Lincoln Electric LTW2 LEARNING TO STICK WELD - Manual (Page 6)

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LEARNING TO STICK WELD
PRACTICE
Use the following exercise to spend a little more time practice in the
four skills that enable you to maintain:
1. Correct Welding Position
2. Correct Way To Strike An Arc
3. Correct Arc Length
4. Correct Welding Speed
Use the following:
Mild Steel Plate 3/16" (4.8mm) or heavier
Electrode 1/8" (3.2mm) Fleetweld® 180
Current Setting: 105 Amps AC or 95 Amps DC(+)
Do the following:
1. Learn to strike the arc by scratching the electrode over
the plate. Be sure the angle of the electrode is correct.
Use both hands.
2. When you can strike an arc without sticking, practice
the correct arc length. Learn to distinguish it by its
sound.
3. When you are sure that you can hold a short, crackling
arc, start moving. Look at the molten puddle constantly,
and look for the ridge where the metal solidifies.
4. Run beads on a flat plate. Run them parallel to the top
edge (the edge farthest away from you). This gives you
practice in running straight welds, and also, it gives you
an easy way to check your progress. The 10th weld will
look considerably better than the first weld. By
constantly checking on your mistakes and your
progress, welding will soon be a matter of routine.
Common Metals
Most metals found around the farm or small shop are low
carbon steel, sometimes referred to as mild steel. Typical
items made with this type of steel include most sheet metal,
plate, pipe and rolled shapes such as channels, angle irons
and “I’’ beams. This type of steel can usually be easily
welded without special precautions. Some steel, however,
contains higher carbon. Typical applications include wear
plates, axles, connecting rods, shafts, plowshares and
scraper blades. These higher carbon steels can be welded
successfully in most cases; however, care must be taken to
follow proper procedures, including preheating the metal to
be welded and, in some cases, carefully controlling the
temperature during and after the welding process. For
further information on identifying various types of steels and
other metals, and for proper procedures for welding them,
we again suggest you purchase a copy of (“New Lessons in
Arc Welding” available from the James F. Lincoln arc
welding foundation).
Regardless of the type of metal being welded, it is important
in order to get a quality weld that it be free of oil, paint, rust
or other contaminants.