Learning How To Arc Weld Can Be Fun and Easy
Posted: Friday, November 23, 2007
by Jeff Bowerman
Learning how to weld is really not that difficult. Most welders learn arc welding first. The easiest way to start welding is simply by practicing. You can pickup a cheap arc welder from somewhere like harborfreight tools. It will cost you under $120.
You will also need a welding helmet, welding gloves, a heavy jacket and some welding rods. Take my advice, spend the extra money and get an auto darkening helmet. It will make learning so much easier. You will also want to get a supply of scrap steel to practice on. This can be picked up at a scrap yard.
Find an appropriate area, somewhere outdoors, without anything flammable around. Secure your scrap steel to some kind of table at a comfortable working height. Attach the ground to the steel. Place the welding rod in the other clamp. Put on your heavy jacket, gloves, helmet and thick pants. Turn on the welder, set it at somewhere around 80 amps to start with.
To start the arc you want to jab the electrode at the steel, then slightly pull back. If it sticks, break it free and try again. If it continues to stick, turn the amps up. Once you have an arc going you will need to feed the electrode into it to maintain the arc. You want it about 1/4 of an inch from the metal. When it is at the right distance it will make a crackling noise. If it is too far away it will be more of a popping noise, with sparks and metal flying in all directions. If it is too close, it will stick to the metal.
The first thing you want to practice is simply laying a bead on a single piece of metal. Once you have that down, you can move on to connecting two pieces of metal together.
Checkout my welding blog to learn many tips and tricks that will save you from much frustration. Remember, when learning how to weld safety comes first! You can instantly cause permament eye damage from looking at the arc without a helmet on. Also welding fumes are highly toxic. Be sure any bystanders are aware of this.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)mine only sparks for a second or two then i cant get it to spark again for each stick. What am i doing wrong?
Sounds like a wet/damp welding rod, or possibly incorrect type of rod. Have you tried with a different type of rod? I had the same thing happen to me when I first started. I was using 7018 rods, and I didn't know that they had to be stored in a rod oven. If you have only tried with one package/type of rods, try getting a fresh package of 6010 rods (if your welding steel). Those rods are the easiest to work with. They need to be stored in a low humidity area, tightly sealed.
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