Learning 7018. Critiquing appreciated.

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I got my Airco Heliwelder a few weeks ago and I've been mainly doing TIG welding with it and learning to TIG aluminum, but I thought that it was time that I learn to do some stick welding as well. My father-in-law bought me a box of 3/32" 7018 rods as a gift when I finally got my welder. I grabbed a piece of 1/4" angle and shined it all up and started stacking beads into the corner of the angle and filling it up. I didn't get pictures of the piece that I ran stringers on, but I did snap a picture of the piece where I was running weave beads. I will be at the shop all weekend so I will be getting in lots of practice and I'll be sure to snap more pictures that I will post up over the weekend. My tie-ins look pretty bad but I'll keep working on it.Settings:Rods: 3/32" Hobart 7018. Just stored in a sealed plastic box. I need to get a small oven.Polarity: DCEPAmps: 80A on the first pass. Then I bumped it to 85A for the second pass, then 90A for the third pass.Position: Flat/HorizontalThe left side of the picture is the third bead, and the center and right side is the second bead. My camera doesn't take wide enough pictures for me to get the first bead in the shot. More pictures to come...Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:Heat setting = When you have burned the rod down to about 1 - 1/2" long it should be glowing red. If it's not, your running too cold. Don't sweat throwing away longer stubs. Once the flux is burned, toss them.Thanks,HoboLincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:Thanks for the tip. The box the rods came in says 80-100A on DCEP. I'll try running it a little hotter and see how it goes.Not worried about the stubs. I have to learn somehow. I can always buy more rods. Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:After looking at my settings the highest I had the amperage was 85A. I turned it up to 90-95A and now when I stop welding the rod stub is slightly glowing. The extra 5-7A seemed to help quite a bit. Here is what I did a few minutes ago...Still got a long way to go but I think I'll be able to get it with enough practice...Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:Keep in mind, the amperage indicators on some machines can be off significantly.  Use the dial as a starting point and the welding characteristics described above to fine tune.MillerMatic 252, HTP 221 w/cooler, Hypertherm PM45, Lincoln IdealArc 250 AC/DC"I'd like to believe as many true things and as few false things as possible"
Reply:The rod stub doesn't need to be glowing red.  This is not an indicator of proper machine tuning.  Instead, what your finished weld looks like should tell you if the machine is set properly or not.  Honestly, a glowing red rod is probably too hot.  I weld 7018 all day every day in code situations, hardly if ever have a glowing rod, and pass all of my xrays with ease.  You mentioned you need to invest in a rod oven.  You don't.  The rod oven is important when trying to keep rods within code spec.  For work around the shop and for hobby work, there is no need to keep 7018 at temperature.Matthew MortonTexas A&M '06Logsdon Seminary '13"Who Dares Wins""AFTF""WH2PH"SA 200 (Code: 5337)TB 302CP 302 w/22A Wire FeederMillerMatic 200Miller Syncrowave 200MillerMatic 252BurnTables 4x4 CNC MachineHypertherm 65
Reply:When I said about getting an oven I should have been more specific. I know I don't need to keep them in perfect spec for the work I will be doing with them, but if they would happen to draw damp, as I'm sure the box they're in isn't perfectly sealed, I would like something I could power on and dry them back out with.As for the accuracy of my amperage knob, that was one of the first things I checked once I got the machine home. I used a clamp on meter and the knob is pretty accurate, give or take 1-2 amps, which was quite surprising for an old machine like mine. Then again, the thing is built like a freaking tank.The rod isn't glowing bright red when I'm done, it's a very faint glow, but bumping the amperage up to 90 did help, the puddle seemed to flow a bit better. I know I still need a ton of practice yet so I'll keep burning rods and posting pictures, you guys keep the tips and criticism coming. Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:I'd suggest a little more heat and keep your arc length shorter to decrease the buckshot.  Focus more on consistant travel speed rather than weaving.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:i find 7018 to be the easiest rod. i use it every day in the field. its very forgiving, just establish your puddle and focus on keeping it consistent.. personally thats key.once you keep practicing, different thicknesses etc REMEMBER your machine settings, remember what YOU like. just about every day if i grab the stinger from my partner in the field its to hot for me. it works for him but i dont like the machine set so high. so everyone is different. even what your machine specs recommend aren't dead on. so my advice is adjust that machine untill your very comfortable with it and it lays down nice and easy...once you have the machine set right and all the technical stuff down (of course there are other factors..rod brand, sometimes they get wet, different positions, sometimes the metal isnt fully clean etc..mostly field conditions from my experience but some overlays into the shop) welding 7018 is cake. but if your not set up properly your just going to bust your nuts for no reason. but that goes for all rods.alot of people tell me jet rod is the easiest rod to weld with. i disagree, yeah in the shop when you have the machine set up just right its a joke to lay a weld down but once again in the field not so much... dont forget about voltage drop through long sections of lead. you will have to adjust accordingly.anyways looks like your on the right track and shortly you will be pretty damn good. keep it up
Reply:Note most rod ovens will not "dry" damp rods. To do so usually you need to take them up to about 750 deg if I'm remembering Lincolns info correctly. Normal ovens are designed to "maintain" rods that are already dry..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:You have your weave down. Now learn how to run stringers, in all positions.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:To much weave to start with, stop thinking and let the rod do its thing so you can see how it behaves. Once you get that down you can play with weaving.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by snoeproeYou have your weave down. Now learn how to run stringers, in all positions.
