7 | LEARNING TO STICK WELD | 7 |
Overhead Welding
Various techniques are used for overhead welding. However, in the interest of simplicity for the inexperi- enced welder the following technique will probably take care of most of his needs for overhead welding:
1.Use 1/8" (3.2mm) at
2.Put the electrode in the holder so it sticks straight out.
3.Hold the electrode at an angle approximately 30° off vertical, both seen from the side and seen from the end.
The most important thing is to hold a VERY SHORT arc. (A long arc will result in falling molten metal; a short arc will make the metal stay.)
If necessary — and that is dictated by the looks of the molten puddle — a slight back and forth motion along the seam with the electrode will help prevent “dripping.”
Welding Sheet Metal
Welding sheet metal presents an additional problem. The thinness of the metal makes it very easy to burn through. Follow these few simple rules:
1.Hold a very short arc. (This prevents burn through, since beginners seem to hold too long an arc.)
2.Use 1/8” (3.2mm) or 3/32" (2.4mm) Fleetweld® 180 electrode.
3.Use low amperage. 75 amps for 1/8" (3.2mm) elec- trode,
4.Move fast. Don’t keep the heat on any given point too long. Keep going. Whip the electrode.
5.Use lap welds whenever possible. This doubles the thickness of the metal.
Hardfacing
There are several kinds of wear. The two most often encountered are:
1.Metal to Ground Wear.
(Plowshares, bulldozer blades, buckets, cultivator shares, and other metal parts moving in the soil.)
2.Metal to Metal Wear.
(Trunnions, shafts, rollers and idlers, crane and mine car wheels, etc.)
Each of these types of wear demands a different kind of hardsurfacing electrode.
When applying the proper electrode, the service life of the part will in most cases be more than double. For instance, hardsurfacing of plowshares results in
How to Hardface the Sharp Edge (Metal to Ground Wear)
1.Grind the share, approximately one inch (25mm) wide along the edge, so the metal is bright.
2.Place the share on an incline of approximately 20- 30°. The easiest way to do this is to put one end of the share on a brick. (See drawing.)
Most users will want to hardface the underside of the share, but some might find that the wear is on the top side. The important thing is to hardface the side that wears.
3.Use 1/8" (3.2mm) Wearshield™ ABR electrode at
4.The bead should be put on with a weaving motion, and it should be 1/2” to 3/4" (12.5 to 19mm) wide. Do not let the arc blow over the edge, as that will dull the edge. (See drawing.)
5.Use the
NOTE: The entire process is rather fast. Many begin- ners go much too slow when hardfacing plow shares, running the risk of burning through the thin metal.
