When do you decide if the problem is EQUIPMENT or the PERSON welding? New to welding.

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Hi Everyone,I’m new to this welding site and to welding. I took a course at the local college and went to class 4 hours a night for 2 weeks….so basically 40 hours hands on plus a little book work. I’m recently retired and wanted a new hobby. I was always was a ‘do it yourselfer’ and always liked to work with my hands even though I retired from a computer programming job… on a computer all day long….I wanted to do something different…hobby wise..The class was mainly set up to teach MIG (most in class were hoping to certify at the end)  but since I have a STICK WELDER ..a Mongomery Wards 230 powercraft that I bought 30 years ago at a garage sale ( no reason to get in a hurry :-) I wanted to learn stick….. So after the first few days of MIG….. I had the instructor show me stick. All the welds MIG TIG STICK…we were doing fillet .. horizontal…welds… Just taking (2)  8 x 2 inch 3/16 thick steel and making a “T”…. we welded fillet welds…and practiced 3 passes…… I also got a little practice with TIG.  Anyway…. I started STICK using E7018… The STICK/TIG Welder was a MILLER and all the welders were industrial….I finally did pretty well at the end…of course comparing the end to   what my FIRST welds looked like… I KNOW I have a LOT to learn… I’m already having problems keeping straight lines laying down beads on a flat surface...I never had a lot of problems getting an arc started in class…I believe it was DCEP on the Miller I was on………..soooo fast forward to today…. A few months later…after getting my 240V 50 AMP dedicated line… I hooked up my WARDS 230 Powercraft stick welder. I had the positive cable on the LOW AMP plug in. THE  HIGH amp plug in says 6013 only. I started settings at 90 amps and after multiple adjustments….. THIS welder was JUST not working like the one in class… IT IS A/C only…and after searching a few sites….I found out I needed 7018 AC…. So today I started experimenting whether this welder is going to work like the one in class did. I was happy with those class results. I need someone to critique my welds and give some advice on what variable I need to be looking at. I’ll post a few pictures and will try and identify weld 1 2 3 etc. I KNOW I need help in keep a straight row but I’m having a hard time SEEING THE WELD PUDDLE…and…. What’s adjacent to it. I have  auto-darkening helmet….and even though book says I should be at 10….I have it set on 9 ….i HOPE I’m not hurting my eyes but it’s TOO dark at 10. I finally have my welder set at 95 amps. I still have a problem getting my arc to start.. I strike it and pull away from the work piece so it won’t stick…but arc is MUCH harder to start than the welder in class. WHEN I UP my AMPS much more I see my ROD GLOWING RED  when I finish a pass and only have 4 inches of rod left… SO I GUESS my question is…HOW do I know this welder is working as it should? WHEN is it the MACHINE and NOT the person? Also I know the 7018AC is supposed to be kept in an oven…..I don’t know how much of a variable that is. I have them stored inside and they are only a week old…but portable oven on the way so I can keep the moisture out….I’m sorry this start of this thread is so long but I needed to relay my little experience, history, machine …electrode type etc to give everyone a chance to figure out what I should do. I HAVE read that the DC  stick machines weld 7018 better…. I DID try 6010 in class but didn’t like that at all compared to 7018.YES…I have a lot to learn but now I have plenty of time. THE FIRST thing I ordered when I decided to set a little weld shop up were 2 fire extinguishers I’m looking forward for answers and directions…Forgot to ask… in class …the shop WAS a welding shop…all the proper exhausts..etc…. IF I just do a little practice welding in the garage with side draft…2 doors open and a fan….is THAT enough to keep me protected from the fumes?? Attached Images
Reply:Ok you said you ar using 7018 but you didn't mention the size of the rod? 1/8? it matres.  1/8 7018 somewhere in the neighbourhood of 110amps. AC welders don't start as well as dc and need a different technique. Try scratching more, been a long time since Ihave used my old buzz box so can't remember much.....or is it old age.....Measure with a micrometre, mark with chalk,  cut with a torch.Never force anything...just get a bigger hammer.RoyOld Airco buzz box approx 1974Lincoln mig pack 15Lincoln 175 square wave1954 9" south bend lathe
Reply:7014 will be a lot easier to burn. A 1/8" rod should burn about 6-7". Your welds look too cold and it sounds like you're not in a good position to see what the puddle is doing. The machine you used at the course really is that much better. That's why I always recommend getting a better DC machine. It will cut the learning curve way down as well as the frustration level. Your machine will still work but get some 7014, soapstone to make parallel lines and just keep practicing. Post your results here and we can give you some more pointers.