Reply:Thanks for all the tips and constructive criticism, I'll be running a bunch of stringers today and see how I do with that. Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:Tight Arcs, watch puddle not slag pool. Get comfortable with stringers first. Weave is ugly, theres some criticism. Overhead is a great way to really enforce tight arc and proper rod angle. If you long arc it, you will be rewarded with a puddle of molten steel somewhere on your persons. Just running stringers overhead helped me nail down my overhead fill and cap on pipe.Forget the oven, its un-neccessary for 75% of welders out their. I myself have been on one code job. Sure, hot 7018 strikes easier, burns more consistent and is essential for code work, how much code work will you do in your own garage?Lincoln Power MIG 210 MP ( boat anchor )Lincoln Weld-Pac 100 HDHobart IronMan 230Cutmaster 42Jackson NexGenSumner Ultra ClampsDWM120
Reply:My weave sucks...Got it. Laid down a few stringers for you guys to rip on. They look better in person than the picture shows, but I know they're still nothing great or even good. They are better than what I was doing a week ago which looked like bird droppings. Well here's the picture, bring on the laughs.Seriously though, I know I need many, many pounds of rods worth of practice, but the reason I'm posting my pictures on this site is because I know there are a lot of welders here that can offer up endless knowledge, and nobody here is afraid to tell me that my welds suck. So thank you for everyone that is being brutally honest and offering up advise on how I can improve my welding.Settings: DCEP, 90-95A, 3/32" Hobart 7018, Flat on the table.Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:Your off to a good start considering you just started bud. Keep at it!  I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Thanks man. I'm sure I will get it eventually so long as I strive to keep improving with every bead I run. I'm no stranger to welding, I'm fairly decent with TIG and MIG(Both on steel) as I've done quite a bit of welding with both. The last time I stick welded I was like 12 years old(14 years go) and it was with an old AC buzz box and I have no clue what type of rods I had. I figured since I got this new(to me) Airco that I should learn everything the machine is capable of doing(within reason). I been practicing on TIGing aluminum on AC and sticking with 7018. Once I get proficient with 7018, which will take a while I'm sure, what electrode should I try to master next? 6010? Those seem like the 2 most common electrodes people talk about on this site. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can so after I get good with 7018 in all positions I would like to learn more. I understand that this could take quite a while before I am "good" so I only intend on learning one thing at a time then moving on once I am happy with my results.Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:Good start, like Duane says too much "buckshot" spatter means your arc is too long, as stated. Try holding so close you almost stick the rod to see what too short is, your weld will appear cold and tall compared to the longer arc. Then find somewhere between. Remember its the ARC length, not the physical distance the rod is from the puddle. Focus on a particular aspect of the CLAMS components on each pass; you'll get a better feedback on each specific skill that way.I agree stay with stringers. A good basic check is the bead with should be 2-3 times the rod thickness - the metal not including the flux. Work your heat and speed/puddle shape around that, and you'll start to recognize the difference in penetration and height.Remember your workpiece is heating as you do multiple passes, so you may have to come down a 5-10 amps, or up your travel speed a bit, watching the puddle shape. If its too round, speed up, if it gets like a long oval, slow down. If the slag is doesn't come off pretty easy, probably too cold.Best thing I ever did was take the Basic and then Advanced welding courses at my local VOTEC. I took the Advanced again just for tune up instruction on my technique, more shop time, and started to learn the basics of TIG. I'm planning on taking it again sometime in the next year. The Basic was a Stick-Only course more for understanding the basics of the weldment, not just the process used. I also got to try several different machines: I prefer the Lincoln Idealarc (400 I think) with the handwheel and pointer for the current over the digital ones. It forced me to adjust my current more on feel for the weld itself, while some of the other guys using the digital seemed focused on the specific amperage value.They started us on 6010 which is much harder to strike, but the stop and go motion and relatively slow speed, and the really obvious change in arc sound vs length really force you to focus and concentrate: be IN the puddle. I love 6010. The slag is always stubborn at any temperature though.You'll need the 6010 for any time there is a gap as well. The few projects i've built are from scavenged 1/8" bed frame angle, sometimes you get a gap on fit-up unless you shape the spots where an end meets the inside of the angle, since it is not completely flat inside the L. The high penetration is preferred when you can't weld the back side of the work (not on this 1/8" bed frame), and it's what you need on root passes with a gap.You'll learn more about evaluating the quality of a weld. I can make some decent welds. I'm not saying I'm a pro, I'm not saying they're always pretty, but I know whether they're basically weldments with good penetration and fusion, or not. My vertical up is iffy, and my overhead is trash. ARC ON!Last edited by jtcnj; 08-26-2012 at 08:44 AM.Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 and WP17. 75A AC is for pipe thawing!HH 140 - new addtion 9/2012.I didn't agree, but hoped for Hope and Change.I got change for myself and my family: for the worse.This is the reality of: Barackalypse Now. Again.
Reply:Thanks for the tips. I was thinking of taking the 2 welding courses my local votec offers in the evenings. Last time I checked they were around 350-400 dollars per course and it's the same course they teach to the juniors and seniors that take the welding classes in high school and an old friend of mine said he really learned a lot when he took them. The first course is entirely stick welding and basic metallurgy. If I can't get the results I'm looking for by practicing on my own then I'll probably just save some money from my paychecks and find the time to take the courses. I know it surely couldn't hurt. Thanks again everyone!Brad GeorgeCurrent Equipment:AIRCO Heliwelder IV 300Amp Model - Total Awesomeness!Old 120v Hobart Handler MIGVarious grinders, cutting tools, hammers, clamps, ect..."I'm an amateur welder with lots left to learn..."
Reply:If you are really worried about damp rods get an old refrigerator that dont work amymore and mount 2 100 watt light bulbs in it we did that for years had it outside in the barn.  Lots more money smart for what you need to do. Your welds dont look too shabby for just starting out...practice the stringers first before you play with weaving stuff and keep a tight arc with that 7018Ooops I just realized this was from back in 2012...sorryLast edited by old miner called Pop; 6 Days Ago at 09:19 PM.