Tacking with carbon arc

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I have used arcair cabon rods DCEN for making tacks for holding things together before welding. It's sort of like TIGing without gas and using carbon instead of tungsten. What is nice is the little tack welds are brittle and are easy to break if you need to reposition things. I am wondering what makes the metal brittle and will this cause a problem when welded over with rod.
Reply:What causes the brittleness?  It the oxygen...It gets into the weld along with other impurities that combine into the weld material.  That is the exact reason for shielding gas, or flux.   It prevents the "air" from getting to the weld until it has sufficiently solidified.And yes, that "air" doesn't just go away when you weld over it.  It gets combined and locked into the weld material, further down.  This is a very poor way to tack weld...Why not just do it the right way?Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:Guess I better go back to using 6010 rods for tacking.  Thanks for the info.
Reply:Probably the carbon from the rod gets into the weld and makes it brittle.  I tack with an SP100 even big stuff.   Its easy, and if I need to break it, no big deal.  Its nice and clean to weld over too.David Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:TAZ,The easiest rod for tacking would probably be a 6013 or a 7014.  The metal comes off quickly and penetrates only moderately.  The slag comes right off too.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:you have to watch what you weld over tacks with too, what process are you using to weld over your 6010 tacks?only thing worse than an ugly woman is an ugly weld
Reply:I will be going over things fast with 6010 to clear a path for 7014. I really like the way 6010 digs in. I am starting to think that with enough practice you could do most welding with 6010 if you didn't care much about splatter and a pretty bead.
Reply:You could if you want your stuff to look like crapTrailblazer 302 AirpakDynasty 200 DX  Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52 CamoMiller Dailarc 250 OLD But great!!2 Miller 140's w/autoset NEW! Millwauke Cold cut sawsDewalt portabandJd2 notcherPipe beveling machine
Reply:Originally Posted by TazI will be going over things fast with 6010 to clear a path for 7014. I really like the way 6010 digs in. I am starting to think that with enough practice you could do most welding with 6010 if you didn't care much about splatter and a pretty bead.
Reply:David, do you keep flux core in the SP100 or do you tack with gas?Also do you have any recommendations for replacing the torch?  ThanksBob seND
Reply:I don't know anything about carbon arc(or much else for that matter), but it seems that a tack shouldn't be too brittle and easily broken.Sometimes you have to lift or move things that are tacked, and you really do depend on a good tack.  Also just welding can pop a tack that wasn't done properly.I feel that a tack should be burned in just like a mini weld.  It can be ground down later when you do the finish welding."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob seNDDavid, do you keep flux core in the SP100 or do you tack with gas?Also do you have any recommendations for replacing the torch?  ThanksBob seND
Reply:Originally Posted by David RNothing but .023 wire and C/25 for the SP100.  When I have to run over them with something else like pulsed spray, there is NO slag and that is what I want.Tacks should be the size you NEED for the job.A true tack is a removable weld.  I get customers in all the time that say "just tack these together".  Its a pet peeve of mine.  I say ya want me to weld em so they stay?  Sometimes I think all they want is to pay for a tack, but need them welded.   Other times they just don't know what they are talking aboutDavid
Reply:Originally Posted by David RNothing but .023 wire and C/25 for the SP100.  When I have to run over them with something else like pulsed spray, there is NO slag and that is what I want.Tacks should be the size you NEED for the job.A true tack is a removable weld.  I get customers in all the time that say "just tack these together".  Its a pet peeve of mine.  I say ya want me to weld em so they stay?  Sometimes I think all they want is to pay for a tack, but need them welded.   Other times they just don't know what they are talking about.David
Reply:Oldtimer,I have heard that... Just make a couple of tack welds and hand it back and say that'll be 60 bucks...What they are saying is I don't want to pay a lot to get it fixed correctly.Esab Migmaster 250Lincoln SA 200Lincoln Ranger 8Smith Oxy Fuel setupEverlast PowerPlasma 80Everlast Power iMIG 160Everlast Power iMIG 205 Everlast Power iMIG 140EEverlast PowerARC 300Everlast PowerARC 140STEverlast PowerTIG 255EXT
Reply:I have had a few people tell me to weld over the paint.  I tell em I am not that good of a weldor, I can't do it without grinding the paint (or rust) off.  Usually they say "Just turn the heat up".  That is when I want to hand the stinger to them. I won't do a crappy job.  They can take it some place else first.David  Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:I have done it myself a few times where somebody has said it doesnt have to be welded very good, and they want to help out and do the prep on the job and just have me weld it, then i do the job anyway, and it looks like crap, and i feel awful about even helping them in the first place. then people look at it and think my work is crap. sometimes its better if they just stand out of the way, or go away until you know its finished. But to get back to the original post, just tack with the type of rod u are going to weld with - why tack with the same rod u are going to weld with? why not? Nothing Ever Got Done By Quitting, Never Give Up.