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We have a AC, DC +, and DC - on our welding machine.  I don't need any details, but which has the best penetration or strength?I've been playing a little with welding and I have more questions.  Sometimes when I stop welding and  look at the rod, almost it's entire length is red hot.  Why?  Am I holding it too far from the weld?And I can weld the same steel with the same rod at a variety of amperages.  What's the difference?  Does higher amperage provide a deeper, stronger weld, or just burn up the rods too fast?Thanks in advance!
Reply:You didn't specify welding process,so this is a general overview:AC - Alternating Current - cycles from (+) to (-) several times per second.Uses: GTAW for Aluminum, and SMAW on magnetic pipe to help with arc blow.DCEP = Direct Current Electrode Positive (+) Generally directs more heat into the electrode.Uses: SMAW with EXX10 and EXX18 series rods (among others) GMAW (wire feeders)DCEN = Direct Current Electrode Negative (-) Generally directs more heat into the work piece.  Uses: GTAW for Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel. FCAW (Flux Core) self shield etc.Personal Preferences:Tig welding (GTAW) I use AC on Aluminum, DCEN on Carbon and Stainless Steel.Wire feed welding  (GMAW) I use DCEP.Stick welding (SMAW) I use DCEP (+)Back to  your post:If the whole stick electrode is glowing red, you are WAY TOO HOT and need to turn down the amperage.Amperages for EXX18 stick electrodes are easy to figure out.  Take the fractional size of the rod and convert it to a decimal, and that will get you in the ballpark.  For example" 3/32" =  0.09375  so around 95 amps is ballpark.1/8" = 0.125 so around 125 amps is ballpark.Do a little research on Lincoln, Miller, Hobart, Esab etc and they will all give you ranges for welding consumables.  While you are learning, it would be advantageous to print out these values into a quick reference chart.Later,Jason
Reply:Originally Posted by rutwadWe have a AC, DC +, and DC - on our welding machine.  I don't need any detailsYES YOU DO, but which has the best penetration or strength?THAT IS A DETAILI've been playing a little with welding and I have more questions.  Sometimes when I stop welding and  look at the rod, almost it's entire length is red hot.  Why?  Am I holding it too far from the weld?MORE DETAILSAnd I can weld the same steel with the same rod at a variety of amperages.  What's the difference?  Does higher amperage provide a deeper, stronger weld, or just burn up the rods too fast?YUP MORE DETAILSThanks in advance!
Reply:to some degree you can run a bit hotter and move faster. Too much heat is no good . Over penetrating and icecycles hanging off the back side is not a good weld. If your having excessive spatter,wide weld puddle and deep cratoring along with more than a few inches of the rod glowing you're probably running too hot.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:Originally Posted by rutwadWe have a AC, DC +, and DC - on our welding machine.  I don't need any details, but which has the best penetration or strength?
Reply:I figured people with my welding ignorance can often become a pain through so many questions.  When I said no details were needed on AC, DC+, DC-, I was referring to DC + or - caused the current to run this way or that way, AC is alternating current, etc. etc. etc.But I recall reading somewhere the differences being related to the strengh of the weld or penetration.  Maybe not, but I thought I did.  So for that question I am just wondering which setting will provide the stongest weld if there is a difference.  My welding SUCKS, so I figure I definitely need the strongest weld.As far as the rod turning red hot, this only happens sometimes.  I may burn a rod that doesn't turn red hot, then the next rod will without changing any settings.  So I figured human error has something to do with it.  I may have the setting too high, but could I be doing something wrong as well?  Maybe the rod is too far from the metal?I say "no details" because I figure you guys get tired of ignorant people like myself and I did not want anyone to go to the trouble of having to explain things to me.  I will take all the details you offer though.This all started when I found some scrap angle iron and decided to build me a shop bench/work table.  Now that I am trying to weld it together, I have found that welding is harder than nailing two boards together.  I just want my table to stay together!So I commit that I will read all the details you can offer, but I hate to be newB asking too many questions.  In case it is no bother, here are a few more questions   What role does rod diameter play?   Is it the 3rd or 4th digit of the rod number that indicates welding position?   Clean steel weld better, but what rod works best with rusty metal?   Welding with the rod real close sounds like it's popping alot.  Too far away and it  buzzes.  So I guess I need to be between the popping and buzzing?  How close should I try to keep the rod?   Do you drag the rod straight across the joint on a flat weld, or move slightly side to side?   There are probably alot of variable here and it is likely the dumbest question so far, but here goes.  How much weld should I get out of a rod?  Like a 6011 welding straight on   1/4" steel, the 14" rod (just guessing) should turn into a 4" weld?Now I have shown my ignorance, but I welcome any advice no matter how much detail you type.  I certainly appreciate the time you take.  I just hate coming here to ask so many questions, but I have nothing to offer.  Thanks again!