Reply:drcwksWelcome to the forum - but:'just the facts ma'am'http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8Kim's dead.http://www.theguardian.com/world/200...-rain-man-diesBe succinct in your inquiry.  Don't ask flatulent question - that the informed, will not read.Get: a welding lens magnifier - turn up your heat - and run stringers for miles.Attempting joints beyond your skill level - is actually counterproductive.Achieve a level of success/familiarity running stringer: on flat, horizontal, vert, and overhead, before you join anything.Opus
Reply:Wow that was hard to read. Big long posts like that that run on and on are very hard to follow. It helps if you break things up into concise blocks separated by spaces so it's easier to follow. I "cheated" and went back into your post and edited it to add spaces where I think you tried to break thoughts so others can read it better.I'll try to answer as many of your rambling questions as I can remember. Yes your machine is going to weld different than the Millers at the school. As a small Ac only machine, your open circuit voltage is going to be different than those bigger machines making rods harder to start. Also Ac doesn't weld as smoothly as DC does. Also not all AC machines are created equal. Some will run 7018Ac well, others so so, and others won't weld well at all with it. Not all 7018 rods are created equal either. I HATE cheap 7018AC rods. I can't read the puddle anywhere near as clearly as I can with better rods like Lincoln Excalibur. Down side for you is better rods like Excalibur won't run on your Ac only machine. Trying a different brand of 7018AC rods might help.I wouldn't worry too much about a rod oven. 7018 does run better hot, and poorly stored 7018 can often have issues. Small cheap boxes of box store 7018 though aren't usually sealed from the factory, like cans of better rods are. That means that they may have been sitting on the shelf who knows how long absorbing moisture. I've never had a new box like that that welded really bad, like some really old rods that have been sitting out for years poorly stored, but I won't say that some of the issues I've had trying to use box store 7018 wasn't at least partially due to them not being sealed from the factory. I don't own a rod oven. I don't use 7018 enough to warrant keeping one plugged in and running all the time. On important jobs, I just plan on buying a brand new fresh sealed can, and either vacuum sealing the rods in batches that are reasonably sized, or keeping them in a good o-ring sealed canister. I buy in small lots so I don't have a ton of leftovers to worry too much about. The leftovers get used for misc projects that aren't critical, or for helping others learn to weld. Even stored in the O-ring containers for years, I've never had really major issues with 7018 due to moisture where I live.As far as shade, quality hoods will protect your eyes at a shade  9. Many times even though it seems backwards, darker allows you to see more. That's because it cuts down on the glare. I weld tig using a shade 9-10, Mig shade 10-12 and stick shade 10-13 depending on circumstances. I see a lot of students who think they need to see the whole room while welding. You don't, you just need to see the puddle and just far enough in front of you to follow what ever your reference is. One thing that can help is if you hold a slightly longer arc length and don't have the rod buried so deep in the puddle. You just have to make adjustments in your amps and travel speed to compensate for the slightly longer arc.On your curving welds. I'm betting it's your body position that's off. I see this all the time with students. As you move your arms, your body will naturally want to follow a certain path based on how you are standing in relation to the weld. I see a lot of students who want to place the plate straight left to right in front of their body and weld facing it head on. The result is they usually weld diagonally across the plate. That's because the way most hold the stinger with two hands and burn rods, ( assuming you are right handed) you start close on your left side, and as you naturally want to swing your hands down, you weld our to the right and away from your body at about a 30 deg angle. You will find if you don't change your stance, you will repeat this line over and over again. Curves come often from people trying to fight this natural motion. any time they relax, the body wants to go back to that natural motion and every time they think about it, they fight that motion and try to put it some where it doesn't want to go. I either **** the plate at something like 30 deg with the side to the right farther