Which process should i use?

[A-one]

Is flux core (NR 212) on a Lincoln 180 good enough to build a mobile smoker? Or should I be looking to a process where the filler metal has better specs (charpy v-notch ratings)? The 180 is only rated for 3/16" with solid wire and shielding gas, so I've kind of ruled it out. It's either the NR 212 or I'm going to get a stick machine (Titanium Stick 225) and run 7018.

The thickest steel I'll be working with is a 2½"x2½"x5/16" tongue. I won't really do anything to the tongue. There are holes already blown to put the coupler on with bolts (grade 8). At best I would add some bracing that would double as a platform for storage or a propane fryer. Everything else is 3/16" or 1/4".

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have never used Lincoln 212, only the 211NR. The 212 seems to be the same wire that Harbor Freight sell (ER71TG) so it should work Ok for your needs. I never use .045 wire, only .030 which will weld anything up to 1/4" easily and would likely weld much thicker with a few more passes. Anything thicker than that and I use my Miller stick machine with 6010 and 7018 rods.

 

[A-one]

I've used 1 spool of the 212. It makes a nice weld. I believe the Harbor Freight wire is a single pass wire though. The 212 is E71TG-G. The Vulcan wire is E71T-GS. The 212 welds about the same as 211, but it seems to make a smoother weld.

I'm watching you Gary, so I'm just going to use this as an opportunity to get a stick welder and see how I like it. I've played with one, but it isn't hard to run a bead in the flat position. I might get the hang of it with a little practice.

I just bit into the marketing hype about the Lincoln 180 being able to run .045. It only increases deposition rate, and that would only make a difference if I was dealing with something thicker than 1/4". If I get something thicker, and I can learn stick, that's what I'm using. I'm learning. Bear with me. It won't be the last rookie question that I ask.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Stick rod welding isnt hard to learn with just a little instruction. I taught welding to hundreds of students and usually could have a beginner who never struck an arc pass a D1.1 structural test in about 6 weeks of 2 hour sessions x 3 times a week. From that we would go to pipe welding and about 2 weeks of practice would enable them to pass a 6G pipe test. Once the basics are learned someone with the natural ability can progress rapidly.
Speaking of natural ability though, some wanna be welders just dont have it and no amount of instruction will ever make them a good welder. They may get to where they can run a decent bead on flat plate but never progress to the point of passing a test.

 

[A-one]

I think my problem with learning stick was nobody ever really told me what to do, and I couldn't see what others were doing. Anytime I would get a chance to play around with one, the rod was stuck to the piece. I just recently learned to strike it like a match. All the way from shop class in school i was stuck to the work. Now that I really think about it, where was the teacher?

 

[Gary Fowler]

With 7018 striking the arc is the hardest part, once burning, you can lay the stinger on the table and it will run a nice bead without a hand on it. Restarting a 7018 requires something like trying to drive a tack with the stinger. Just a quick sharp blow to break the melted flux on the end and quickly raise it away from the metal then a normal "strike the match " will get it started (usually). Sometimes it may take a couple of taps to break the flux. Sometime even the most experienced welder will get a stuck rod when striking an arc so dont be discouraged.

 

[A-one]

I got this little inverter stick welder that does pretty good from what I can tell. I've been playing with it most of the day. I just decided to try it for $100. It should handle pretty much anything that I would do with it. Here's a link if anybody wants to check out the specs.

AM AMICO ELECTRIC Amico 160 Amp Stick arc DC Inverter Welder IGBT 115-Volt and 230-Volt Dual Voltage Welding Machine New DC160A - The Home Depot

AMICO POWER DC-160 Amp Stick/arc Welding Machine, 115-Volt and 230-Volt Dual Voltage, Complete Package, Ready to Use. LCD Display, Very Convenient Function: Adopts IGBT Module Technology, Compact and Portable, Easy and Simple to Operate, Start arc easily, Stable Welding arc, Deep Weld Pool and...

www.homedepot.com

It's not a Lincoln or Miller that I would rather have, but it just might walk me to one of those. The only problem I have with it at the present is the on/ off switch is on the back of the case. I've been running it on 220V with 1/8" 6011s (90-100 amps) and 7018s (110-125 amps). That little sucker has some heart.

