Q&A for How to Arc Weld

Maintain a consistent distance, refer to the manufacturer guidelines, make adjustments based on the electrode type, and pay attention to the appearance and sound of the arc. Practice, practice, practice!

Generally no, it's the arc you strike while welding that has the ability to damage your eyes.

Not advisable. If your gloves become damp with sweat, then doing so may shock you.

If you are using a DC set, then connect you return, that's the one with the negative sign on it ( - ) to the work piece. This has to do with the electron flow and the control of heat. By doing this, 2/3 of the heat generated will be in the work piece and 1/3 in the electrode. There are exceptions to this; notably cast iron is sometimes welded positive return to keep the work piece as cool as possible.

It is not necessary to apply water. If you weld the piece correctly, it will cool down and bond like it's supposed to.

No. Leave your gloves on. Your work piece will be hot.

Electrical shocks can be caused by bad grounding of work piece. Electricity follows the path of least resistance. If the grounding is bad, the current goes through you instead of the lead.

Start at the top, and go back and forth very slowly (horizontally) for an even more professional look.

In a DC welder, the clamp is the negative (the one with the minus sign), and the stinger, or electrode holder, is positive.

You should drag the electrode instead of pushing it. The steel get attaches better if you push the electrode.

Not for arc welding because it is an electrical arc, but there is another kind of welding called gas and setaline welding which requires gas.

Oxidization is the most likely answer. Rust is going to weaken the iron.

Striking is the method used to initiate the electrical arc between the metal and your electrode ("stick" or "rod") so that you can begin the welding process. You can choose to strike an arc the same way you'd strike a match, or you may prefer to tap the end of the electrode on the metal instead. Some rods work better with one method than the other, so experiment and see what works for you. Always remember to wear your hood when striking an arc.

Your electrode is not far enough away from the work piece to avoid sticking. Try adjusting just a tIny bit further out so you're floating above the work rather than touching it when you weld.

16 gauge is approximately 1/16" thick. You won't be able to use a stick welder on something so thin. Instead you can use either a MIG or TIG welder, or braze it together with a gas torch.

You will need to connect the machine to the recommended power source first, unless you're using an engine-driven welder. After that, assuming you're using a stick welder, all you need to do is connect the welding leads. Where you connect them on the machine depends on what polarity your weld requires, unless you're using AC output. The machine will be labeled as to which lead goes where.

If your'e using a metal welding table (in other words your work surface itself will be electrically live), then the proper step is to always take out the electrode from the stinger before setting it down. However, ideally you would go a step further and hang or place down the electrode lead and stinger away from the welding table/workpiece (which is connected to the welding machine's "earth cable"). In the latter case, so long as the electrode is not at risk of accidentally touching the welding table/workpiece when you don't want it to, you may leave the electrode still in the stinger with the machine/current still running, so long as you remain in the area. Turn the machine off if not in use.

Usually DCEP, but DCEN and AC can also be used with certain electrodes - if you are welding as a hobbyist at home it's up to you for your personal preference, but if you are working at a shop/for an employer ask your supervisor what they recommend.

The machine has probably exceeded its duty cycle - give it a rest for 10-20 minutes and try again - read the welder's manual to confirm this is the case - if in doubt, contact the manufacturer.

Either your volts/amps are set too low for the size rod you are using, or you are holding the rod much too close to the work - turn up your settings and weld another bead, close but not too close to the metal - you will find a huge difference. Also consider what rods you are using, 6013 or Stainless rods are generally some of the easiest to stick weld with, 6010/6011 and 7018 rods are a bit harder, then aluminium arc welding rods being by far the hardest.

Hold the rod close and drag slow - practice with different speeds and you will be able to see the difference between going too fast, too slow, and "just right".

Any welding process that creates slag - stick welding and fcaw to name a few - are reccomended to drag, not push, when welding. This is because the pushing action can inadvertently create slag inclusions in the weld - small pieces of non-metal slag - this can significantly weaken the strength of the weld.

Both welds can be equally as strong so long as the operator(welder) has sufficient skill to weld the joints correctly and at the right settings - that being said, it would be much easier and quicker to get a strong multi-pass mig weld on a 10mm steel plate, than it would with doing multi-pass stick, where slag needs to be angle grinded off and cleaned after every pass.

If you can hang the stinger and rod somewhere its not going to touch any metal, go for that, otherwise remove the rod and place both down on the table.

Run a few "beads" (test runs of weld) on a scrap metal the same thickness as your workpiece. Too high of a bead profile (your weld) means you are not using enough volts/amps...turn it up a little. too flat of a bead, and burn throughs (holes in your metal) mean you are using too much volts/amps...turn it down a little. After a while you will become used to knowing what volts/amps are good for what thickness metals and joint types, also depending on your welding style. Not all welders will use the same setting, as some people weld faster or slower than others.

Depends on your country and plug the machine has been fitted with. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer to avoid damaging your machine and/or voiding your warranty or causing possible electrical damage/fires/ short circuits, etc.

Little beads of metal around the weld, known as spatter, are virtually unavoidable when it comes to stick welding. However, spatter can be reduced by welding clean metal, setting the right amps and travel speed for the thickness of metal to be welded, and keeping a short arc. Spatter around arc welds can be angle grinded off afterwards, however if you want a clean weld every time without the need of any grinding afterwards, TIG welding is the way to go, however it does require significantly more operator skill and the use of shielding gas.

If you are having this occur, it is highly recommended that you change your welding helmet Immediately as it is likely defective. Ensure that the welding helmet you are using is rated for welding, regardless of what shade you are using on a proper welding helmet, partial blindness should never result, regardless of how long you welded for in a day. Some eye soreness however can result from using either too high (dark) a shade lens, or too low (light) a shade lens.

Some popular electrodes used for stick welding mild steel include, but are not limited to: 6010, 6011, 6012, 6013, 7014, 7018 and 7024. Each stick electrode will have different characteristics for welding, e.g. 6010 can be only used with DC, whereas 6011 can also use AC; 6013 is considered great for beginners, as it offers decent penetration with minimal spatter and easy-to-remove slag. However, it should be only used on relatively clean steel, whereas 6010/6011 electrodes are able to be used on dirty, rusty and even painted steels (however, a clean steel surface is usually recommended to get the best possible quality weld).

Yes. Always wear proper safety equipment, which includes leather gloves. Use pliers if you need to move the metal before it has cooled off.