away from me, or shift my right foot back, so I'm standing at an angle to the plate. It's basically the same thing. Small shifts in your feet, will change that natural line you want to weld at.When asking for help on welds, it helps to clearly give certain information. Post up this basic info each time you post, so we don't have to keep going way back in threads searching for answers. If using different settings, try and group those picts with the matching settings. Things to keep in mind, machine used, in your case an AC only Montgomery Wards, material thickness, rod size and type, amps used, position welded if other than "flat". The more info you give, the better we can respond without guessing. Picts are also important as they tell those of us who know what to look for what issues you are having, and your picts shown are quite good. A flash can some times add too much contrast though. Using a bright light to illuminate the welds vs a flash can give you better picts many times. Picts of welds are an art form in themselves. Many times the picst don't focus well up close, but yours are nice and clear. on occasion different angles of the weld helps.  You don't list rod size in your post that I could see. Using 95 amps and your description of the rod heating up, I'll assume it was 3/32". Pict 4 2nd bead doesn't look bad at all. It might be a bit slow. You typically get 6-8" of weld from a full rod leaving about 2" left, or up to about where the numbers are marked on some rods. I can't tell if you got 6" from that or not, but I'm thinking it's short, maybe 5". That would explain the taller profile I see if going up in amps is giving you issues.Your T joints, Looks like you are out running your puddle. I'm betting these welds are longer than bead #2 shown on the flat. It wouldn't surprise me if the slag on the 7018AC rods isn't partially tricking you into thinking you have more puddle than you do. Bead also looks like it's favoring the upper plate in the 1st run, so your rod angle might also be off. On T joints I like to use a C or Z motion and push the puddle back and forth between the two plates watching the edges fill if this makes sense.Don't be in a great panic if you can't really "see" the puddle. It takes a while to build up the reference points your mind needs to do this. Most students I work with don't really learn this until we start doing vertical welds. They get thru flat and horizontal doing what I refer to as "timing" patterns. This at least allows them to build up the reference information, even if their mind doesn't understand it yet. When things click, they have an "Ah HA!" moment when everything I've been telling them suddenly makes sense. It happens with some sooner than others..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:WOW… Thanks everyone for your advice and quick response. I’m sorry my post was so long and all together. I copied it from a word document that was formatted but once pasted I lost my paragraphs…Thanks for the edits DSW I have a LOT to absorb from everyone’s posts. I DO want to perfect this skill and DO understand …from posts that I should probably get a DC welder if I’m serious about pursuing this hobby and I am. I was thinking about a MILLER Thunderbolt AC/DC… I understand the HOABART Stickmate LX235 AC/DC model 500421 is the same as the Miller?? Also thinking about the EVERLAST inverter 160STH. I would also like to learn TIG. So I guess I shouldn’t even try horizontal fillet welds until I can consistently lay down bead after bead In the flat position in a straight line? And then if I practice a horizontal….I shouldn’t do a fillet weld…but just do a horizontal BEAD on single piece of metal row after row?  The rod I was using was 3/32 LINCOLN 7018AC-RSP and the steel was 3/16 thick. The 3/32 rods WERE in just a cardboard box plastic wrapped. The main local weld shop only had 1/8 in the nice plastic sealed box…and I guess since I learned on 3/32 I felt like I should continue with that diameter until I can perfect laying down bead after bead. On seeing the puddle and reference spots….In class I was able to see much better. It seems with this welder after trying many different AMP settings.. I don’t get the ARC light like I did with the MILLER DCEP in class if that makes sense. THE ARC length doesn’t seem to be as LONG as I could make in class…meaning…when I pull away from the work piece the ARC quits…so I assume I need more AMPS and when I do that….the ROD is CHERRY red at the end of my 6 inch bead…. I will try and see if magnifier helpsI will try the E7014 if that would be a better rod than the E7018AC. Will the 7014 have an equivalent AC like the 7018?For REFERENCE the plate is 6 inches long. I guess when I start laying down beads I should start using a new stick every time for ref. on how long my stringer is and how much stick was used.My reference school book is MODERN WELDING 11th edition. Well written book.Thanks again for everyone’s input. I just wanted to post to clear a few things up and will post new pics soon
