How to Weld
Gather your materials., Put on your safety gear., Prepare the area to be welded in., Set up the machine., Use the correct electrode., Clean the metal before welding., Set the joint., Strike a welding arc., Build up a weld pool., Start moving the...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Gather your materials.
You should have a welding machine, electrode holder with lead, ground clamp with lead, electrodes, and metal to be welded.
You will also need are a chipping hammer to get rid of the slag and a wire brush to clean the welds. -
Step 2: Put on your safety gear.
This includes a welding helmet (shade #10 or higher), welding jacket or cotton sweatshirt, pants without cuffs, work boots, gloves, and safety glasses.
DO NOT wear tennis shoes, frayed clothes, pants with cuffs, a t-shirt, a shirt with open pockets, or sleeveless shirts. , Remove all flammable material and find a good surface to weld on.
Although you can put the ground connection right on the piece you are welding, most shops have a large metal workbench that the ground is hooked up to.
If there are other people present, set up welding curtains around the work area.
This will protect them from UV damage. , Most welding machines are fairly straight forward.
You should most likely be using an amperage of around 90-120 amps, although this should be adjusted for metal thickness and electrode diameter. , DCEP (direct current electrode positive) sets the arc to go from the metal to the electrode, heating the metal more.
DCEN (direct current electrode negative) has the reverse effect.
For stick welding, DCEP will give your weld more penetration.
You should select the electrode appropriate for AC or DC welding, depending on your machine.
Make sure the electrodes are dry.
Electrodes used for DCEP are E6010, E6011, E6013, E7014, E7018, and E7024.
AC (alternating current) electrodes are E6011, E6013, E7014, and E7018AC.
E6010 and E6011 are especially useful for rusted, painted, or dirty metal that you can’t clean.
E6013 is an all-purpose electrode that is great for projects where the joints fit poorly. , This can be done by brushing the surface(s) to be welded with a wire brush or a grinder.
Remove as much rust or paint from the metal as possible.
Use acetone to clean oils off the metal, especially aluminum.
DO NOT use a chlorinated solvent, as the reaction when heated with a welder can kill you instantly.
Just because the metal is shiny, doesn’t mean it is clean.
Use a hard grinding disc to remove the layer of mill scale and get down to the bare metal.
This is most applicable to steel. , Use clamps and vises to ensure that the joint you are welding is precisely and firmly held together. , This is accomplished by tapping the metal and quickly pulling up or striking it like a match.
You are completing the circuit and pulling away, which causes the electricity to jump from the electrode to the metal.
Most modern welding helmets allow you to see clearly until you strike the arc, and then darken automatically to protect your eyes from UV damage.
Some older or cheaper helmets just use a tinted lens that is too dark to see through unless welding.
In this case, you should find where you want to start welding and flip the helmet down with your other hand, then strike the arc. , When a stable arc can be maintained, ignore the end of the electrode and instead watch the pool of molten metal.
To create a good pool, you should stay where you started for a second or two before moving.
The arc gap should be no wider than 1/8" from rod tip to metal.
This gap dimension should be maintained by feeding or gently pushing the electrode toward the molten weld puddle.
If the gap gets too wide, it will lead to excessive spatter. , Keep the electrode at an angle a few degrees shy of 90°.
Don't travel too fast; as a general guide you want to use about an inch of electrode for each inch of weld.
When moving the weld pool, you can go in a straight line (a stringer bead) or move around in small circles.
It is important to maintain a constant arc length, or distance from the tip of the electrode to the metal.
This can be hard at first since the electrode is constantly burning down.
Continue moving the pool towards the end of the metal.
Again, make sure your travel speed and arc length are steady. , Pull the electrode back from the metal and allow it a few seconds to cool.
The metal will still be very hot at this point, but it should no longer be red hot. , Slag is a residue left from the welding process.
During the weld, the slag protects the hot metal from contaminants.
The slag covering does not cool at the same rate as the weld bead, which can cause the slag to pop off the weld.
Use the chipping hammer to break the slag off the weld.
Safety glasses should be worn while welding so that when the shield is raised the eyes are protected.
Tap the slag only hard enough to loosen the slag and avoid putting hammer marks in the new weld.
Use the wire brush to clean the weld.
Remove as many excess particles as possible, especially if you are going to do another pass. , A welder's first welds are often poor and do not take stress well.
However, practice changes this.
Make another pass to fix any gaps or incomplete welds. , If this is only practice, dipping the metal in water will cool it faster.
Cooling in water will make the weld brittle, so allow any structural welds to cool by air instead. -
Step 3: Prepare the area to be welded in.
-
Step 4: Set up the machine.
-
Step 5: Use the correct electrode.
