You got plenty of good suggestions Deve, but here's a couple more. When
welding next to a previous
tack, try starting the arc on the old tack and then "washing" the molten weld
metal into the 18
gauge steel. This puts the initial strike on the tack which is thicker than
the panel and will help
reduce the tendency to blow through the panel. Just keep putting in small
tacks. Trying to carry
the weld puddle for any distance on thin material just ends up creating more
heat and eventually
blow holes. Also, try not to turn down your welding amperage and voltage too
far. If you're
getting real high, lumpy beads, you may have insufficient penetration and the
tendency is to have to
hold the arc longer to get a good weld deposit. This extra time creates more
heat build-up and thus
holes. I turned up the juice a bit and kept the tacks small and had more
success. It's like
painting, you get a feel for what works after a while. Keep practicing, it
took me a while before I
started getting real comfortable. I did find that one of those speed-glas
auto-darkening helmets is
best for this, though they are expensive. It's easier for a beginner to see
what he's doing and
where to best strike the arc, without having to constantly flip your helmet
down each time. Mine
was the best present my wife ever gave me!
Wally / Templeton, MA
53 3100 rod project
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