Stick versatility

[jmonroe]

Please forgive me, I'm pretty new at this. I just layed my first beads with a stick machine last night. I've gotten half decent with a MIG over the past month or so, but decided it was time to try something different,

Anyway, I'm wondering about the versatility of a stick machine. I know they are good for thicker metal, but how thin of metal can you reasonbly weld. Also, I didn't think they could be used on aluminum, but then I saw somewhere selling aluminum rod. Is this true.

Ideally I would like to buy a MIG, but I just can't afford one right now so I'm looking at some of the cheaper AC only stick machines. What are your thoughts on these.

Thanks in advance

-Joel

[Hobart Expert Rock]

JMONROE...........WELCOME ABOARD.......... THE STICK MACHINES IN QUESTION ARE BASICALLY ENTRY LEVER MACHINES...... WHEN I STARTED WELDING THAT IS WHAT I LEARNED ON AS HAVE A MULTITUDE OF OTHER PEOPLE................ THEY TEND TO LAST FOR YEARS.......BUT.......... FOR THIN MATERIAL MIG OR TIG IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO..................TIG IS A CONSTANT CURRENT AS IS STICK..... MIG IS CONSTANT VOLTAGE.............CONSTANT VOLTAGE EQUALS LOWER WELDING AMPS..........................TYPICAL OF MIG MACHINES...............ENJOY THE SITE AND REMEMBER THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS........... ONLY UNASKED ONES........... HAVE SOME FUN NOW............................ROCK............... ..
[email protected]

[Hobart Expert Dave]

Those aluminum welding rods you see are for welding DC only. As far as I know I have never seen an eluminum electrode that can be used for AC welding. You will have fun welding with AC, Look for alot of weld spatter and lots of burn through to start with, AC welding is very hot. IT is very tough to weld anything below 1/16 material because of the Alternating Current. DC is the way to go and Mig is the best. But if your straped for money you have to start some where and AC welding is better than no welding.
Have Fun
Dave Evans

[Franz]

As far as I'm concerned, AC stick is THE way to learn to weld.
Frustrating as ****, but since there is very little forgiveness to the process, it will make a weldOr out of you.
Once you've mastered it, moving on to any other process is a walk in the park.
1/16 metal is doable, and there are plenty of cheats, such as a copper backer block, that will make going thin relatively easy.
Once you've got a handle on AC stick, any position, including overhead is possible. If and when you move on to
DC overhead, you'll be amazed how easy DC is, and glad you have the technique.

[cope]

Originally posted by Franz
As far as I'm concerned, AC stick is THE way to learn to weld.
Frustrating as ****, but since there is very little forgiveness to the process, it will make a weldOr out of you.
Once you've mastered it, moving on to any other process is a walk in the park.
1/16 metal is doable, and there are plenty of cheats, such as a copper backer block, that will make going thin relatively easy.
Once you've got a handle on AC stick, any position, including overhead is possible. If and when you move on to
DC overhead, you'll be amazed how easy DC is, and glad you have the technique.

I agree, if you bypass stick you have lost out on a valuable experience. For many around the house/shop jobs, stick is all you need and can be set-up for a fraction of the cost of a Mig.

[jmonroe]

I'm learning at a community college. Already spent 5 weeks doing MIG, just started stick this week. So far all I have done is lay some beads with 6010. When I started, I was sticking almost every rod, but by the end of the night I had it down somewhat decently.

Thanks for your responses, they help a lot. While we're on it, what do you think of the 225 amp machine that Home Depot has for $230? Is that a decent machine, or do you think I would be better served with a little better unit?

-Joel

[cope]

Originally posted by jmonroe
I'm learning at a community college. Already spent 5 weeks doing MIG, just started stick this week. So far all I have done is lay some beads with 6010. When I started, I was sticking almost every rod, but by the end of the night I had it down somewhat decently.

Thanks for your responses, they help a lot. While we're on it, what do you think of the 225 amp machine that Home Depot has for $230? Is that a decent machine, or do you think I would be better served with a little better unit?

-Joel

Joel, if its a Lincoln, it is OK. I prefer the variable amp adjustment on the Miller and Hobart crackerboxes, but a lot of welds have been made on the Lincolns.

[Franz]

Lincoln 225 toumbstone was the first machine I owned back 45 years ago, and I still own it.
Back then they were copper wound, and in my opinion, a lot better machine than the new ones.
If that machine won't make a weldOr out of you, nothing will.

[Old Man Stick]

Originally posted by jmonroe
I'm learning at a community college. Already spent 5 weeks doing MIG, just started stick this week. So far all I have done is lay some beads with 6010. When I started, I was sticking almost every rod, but by the end of the night I had it down somewhat decently.

Thanks for your responses, they help a lot. While we're on it, what do you think of the 225 amp machine that Home Depot has for $230? Is that a decent machine, or do you think I would be better served with a little better unit?

-Joel

Joel if your just starting out Look in your paper. Maybe something like a traiding times? You can fine those tomestone welders in there used for like 100 bucks. Great thing is buy one for 100 use it for a year or two then sell it for a 100 bucks. ! LOL thay weld for ever! if you take care of them!

OMS

[R. Nelson]

Originally posted by cope


I agree, if you bypass stick you have lost out on a valuable experience. For many around the house/shop jobs, stick is all you need and can be set-up for a fraction of the cost of a Mig.

I have to agree with my brethren, learn stick, if you do that, the rest will come. And practice,practice,practice,....I have been practicing for 3 years, and still practicing. Welding is more an art than it is science, some people just can not do it.
Don't get frustrated, hang in there and enjoy,......and.. I very wise man once told me "Show me a man that don't f-------P, I'll show you a man that don't do a **** thing.