-
Step 6: Clean the metal before welding.
-
Step 7: Set the joint.
-
Step 8: Strike a welding arc.
-
Step 9: Build up a weld pool.
-
Step 10: Start moving the weld pool across the metal.
-
Step 11: Finish the weld.
-
Step 12: Clean the slag.
-
Step 13: Examine the weld.
-
Step 14: Allow the metal to cool.
Detailed Guide
You should have a welding machine, electrode holder with lead, ground clamp with lead, electrodes, and metal to be welded.
You will also need are a chipping hammer to get rid of the slag and a wire brush to clean the welds.
This includes a welding helmet (shade #10 or higher), welding jacket or cotton sweatshirt, pants without cuffs, work boots, gloves, and safety glasses.
DO NOT wear tennis shoes, frayed clothes, pants with cuffs, a t-shirt, a shirt with open pockets, or sleeveless shirts. , Remove all flammable material and find a good surface to weld on.
Although you can put the ground connection right on the piece you are welding, most shops have a large metal workbench that the ground is hooked up to.
If there are other people present, set up welding curtains around the work area.
This will protect them from UV damage. , Most welding machines are fairly straight forward.
You should most likely be using an amperage of around 90-120 amps, although this should be adjusted for metal thickness and electrode diameter. , DCEP (direct current electrode positive) sets the arc to go from the metal to the electrode, heating the metal more.
DCEN (direct current electrode negative) has the reverse effect.
For stick welding, DCEP will give your weld more penetration.
You should select the electrode appropriate for AC or DC welding, depending on your machine.
Make sure the electrodes are dry.
Electrodes used for DCEP are E6010, E6011, E6013, E7014, E7018, and E7024.
AC (alternating current) electrodes are E6011, E6013, E7014, and E7018AC.
E6010 and E6011 are especially useful for rusted, painted, or dirty metal that you can’t clean.
E6013 is an all-purpose electrode that is great for projects where the joints fit poorly. , This can be done by brushing the surface(s) to be welded with a wire brush or a grinder.
Remove as much rust or paint from the metal as possible.
Use acetone to clean oils off the metal, especially aluminum.
DO NOT use a chlorinated solvent, as the reaction when heated with a welder can kill you instantly.
Just because the metal is shiny, doesn’t mean it is clean.
Use a hard grinding disc to remove the layer of mill scale and get down to the bare metal.
This is most applicable to steel. , Use clamps and vises to ensure that the joint you are welding is precisely and firmly held together. , This is accomplished by tapping the metal and quickly pulling up or striking it like a match.
You are completing the circuit and pulling away, which causes the electricity to jump from the electrode to the metal.
Most modern welding helmets allow you to see clearly until you strike the arc, and then darken automatically to protect your eyes from UV damage.
Some older or cheaper helmets just use a tinted lens that is too dark to see through unless welding.
In this case, you should find where you want to start welding and flip the helmet down with your other hand, then strike the arc. , When a stable arc can be maintained, ignore the end of the electrode and instead watch the pool of molten metal.
To create a good pool, you should stay where you started for a second or two before moving.
The arc gap should be no wider than 1/8" from rod tip to metal.
This gap dimension should be maintained by feeding or gently pushing the electrode toward the molten weld puddle.
If the gap gets too wide, it will lead to excessive spatter. , Keep the electrode at an angle a few degrees shy of 90°.
Don't travel too fast; as a general guide you want to use about an inch of electrode for each inch of weld.
When moving the weld pool, you can go in a straight line (a stringer bead) or move around in small circles.
It is important to maintain a constant arc length, or distance from the tip of the electrode to the metal.
This can be hard at first since the electrode is constantly burning down.
Continue moving the pool towards the end of the metal.
Again, make sure your travel speed and arc length are steady. , Pull the electrode back from the metal and allow it a few seconds to cool.
The metal will still be very hot at this point, but it should no longer be red hot. , Slag is a residue left from the welding process.
During the weld, the slag protects the hot metal from contaminants.
The slag covering does not cool at the same rate as the weld bead, which can cause the slag to pop off the weld.
Use the chipping hammer to break the slag off the weld.
Safety glasses should be worn while welding so that when the shield is raised the eyes are protected.
Tap the slag only hard enough to loosen the slag and avoid putting hammer marks in the new weld.
Use the wire brush to clean the weld.
Remove as many excess particles as possible, especially if you are going to do another pass. , A welder's first welds are often poor and do not take stress well.
However, practice changes this.
Make another pass to fix any gaps or incomplete welds. , If this is only practice, dipping the metal in water will cool it faster.
Cooling in water will make the weld brittle, so allow any structural welds to cool by air instead.
About the Author
James Reed
Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: