Jump to content

Miller Maxstar 140


MikeyB

Recommended Posts

*Misunderstood original post, disregard*

 

There are some great videos online. Also, if you have cable, Ian from Xtreme Off-road(formerly Xtreme 4x4) did a lot of tips. It's a lot easier to learn from watching than to learn from reading.

 

One thing I've noticed is that the formerly trained guys and the guys that just pick it up do one thing differently with their nozzles. The guys that pick it up tend to finish the weld and put the torch down or move it right away. The formerly trained guys keep the nozzle on the work area after they finish the weld so the shielding gas continues to flow on the weld to keep contaminates out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I were in you position I'd invest in a TIG torch for the unit and use it as a backpack TIG machine for fine stainless piping. This thing isn't very high powered so keep in mind that you arent going to be buzzing anything ridiculous together. The only way to learn to weld is to weld. I've never had any training of any form in welding. I'm not the best, but my boss has confidence in my welds. I once had a 30' steel diesel tank lifted with a crane by an eyelet I welded on right next to some power lines in a way that if it fell it would take out a building and two power lines. My boss asked me if my welds were going to hold, I told him that I only tacked it and started running. He wasn't amused. I need to take a class and get certified one of these days.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stick welding just takes practice, Get some big rods and go to town on a piece of scrap. When stick welding you strike the material with the rod  like a match to get started and just go slow and steady,practice makes perfect.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

that is an older model but as long as it runs good with no dead anodes you will be good, this unit has the option of running tig with a WP-17-12-R gun if it didn't come with it. I'd say go grab some 6013 or 7018 welding rod and practice on small thinner pieces 1/8" or so. When you are running a welder that lacks power preheat area before weld...... helps the welder along. practice on clean steel to get the hang of it not rusty scrap steel. clean area of weld with grinder so it is clean, also if you are welding stick with your gloves brake off any extra flux sticking past the rod helps with striking.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The things that are critical with stick welding are a good ground, a good angle (12-15 degrees doing a push or pull depending on what you are doing/who you choose to believe), and don't get frustrated when the electrode sticks at first. It takes a dragging motion or Hands a lot steadier than mine. Once it has started burning flux you don't usually have a problem with sticking. Make sure you don't run your arc out too far, keep your rod close. As always, AC welding and water don't mix in your favor. Make sure if this is an AC welder that you get rods that have AC compatible flux (6011). Chip your slag before making another pass. The right PPE is essential. Don't tell yourself you need to weld in short sleeve white T-shirts to have people take you seriously. Trust me, it's not worth having your arms peel for weeks. And above all else, never ever ever get discouraged by your first welds. If you want to get really good and strengthen the requisite muscles, try this exercise. Take your welder with a new rod in it and get a large printed book and stand it up vertically. Go along each line of text, back and forth at 12-15 degrees, with the end of your rod, trying to hold as steady as possible. You can even try tracing the individual letters if you want to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Stercorarius said:

The things that are critical with stick welding are a good ground, a good angle (12-15 degrees doing a push or pull depending on what you are doing/who you choose to believe), and don't get frustrated when the electrode sticks at first. It takes a dragging motion or Hands a lot steadier than mine. Once it has started burning flux you don't usually have a problem with sticking. Make sure you don't run your arc out too far, keep your rod close. As always, AC welding and water don't mix in your favor. Make sure if this is an AC welder that you get rods that have AC compatible flux (6011). Chip your slag before making another pass. The right PPE is essential. Don't tell yourself you need to weld in short sleeve white T-shirts to have people take you seriously. Trust me, it's not worth having your arms peel for weeks. And above all else, never ever ever get discouraged by your first welds. If you want to get really good and strengthen the requisite muscles, try this exercise. Take your welder with a new rod in it and get a large printed book and stand it up vertically. Go along each line of text, back and forth at 12-15 degrees, with the end of your rod, trying to hold as steady as possible. You can even try tracing the individual letters if you want to.

I agree with some of your statement, but 6011 is not a good rod for beginners, mainly used for tacking and root passes on pipe, it is fast hardening and creates lots of splatter, 6013 has a bit less penetration but welds appear smoother. 6013 is good with this welder because of the power rating you won't be welding much more than heavy sheet metal. 7018 is good as well because it is a drag type rod and can be manipulated while welding very easy plus it is the go to rod for structure once you get the hang of welding in general. if you really want to get a good rod for beginners use 7024 it has a very think flux coating that helps keep arc at the right distance plus it is a drag type too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

if anyone wants to know what the numbers mean

the first 2 digits is the tensile strength in thousands, so 60 is 60,000 pounds tensile strength

if the rod has 5 digits then the first 3 are used.

the next number is position 1 = all  2=flat and horizontal only 4= flat, horizontal, vertical down and overhead

last number is flux composition, slag type, and power supply ... each number has a character of it's own  

 

Digit                 Type of Coating                                  Welding Current

0                      High cellulose sodium                                DC+

1                      High cellulose potassium                           AC, DC+ or DC-

2                      High titania sodium                                     AC, DC-

3                      High titania potassium                                AC, DC+

4                      Iron powder, titania                                      AC, DC+ or DC-

5                      Low hydrogen sodium                                DC+

6                      Low hydrogen potassium                           AC, DC+

7                      High iron oxide, iron powder                      AC, DC+ or DC-

8                      Low hydrogen potassium, iron powder    AC, DC+ or DC-

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with some of your statement, but 6011 is not a good rod for beginners, mainly used for tacking and root passes on pipe, it is fast hardening and creates lots of splatter, 6013 has a bit less penetration but welds appear smoother. 6013 is good with this welder because of the power rating you won't be welding much more than heavy sheet metal. 7018 is good as well because it is a drag type rod and can be manipulated while welding very easy plus it is the go to rod for structure once you get the hang of welding in general. if you really want to get a good rod for beginners use 7024 it has a very think flux coating that helps keep arc at the right distance plus it is a drag type too.

Like I said before, I've had no formal training other than my boss handing me a stick welder and a box of 6011 and telling me to get it done. I weld exclusively with 6010, 6011, and 7018. 6010 is my goto rod as our welders can output AC or DC. 6011 is my goto when I run out of 6010 which isn't always in stock. 6011 is more or less 6010 with AC capable flux. You are right about what you said. I use 7018 when I have clean material that requires tensile strength. 6010 is a pipeline welding rod because it is the best (or one of) for cutting through dirty steel. We can't all be working in a climate controlled enclosed shop on oiled metal that we clean off with a flap disk real quick to build our product. Almost all of my welding involves me kneeling down with one knee in shit, Literal inches of shit, not just some gravelly dirt, while the other knee holds up a gate or a fence. You clean the metal the best you can in your situation but there are no guarantees as minutes delay means either cows getting loose or hindering an operation that loses thousand a of dollars every time you get behind. In these situations you have to go with cuts through the most grit. I think 6011 is a great beginner rod. It's what I learned with. It has better penetration than 6013 and as we all know penetration is the reason we're all here. I don't believe that learning with something easy is the best approach. I think learning with what you will use the most is the best approach and 6011 is one of the most versatile rods. I'm really not a fan of 6011, 6010 is the ideal rod for learning in my opinion because it is the most common, but that's not an option on an AC machine so I would go with 6011. That's just my two cents. Welding has the most different contrasting opinions of any field. You can argue about every single little detail, but in the end it comes down to your specific application and needs. Shit they'll even mix a custom gas and mass produce it just for a single steel blend used by one company for one product.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

your right, I'm not here to argue, unlike you I do have formal training in fact enough to have been a welder inspector for 7 years of my career which included testing several men that had it all figured out and are surprised when their tests come back with fail written on them. What works for you is great but you won't see to many if any proper welding courses give new welders a specialty rod and tell them to come back when they are ready to be tested. 6011 is the most forgiving rod not most common and not a good choice for beginner welders, why I'll tell you why, because if you get used to welding with the 6011 you will adapt to it's ways and when another type of welding procedure is needed you will tend to try welding it like 6011. the easier rods in the beginning are better because you can get the control of the welds and learn the procedure properly then go on to other types of welding. In your case you are welding in bad conditions doesn't mean everyone will be nor is it right to give a new welder that advice that is just my 2 cents....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was under the impression based on MikeyB saying he had done stick welding that he was planning on getting(or already had) the TIG attachment and learning TIG with this new machine. Am I wrong in that assumption? I read it again and it seems that it can be taken as both wanting to learn a new skill and brushing up on old still he did 18 years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, BMack37 said:

I was under the impression based on MikeyB saying he had done stick welding that he was planning on getting(or already had) the TIG attachment and learning TIG with this new machine. Am I wrong in that assumption? I read it again and it seems that it can be taken as both wanting to learn a new skill and brushing up on old still he did 18 years ago.

As I read it he states he stick welded once 18 years ago and was looking for any tips and or advice as he says he didn't know where to begin.

 

On 3/12/2016 at 6:16 PM, MikeyB said:

Picked  this up from my Dads good friend. I only did stick welding once about 18 years ago and have no clue where to begin.

can you guys share some advice, tips, applications etc, etc.

thanks 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the replies guys, I appreciate it. 

I'm not looking to do any Tig. Just would like to practice  some stick welding.

The last time I stick welded (was also my first time) I used metal coat hangers as the electrodes to work on fixing my old Chief Engineers car seat that he broke. I know it sounds crazy but it worked and the frame of his car seat held up for a while...

keep the tips coming. I don't know the first thing about this trade. But would like to work on the basics... Thanks again 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly I got confused reading written advice on the Internet. Watching YouTube helped a little but still confusing. I found it best to get some time under the hood with a experienced welders instruction. I also went to community colloge for welding. The classes only helped with the technical aspects an print reading. Welding was done in a lab on coupons. I still got the most benefit in the shop an field with a actual welder guiding me. 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let us know how the HF gear works out. I'm used to using the stuff from my welding supplier because it is on the way to work and they give me a 25% discount on everything. If it's much cheaper and works out I may have to add those to my list for my next HF run. Nearest one is over an hour away.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BMack , not sure what you mean? 

 

Stercorarius- I'll let you know how they work out, the quality of the gloves/apron/sleeves don't look all that bad. I decided to grab the Lincoln helmet from the Depot it was actually cheaper than any of the HF helmets. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Member Statistics

    18,154
    Total Members
    6,555
    Most Online
    garikb
    Newest Member
    garikb
    Joined
×
×
  • Create New...