your work lead directly to the item you're welding.  In fact this is usually better than grounding to a workbench. Originally Posted by raven forestHello, I am fresh out of school and I want to make a box for wood storage. I just bought myself a Miller Dynasty 200DX, and for this project I need to weld using stick. Using 1/4" mild steel, with 3/32", 7018 rods. Miller calculator says the amps are between 65-100. DCEP. and DC? is that another setting?The other thing I need to know is about grounding. Can I attach my ground directly to the piece i'm working on? because i'll be working on the garage floor without any sort of metal surface under my piece.Lastly, when making a box(27"Lx13.5"Wx11'D), I assume you tack all the sides together before you start welding the whole length of metal, so it doesn't start warping on you? is there a preferred order to which walls get welded before the next?
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPThis is really confusing. I don't get it, I paid around $6000.00 for my Dynasty 300. But I paid $200.00 for this Red Face, and it will weld circles around the Dynasty 300!
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanThere are dozens of settings you can tweak to adjust the characteristics of the power output on a Dynasty.  I'm sure that if you re-read the book cover to cover a few times (you won't necessarily find everything on the first shot), and make the proper adjustments (some such as dig and OCV have been mentioned on this thread), you will get it in your groove and will be delighted with it.  If the settings are off, it'll be awful, just as you've discovered.
Reply:Nothing earth shattering.  A few multi-pass runs on 1/4" mild steel (12in length) with Lincoln 1/8" 7018-MRs @ 135A with the "200DX".  First, tacked/ran a 1F (outside corner joint) using MIG to dial in settings for a few builds.  Second, ran SMAW on the inside corner joints.  The three passes req'd six 7018s.  Still working on consistency and tie-ins.This 200DX rips sticks as good as the XMT. Attached Images"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Reply:Maybe I'm to critical of my 300?  Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=k3NdISX-0Es200DX on 1" thick steel with 7018s at 140A (Ref: e.t. 06:47).  The Lincoln amperage vs Miller amperage is hilarious.  Ha!"Discovery is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought" - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi