I posted ealier about rods to buy (Welding Rod Assorment). I got my rods in
today, and I started playing with them. I had a steel junk piece that had
some rust on it, so I took it to the wirewheel on my grinder.I cleaned it up
with that then got the rest with a wire brush. I tried to use some of the
rods, but I was unable to get them to strike till I was about 120 Amps. That
seems pretty high, I mostly work with pretty small metal. Ohh yes, I forgot
to mention it's all 3/32 and 1/8 inch rod. I've tried 6011, 6013, and 7014
and got the same results with all of them. Did I just buy rods that are too
big or does it sound like something else is wrong. The welder I'm using is
an old Craftsman 60hz AC welder, it can go from 20 Amps to 300 Amps. Any
help would be appreciated. Thanks

-Zipper

You can lose twenty amps if your ground is poor. The "best" clamp is the
type that are bronze C clamps. The common spring loaded grounds can fool
you if they have trouble breaking through the oxide layer.
Every machine is a bit different in settings. The dial may read 100
amps but it might deliver ten either way. Shop welders often have a
multitude of felt marker lines put on them by different people at different
times. The numbers are not highly accurate.
Also long runs of cable have an effect on the final amps at the
electrode.
120 amps sounds high for the 6011 and low for the 7018. That does not mean
a thing. I have seen welders successfully pass weld tests and have
preferences that varied as much as twenty amps.
Randy


"Zipper" wrote in message
news:e3AZb.232511$U%5.1480854@attbi_s03...
I posted ealier about rods to buy (Welding Rod Assorment). I got my rods
in
today, and I started playing with them. I had a steel junk piece that had
some rust on it, so I took it to the wirewheel on my grinder.I cleaned it
up
with that then got the rest with a wire brush. I tried to use some of the
rods, but I was unable to get them to strike till I was about 120 Amps.
That
seems pretty high, I mostly work with pretty small metal. Ohh yes, I
forgot
to mention it's all 3/32 and 1/8 inch rod. I've tried 6011, 6013, and 7014
and got the same results with all of them. Did I just buy rods that are
too
big or does it sound like something else is wrong. The welder I'm using is
an old Craftsman 60hz AC welder, it can go from 20 Amps to 300 Amps. Any
help would be appreciated. Thanks

-Zipper