 

[Gary Fowler]

As I put in another post, switch out those 6011 with 6010 for the DC machine and you will get better results and start with clean metal.

 

[A-one]

As I put in another post, switch out those 6011 with 6010 for the DC machine and you will get better results and start with clean metal.

I was going to get 6010, but I saw somewhere that this welder has problems with it. If I run across a pound of it somewhere I'll try it. It runs the 6011 pretty good on DCEP though. I just need to get the whipping technique down.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I was going to get 6010, but I saw somewhere that this welder has problems with it. If I run across a pound of it somewhere I'll try it. It runs the 6011 pretty good on DCEP though. I just need to get the whipping technique down.

Porosity can be cause by holding the arc too long, rust or other contaminants in the weld and bad rods (moisture in the flux or in severe cases rust on the wire under the flux. Likely your case with start and stop porosity is long arcing or rusty metal (from the photo)

 

[A-one]

Porosity can be cause by holding the arc too long, rust or other contaminants in the weld and bad rods (moisture in the flux or in severe cases rust on the wire under the flux. Likely your case with start and stop porosity is long arcing or rusty metal (from the photo)

I'm pretty sure it's the long arcing then. I went out today and grinder some of the welds out. The porosity was only on the surface. Solid weld inside. When I start I always have to tighten the arc up, and when I stop I probably should whip out instead of just pulling up. I'm catching on. I like this better than running wire.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I was going to get 6010, but I saw somewhere that this welder has problems with it. If I run across a pound of it somewhere I'll try it. It runs the 6011 pretty good on DCEP though. I just need to get the whipping technique down.

Actually you dont need much more than a slight zigzag weave (not more than 3 times the width of the wire-not the rod diameter including the flux, wire only)technique to run a fillet weld with either 6010 or 7018. If you are running a root pass with a wide gap with 60XX then stepping forward out of the puddle to allow it to solidify then back into it is the proper technique. Some folks use 7018 to fill a gap like running a root pass, but that is not recommended for LH rods especially with novice welders. It can be done but it is very difficult to do without burning large holes or trapping massive amounts of slag.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'm pretty sure it's the long arcing then. I went out today and grinder some of the welds out. The porosity was only on the surface. Solid weld inside. When I start I always have to tighten the arc up, and when I stop I probably should whip out instead of just pulling up. I'm catching on. I like this better than running wire.

You have the right idea about abruptly terminating the weld arc. Also when starting the arc, strike it a bit ahead of your weld and quickly traverse back to the weld area while shortening your arc to the proper length. Then you will be welding over the arc strike area which should burn out any imperfections deposited with the arc strike.

 

[A-one]

I'm getting it. It's just going to take some practice. Today I was messing around with the flux core welder, and I've noticed that a stick weld goes a little faster. At least for me. The wire has to hang in there a little while to build the weld up and give the arc a chance to burn the base metal out. I guess I was wrong in a discussion I was having with somebody else about which process was hotter. Stick requires less amperage than flux core for a given base metal thickness.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I'm getting it. It's just going to take some practice. Today I was messing around with the flux core welder, and I've noticed that a stick weld goes a little faster. At least for me. The wire has to hang in there a little while to build the weld up and give the arc a chance to burn the base metal out. I guess I was wrong in a discussion I was having with somebody else about which process was hotter. Stick requires less amperage than flux core for a given base metal thickness.

When the wire is running at sometimes over 400 IPM then it does take more amps to keep it burning off quickly, but it just keeps coming and no stopping ot change rods which is why it deposits more weld metal per hour than a stick rod. It can weld thinner metal because the arc is not as hot on the base metal since over 60% of the amps is in the wire and not on the base.

 

[A-one]

Oh yeah, your a teacher. There is a little basic electricity knowledge that is helpful to know. From what I've read and understand, most of the heat is on the item that is tied to the negative lead. Self shielding flux core is electrode negative. The elections flow from the wire to the work, which creates most of the heat on the wire. The stick electrodes I've been using are electrode positive, which puts the heat on the base metal as the electrons flow from it to the stick electrode. Just something I thought I'd toss out there for those who don't know. I probably need to practice more on the welding and put the phone down.