Reply:7014 is an AC/DC rod, so the rod will do either AC or DC+ or DC-. 6" plates should use up the whole rod or pretty close. Shorts are good for tacking. When I 1st started to learn how to weld, we did padding in big 12" long pieces of angle that forced us to do at least one restart on each bead. We had to turn in all our stubs to get new rods, so if you had a 3" piece left, they wanted you to burn that 1" that was left over on a new bead, then change to a new rod. It saved money by not allowing waste, but it also taught people to do restrikes and start/stops on welds. Something that is done all the time in the real world.Tbolts and Stickmates are decent machines, but I wouldn't buy new unless you have no choice. There are plenty of inexpensive AC/DC machines out there on CL. Many times you will find the larger industrial models like Dialarcs or Idealarcs  offered used for less than the smaller box store machines like the Tbolt or Stickmate. I've also seen plenty of older industrial dedicated tig machines go cheap. Older Dialarc HF's, Miller 330 AB/P's and the similar ones Miller made for Airco. there have been a number of old round top Idealarcs posted up at insanely low prices over the last week or so. Those machines have one of the nicest arcs out there. I'd happily trade my AC/DC Tbolt for a nice AC/DC Idealarc without question, and I'm a die hard Miller fan.I took a brief look at CL listings around the area using a generic Kansas zip code from the middle of the state and Searchtempest, but nothing this minute jumped out at me. I usually put in "welder" as my search term and sort the list manually. Things change daily, so you never know what might pop up later. If I was in the market for a new stick machine that could do tig, I'd be really tempted by the Esab 161STL. A number of guys have them and they have a good record so far.  If you see something you think might be interesting, feel free to post it up and many  of the guys will tell you if it's worth getting or not, and usually what you should look at spending for one. You don't have to post a link if you don't want to ( some worry some one else will swoop in and snag their find, though most members are respectful if some one else spotted it 1st), You can always copy paste in the picts and description if you want. It's just more work that way many times.Personally I'd avoid most of the inexpensive import machines, based on the track record guys have had with the companies customer service if there are issues. There are plenty of horror stories out there and I'm personally not impressed by the way these companies do business. If you choose to go that route, do your homework 1st and be aware, most of these machines  are considered disposable once out of warranty. Some have had really good results with some of the newer machines, others have had nothing but nightmares..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:I agree with DSW, keep your eyes and ears open on Craig's List, trader type papers in your area, classifieds, etc. for used Lincoln Idealarc 250 or Miller Dialarc 250 machines. They have a much better arc qualities than the cheaper hobby machines. You can get one for about the same money and they will last you for many years. Here are 2 examples:Sent from my iPad using TapatalkSteveLincoln IdealArc 250Lincoln SA200 1966 RedfaceSteveMiller Dialarc 250 (1990)Miller Maxstar 140 STR (2003)Lincoln SA200 Redface Pipeliner (1966)Lincoln MP210 (2015)Victor and MECO torches
Reply:[QUOTE=olcarguy;               1/8 7018 somewhere in the neighbourhood of 110amps. ...[/QUOTE]                  I work on 125/130 amps for a 1/8 rod unless welding sheet metal.
Reply:You have 2 issues. 1- At school you were probably using a higher voltage 3 phase powered DC welding machine. At home,my our trying to weld with a lower voltage single phase powered AC buzz box. There is a large difference between the two welding machines and how they run. 2- Your inexperienced.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:A 3/32" rod probably won't do a 6" long weld at normal speed. I'd guess maybe 4 1/2". I think 1/8" is easier for learning. 3/32" can be a little flimsy especially when it gets hot. Were you using 3/32 or 1/8 in school? That might explain why you could see the arc better in school. The lighting was probably better as well.
