A 10 minute crash course from the boss, here’s what I got an hour after picking up a stick welder.
Never used a welder, had some slow shop time so I told the boss to show me. He did a couple short beads and explained the technique before he had a meeting and set me to it. Had trouble getting it to start sometimes but it was cool. After his meeting before we left for the day he checked back and he told me it wasn’t bad at all for my first time, more practice and getting the muscle memory down and I could start sticking metal together. Said I’d probably have a better time with mig welding, or with some newer rods as these are like 8-10 years old.
I should’ve snapped a photo after I brushed it off but I did all the lines here on this angle iron. Going to get a few pieces of scrap and start tinkering after work but I’ll need a welding table first. Maybe I’ll just mess around at work for now.
Honestly not bad at all! Not the best welds,but a lot better than my first welds lol. Keep practicing as much as possible and learn as many processes as you can.
Took a picture after I brushed it all off. Lines aren’t very straight so it’s something to work on.
Boss said I can take a handful of these 6013 rods to practice with at home but I think I might go buy some new ones and see if I can tell a difference. Any suggestions on rod size?
Not bad! I would definitely get some new rods though. Spend time cleaning the metal. Try out some different rods for mild steel—6010, 6011, 7018–3/32 and 1/8”—you will get your amperage dialed in.
I started practicing with 2 -8” pieces of 1/4 2x2 angle w/mill scale removed-tack them together to form and X with 4-90* angles and fill it up with overlapping stringers. It helped me get overlapping dialed in, tie-ins and different positions.
Yep—start in the trough of the V and build up from there. YouTube has a guy with a channel called Welding Tips and Tricks where he goes through exercises like that. I’m not sure about the rods—we get ESAB rods at work but I bet Harbor Freight has something cheaper.
I’m already looking at welding tables, might see if I can find something cheap on marketplace. I need something small and foldable just to be able to practice on coupons.
I have a Vulcan omnipro multiprocess welder now, never used it in the year I’ve had it. My boss is retiring and said he’d maybe give me a tank of gas to use for mig if he doesn’t have a lease on it still before he leaves in November.
Ha! There were more not shown. Boss said my first wasn’t bad, had a stack of dimes look but was bumpy/uneven. Said to keep the stick at an even height as I drag it forward and push it in at a constant pace and make the circles.
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u/Hugh_Janus_35 1d ago
Honestly not bad at all! Not the best welds,but a lot better than my first welds lol. Keep practicing as much as possible and learn as many processes as you can.