Quick Welding Tips

Why Keep 7018 Electrodes Dry

Stick welders often use 7018 electrodes for structural welds, and the codes for these electrodes can be quite strict. 7018 electrodes need to be kept in a hermetically sealed bag or in a rod oven at 250 degrees when not in use. However, plenty of welders have stories about a guy who found a box of ten-year old 7018 electrodes laying around the shop and then laid down perfect beads with them.

Is heating 7018 electrodes a waste of time?

Applications for 7018 Electrodes

The nature of the job for your electrodes will determine how you store them. If you’re just making simple welds that won’t bear any weight, a 7018 will hold two pieces of metal together. The real difference comes with load-bearing welds. Any moisture that seeps into the electrode from air contact over a prolonged period of time will compromise the strength of your weld. For structural or load-bearing welds, it’s imperative that you keep your electrodes warm and dry.

Storage of 7018 Electrodes

The best way to store 7018 electrodes for professional welders will be in a specially designed oven. However, if you’re just welding as a hobbyist, you can either buy small quantities of 7018 electrodes in properly sealed bags or stick to 6011 electrodes that only need to be kept dry.

Learn more about Stick Welding Electrodes at Baker’s Gas and Welding. 

 

How to Review a MIG Welder

If you stop by a friend’s shop or a welding supply store, and you want to review their selection of MIG welders and find the best fit for your home welding projects or your welding business, you need to know what sets welders apart from one another. How can you review a MIG welder in order to find the best MIG machine for your welding needs?

Here are a few tips on how to review a MIG Welder:

Review a MIG Welder with Different Metals

Two of the most common metals for a MIG Welder are stainless steel and aluminum. Test these metals at a variety of thicknesses, speeds, and positions. Make sure you know whether a low quality weld can be blamed on the welding machine and not the metal or your technique.

In particular, test the quality of the spool gun that comes with your MIG welder.

Review a MIG Welder with Different Shielding Gases

Straight CO2 tends to spatter a bit more than a mixture of 75/25 AR/CO2, but if you can sort out the right settings for your project, you should be able to weld a clean bead with either gas in many situations. However, many welders still prefer the clean welding provided by a mixture. Test your welder with different shielding gases to see how smooth it can weld in a variety of situations.

Review a MIG Welder’s Voltage Settings

There are two different ways to dial in your voltage settings on a MIG welder. Some click into specific settings, while others use a rotating nob that present a wide variety of options. A high quality of welder should function well with either option.

Review a MIG Welder with Different Weld Joints

From butt joints to lap joints, test your welder in a variety of positions for different types of weld joints. If you can test the welder on scrap metal, cut through the metal to see if the MIG welder is providing enough penetration into the weld joint. 

Learn more about How to Choose a Welder.

Getting Started with Plasma Cutting

Plasma cutting is an efficient and effective way to cut metal since it use a plasma arc to cut metal rather than mixing oxygen with a cutting fuel. Plasma cutters tend to be safer to use and don’t require ongoing fuel expenses, though they do cost more up front.

If you’re planning on using a plasma cutter, good ventilation is important. If you can cut with an open garage door or a good ventilation system, you won’t have to inhale the smoke created while cutting. A fan can also help circulate air so that it doesn’t sit around in your shop. If you’re in an enclosed space, look into picking up a ventilation system.

Safety Concerns for Plasma Cutting

Besides controlling your air quality, there are several important safety concerns to consider with a plasma cutter:

• Make sure your home or shop has the right voltage for your plasma cutter.
• Use high quality grounding clamps in order to protect yourself from shock.
• A trigger lock will keep your torch safe from accidentally going off.
• Auto-darkening helmets have a cutting mode. Use enough shade to protect your eyes while cutting. Sunglasses aren’t enough to properly protect your eyes when all of the sparks start flying.
• Cut on a surface where the melted material won’t cause a fire.

Roll Tips

You can use plasma cutting tips that either cut right along the metal or cut from a short distance away. If the metal is relatively thin and you want to try to make a precise cut, a roll tip is ideal, especially since you can run it along a ruler.

Learn the Best Cutting Speed

Plasma cutting is quite simple compared to other cutting methods, but you do need to master the right cutting speed in order to ensure that you cut right through the metal rather than running along the top of the metal. Practice the best cutting speed on scrap metal first.

Learn more about plasma cutters and the basics of plasma cutting at Baker’s Gas and Welding.

 

5 Mistakes You Never Want to Make in a Welding Shop

Welding safety isn’t rocket science, but it does take a little planning and possibly a financial investment up front. Don’t save up for a welder and then spend all of your money on it without planning for the safety materials you’ll need in order to use it safely. Here are five mistakes you never want to make when you’re welding.

Welding on an Unknown Surface

In an article on The Fabricator, a welding instructor shared the story of a welder who set up his metal work pieces on a large metal drum. It looked like a fine, stable surface. The one problem is that the drum was filled with flammable fluid that exploded when he struck his arc. That welder didn’t survive to learn from his mistake, but everyone at the job site learned a sad and costly lesson about always knowing your surroundings when you start welding.

Welding on an Unstable Surface

Whether you fabricate your own welding cart or buy a new one, make sure you begin welding on a stable surface. This means either finding a flat spot in your garage or investing in the right kind of welding table for your projects. Some welders drill holes into the concrete in their garages and insert pins into their welding tables so they can stay in place effectively.

Welding Near Water

If you’re welding at home and your garage springs a leak, avoid welding until you’ve fixed the leak and taken care of the water. Welders are  high voltage machines that can prove deadly when water enters the equation.

Welding Near Flammable Materials

If you do woodworking in your garage, a pile of sawdust can ignite if sparks from your welding machine sit and smolder long enough in the sawdust. Rugs or cardboard boxes can also become hazards. It’s best to rethink your storage materials and the other projects you work on in your garage if you plan on welding in there.

Welding without Electrical Safety

If you’ve had to upgrade your electrical outlets in order to accommodate your 220V welder, be sure to contact a professional in order to perform the upgrade or at least inspect your electrical set up. You’ll also want to make sure everything in your garage is up to date according to local zoning codes. You usually get only one chance to make sure your electrical set up is safe!

Learn More about Welding Safety at Baker’s Gas and Welding

 

Miller’s iPhone and Android App for Welders

If you’re interested in quickly figuring out your welder’s settings, the answer is as close as your cell phone with the Miller Weld Setting Calculator app for iPhone and Android. So long as you have access to your phone, you can punch in which kind of welder you’re using, what kind of metal you’re welding, and the metal’s thickness, Miller’s clean and easy to use app will tell you what you need to know.

Though some reviewers have noted that the app doesn’t give specifications for out of position jobs, Miller’s app provides quite a lot of useful information in a few touches. Even experienced welding instructors have adopted this app since it’s so easy to use.

Regarding this app, Miller says, “Get your weld settings… with the Miller Weld Setting Calculator app. The calculator will help you tune your machine for optimal results based on a few simple questions. Weld calculators are handy references for weld parameters, electrode/wire type, basic techniques and process information for TIG, Stick or MIG.”

Miller has made this app available for both iPhones and Android phones. The app is a free download so that you can check it out today.

Learn more welding tips: Visit Baker’s Welding Learning Center