Reply:Hi everyone. Here are some new pictures of practice welds just flat. I didn’t make any changes to my Wards Power Kraft 230 AC only welder. I’m still at around 95 amps. I’m still using 3/32 LINCOLN 7018AC-RSP. I was going to try the 7014 but none were available in the store open today. My work piece is 3/16. I cut it 8 inches. Width is 2.5 inches. I didn’t know if it would help to see the slag before I chipped it off…I went ahead and included those in the pics.Some of my pictures turned out a little blurry...I don't have a very good overhead light so instead of using flash....I have a spotlight hooked up so I can see my workpiece better. I'll use my regular  camera next time. These were off of my iPhone. I tried to follow everyone’s advice on what I needed to do. I did get a magnifier lens for my Hobart Self Darkening helmet. That has helped some. I also turned my work piece 30 degrees or so……I had it set up exactly as DSW said most of his students do at first. I think that helped too. Also put a ref line down for my first stringer bead. I tried use a complete rod up. My pics show how much rod is left and how long the bead was. The first bottom stringer bead and the top stringer bead… I got mixed up and started trying the “C” pattern that DSW suggested…but realized starting on the 3rd middle stringer bead…that the “C” motion was for the fillet weld…. SO the 3rd middle stringer is actually just a straight line motion.  Maybe that is why the first 2 welds look a little cold…stacks not melded together as I think they should.I overlaid some of my questions “IN” the pictures….I DO think maybe I should turn the amps up a little and then  ….Would I have to maintain a longer arc length and adjust my speed to be a little faster?++Thanks for everyone’s time.++Dean Attached Images
Reply:Well.... I guess I made a mistake resizing my pictures before uploading.... I noticed the first time that the site....or so I thought was resizing them.... BYTE wise....so I did that before and as a result the pictures didn't come out as well and my text was hard to read in the picts...I'm uploading just one picture for a test so I will know next time what works the best...sorry for the repeated post....Dean Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by Sparkie1957I agree with DSW, keep your eyes and ears open on Craig's List, trader type papers in your area, classifieds, etc. for used Lincoln Idealarc 250 or Miller Dialarc 250 machines. They have a much better arc qualities than the cheaper hobby machines. You can get one for about the same money and they will last you for many years. Here are 2 examples:Sent from my iPad using TapatalkSteveLincoln IdealArc 250Lincoln SA200 1966 Redface
Reply:Shame you don't have a picture of bead shown in pict 3 with no slag, I'm betting it was one of the nicest ones from what little I can see sneaking out from behind the other bead in Pict#4.I see some cracks in the slag in a few picts. I circled 2 in the one pict in white. I bet the slag came off easier in those areas. That's usually a sign you are getting close to getting everything right. If you have to beat the snot out of the slag, somethings wrong.The green circled areas don't look too bad. They need to be more consistent, but that comes with practice. The blue circled areas are what I think match in the different picts, and are what I believe was probably your best bead..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:Nice You used a Syncrowave 250 tig machine in class. They stick weld quite well..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:Yes...I was using 3/32 in class...so I guess I'm stuck on 3/32. I would have to look in my book but I thought I was told since we were welding 3/16 plate that the 3/32 was what I should be using. That's what my instructor picked. I do have 1/8 that I bought but I haven't tried it yet. I wanted to get my basic skills down and thought that changing rod diameters would bring in a new variable....Maybe I'm over thinking it.... I think I will try 1/8 tomorrow just to see... I actually have poor overhead lighting in my garage so I have a spotlight hooked up temporary...and held in my vise :-)... so  I could see better this 2nd time around. I think ever thing over all improved...
Reply:You definitely improved. Just keep practicing. It takes burning a lot of rod to really get good. Those guys that think they can just burn a few rods and be great are full of it.3/32" rod size isn't bad for 3/16". 1/8" is usable also but works best with thicker material. 3/32" is good up to about 1/4". 1/8" typically will run from 3/16" to 1/4" and up. 1/8" runs hotter and can induce more warping in thin stock. I've even run 1/8" rods on 1/8" stock in a pinch, but that takes a fair amount of skill, and you need th eamps turned way down, something a small buzz box won't take kindly to..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:Originally Posted by DSWShame you don't have a picture of bead shown in pict 3 with no slag, I'm betting it was one of the nicest ones from what little I can see sneaking out from behind the other bead in Pict#4.I see some cracks in the slag in a few picts. I circled 2 in the one pict in white. I bet the slag came off easier in those areas. That's usually a sign you are getting close to getting everything right. If you have to beat the snot out of the slag, somethings wrong.The green circled areas don't look too bad. They need to be more consistent, but that comes with practice. The blue circled areas are what I think match in the different picts, and are what I believe was probably your best bead.
Reply:Area circled in red, is too tall, you moved a bit too slow as you started out. Area circled in green looks good. I'm looking at the shape of the bead and where it meets the plate at the toes just over the blue line. Area circled in yellow isn't bad, but inconsistent. Your movements weren't smooth, so the toes are not as nice as those in the green area. It's real easy to tell this from the look of the slag before cleaning. Bead size looks good..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:Yeah, try to keep a consistent speed and aim for a full bead like the part outlined in green above. It's common for beginners to speed up their travel speed as the rod burns. You should be able to burn the rods down a little more. You're paying for a full rod so might as well use as much of it as you can. Make 2 parallel lines with soapstone about 1/4"-5/16" apart and try and put a consistent width bead down the middle of the 2 lines. The lines will help you watch how wide the puddle is spreading out.