Reply:Choice of polarity is a function of what welding equipment you have available, what process (stick, MIG, TIG, etc.), what the base metal is, and what filler metal is being used, and what you're trying to accomplish.AC machines are cheap(relatively) so lots of people have them and the companies making stick rods make types that run well on AC polarity.  Stick rods for high performance applications are usually run DC+.  DC+ polarity puts most of the heat on the rod, and some of the heat on the base metal.  DC- is the exact opposite.  Normally melting the filler rod is good.  But some work is better done on DC-.  If the rod is capable of DC+ and DC-, sometimes it all comes down to welder preference.  The other processes, like MIG or TIG use their own particular polarity settings.  Yes, there are a couple factors that could explain why sometimes your welding rods turn red.  Generally speaking this is bad, and the culprit is too high an amperage setting on the machine.  But, sticking the welding rod to the work and creating a short will also overheat the rod, no matter if the amperage is correct or not.  Arc length affects the heat of the weld, although not normally to the extent that you can overheat the rod.  As a rule of thumb, keep an arc length equal to the rod diameter...We, don't mind beginners and beginners questions.  The only stupid question is the one that never gets asked.The third digit in the rod ID code tells you what position it can run in.  1 is all positions. 2 is flat and horizontal only.. For example 7018 is all position, so is 6011.  But 7024 is only flat or horizontal.6010, or 6011 rods work best on rusty metall.  Both are in the class of rods that have high penetration.  Welding rusty metal is harder than welding clean metal, and more likely to result in defective welds.  So do yourself a favor as a beginner and grind the rust off of your metal before you try to weld it.stick welding has an efficiency of 50-60%.  This means that only half the metal in a rod ends up as weld deposit.  How much weld depends on the weldor.The manipulations you make wiht the rod depend on the type of rod and teh position of the weld.  For 60XX rods you can use a whip and pause movement, 1 rod diameter forward, 1/2 rod diameter back, and pause.  This will give you good weld penetration.  70XX rods are generally drag rods; keep an steady travel speed and arc length.  Stringer's or straight weld beads are usually run on flat weld joints, or horizontal weld joints.  Vertical welds are sometimes made with a Z weave.  Side to side with half a diameter up for each Z motion.  Weaves make for nice, flat beads, but pump a lot of heat into the metal.  Not good for thin base metal.  Stringers can be run vertical up, and down with some rods.  Overhead welds can be either stringers or weaves.For a workbench, stick with 6011 or 6013 rods, run stringers using a whip and pause.  Orient each weld so it's flat, and leave a small gap, 1/2 the rod diameter, between the pieces you're welding together.  Make small tack welds at each joint, and adjust evey piece so it's plumb, square, and level before you move on to tack the next joint.  Once all the joints are tacked, go back and finish welding them out.  I'd practice on scrap till you're comfortable running beads before you weld out your bench.  And move from one joint to the opposite one as you weld them out.  This will help balance out any distortion and keep your bench square, plumb, and level.Good luck. Originally Posted by rutwadI figured people with my welding ignorance can often become a pain through so many questions.  When I said no details were needed on AC, DC+, DC-, I was referring to DC + or - caused the current to run this way or that way, AC is alternating current, etc. etc. etc.But I recall reading somewhere the differences being related to the strengh of the weld or penetration.  Maybe not, but I thought I did.  So for that question I am just wondering which setting will provide the stongest weld if there is a difference.  My welding SUCKS, so I figure I definitely need the strongest weld.As far as the rod turning red hot, this only happens sometimes.  I may burn a rod that doesn't turn red hot, then the next rod will without changing any settings.  So I figured human error has something to do with it.  I may have the setting too high, but could I be doing something wrong as well?  Maybe the rod is too far from the metal?I say "no details" because I figure you guys get tired of ignorant people like myself and I did not want anyone to go to the trouble of having to explain things to me.  I will take all the details you offer though.This all started when I found some scrap angle iron and decided to build me a shop bench/work table.  Now that I am trying to weld it together, I have found that welding is harder than nailing two boards together.  I just want my table to stay together!So I commit that I will read all the details you can offer, but I hate to be newB asking too many questions.  In case it is no bother, here are a few more questions   What role does rod diameter play?   Is it the 3rd or 4th digit of the rod number that indicates welding position?   Clean steel weld better, but what rod works best with rusty metal?   Welding with the rod real close sounds like it's popping alot.  Too far away and it  buzzes.  So I guess I need to be between the popping and buzzing?  How close should I try to keep the rod?   Do you drag the rod straight across the joint on a flat weld, or move slightly side to side?   There are probably alot of variable here and it is likely the dumbest question so far, but here goes.  How much weld should I get out of a rod?  Like a 6011 welding straight on   1/4" steel, the 14" rod (just guessing) should turn into a 4" weld?Now I have shown my ignorance, but I welcome any advice no matter how much detail you type.  I certainly appreciate the time you take.  I just hate coming here to ask so many questions, but I have nothing to offer.  Thanks again!
Reply:Originally Posted by A_DAB_will_doChoice of polarity is a function of what welding equipment you have available, what process (stick, MIG, TIG, etc.), what the base metal is, and what filler metal is being used, and what you're trying to accomplish.AC machines are cheap(relatively) so lots of people have them and the companies making stick rods make types that run well on AC polarity.  Stick rods for high performance applications are usually run DC+.  DC+ polarity puts most of the heat on the rod, and some of the heat on the base metal.  DC- is the exact opposite.  Normally melting the filler rod is good.  But some work is better done on DC-.  If the rod is capable of DC+ and DC-, sometimes it all comes down to welder preference.  The other processes, like MIG or TIG use their own particular polarity settings.  Yes, there are a couple factors that could explain why sometimes your welding rods turn red.  Generally speaking this is bad, and the culprit is too high an amperage setting on the machine.  But, sticking the welding rod to the work and creating a short will also overheat the rod, no matter if the amperage is correct or not.  Arc length affects the heat of the weld, although not normally to the extent that you can overheat the rod.  As a rule of thumb, keep an arc length equal to the rod diameter...We, don't mind beginners and beginners questions.  The only stupid question is the one that never gets asked.The third digit in the rod ID code tells you what position it can run in.  1 is all positions. 2 is flat and horizontal only.. For example 7018 is all position, so is 6011.  But 7024 is only flat or horizontal.6010, or 6011 rods work best on rusty metall.  Both are in the class of rods that have high penetration.  Welding rusty metal is harder than welding clean metal, and more likely to result in defective welds.  So do yourself a favor as a beginner and grind the rust off of your metal before you try to weld it.stick welding has an efficiency of 50-60%.  This means that only half the metal in a rod ends up as weld deposit.  How much weld depends on the weldor.The manipulations you make wiht the rod depend on the type of rod and teh position of the weld.  For 60XX rods you can use a whip and pause movement, 1 rod diameter forward, 1/2 rod diameter back, and pause.  This will give you good weld penetration.  70XX rods are generally drag rods; keep an steady travel speed and arc length.  Stringer's or straight weld beads are usually run on flat weld joints, or horizontal weld joints.  Vertical welds are sometimes made with a Z weave.  Side to side with half a diameter up for each Z motion.  Weaves make for nice, flat beads, but pump a lot of heat into the metal.  Not good for thin base metal.  Stringers can be run vertical up, and down with some rods.  Overhead welds can be either stringers or weaves.For a workbench, stick with 6011 or 6013 rods, run stringers using a whip and pause.  Orient each weld so it's flat, and leave a small gap, 1/2 the rod diameter, between the pieces you're welding together.  Make small tack welds at each joint, and adjust evey piece so it's plumb, square, and level before you move on to tack the next joint.  Once all the joints are tacked, go back and finish welding them out.  I'd practice on scrap till you're comfortable running beads before you weld out your bench.  And move from one joint to the opposite one as you weld them out.  This will help balance out any distortion and keep your bench square, plumb, and level.Good luck.
Reply:"Step away from the Quote button and no one will get hurt"Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:701? rods? with that much info it woud be like reaching into a box of mixes rod and blindly picking one. however the way they've been stored is going to make as much difference as what they are. 7014 should be easier for a first timer. 7018 will be really flustrating to learn with but they will become one of your friends.Tough as nails and damn near as smart
Reply:The 701x will be fine for your bench.Remember this: All welds shrink. And they do it in all three dimensions; length, width and depth. Welding is a never ending guessing game, 'how far is it going to move?'9-11-2001......We Will Never ForgetRetired desk jockey. Hobby weldor with a little training. Craftsman O/A---Flat, Vert, Ovhd, Horz. Miller Syncrowave 250
Reply:I am now informed and ready!  Just gotta get that pretty weld.  Thanks for all the help.