Thread: Gasless or Stick?

Stick welding on metal thicknesses of 2 & 3mm is entirely possible using a stick welder.
I take it it you seek the good appearance for a manufacturing reason? The appearance is certainly better than gas less flux core deposit.

I would opt for a small inverter model that you can pick up for $300 or $400. Coupled with electrodes similiar to the RB-26 or Wia 6013's

Shout yourself a reasonable quality auto darkening shield and decent quality gloves and you are set.

Cheers
Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Stick welding on metal thicknesses of 2 & 3mm is entirely possible using a stick welder.
I take it it you seek the good appearance for a manufacturing reason? The appearance is certainly better than gas less flux core deposit.

I would opt for a small inverter model that you can pick up for $300 or $400. Coupled with electrodes similiar to the RB-26 or Wia 6013's

Shout yourself a reasonable quality auto darkening shield and decent quality gloves and you are set.

Cheers
Grahame

Would appearance wise be mostly due to the excess spatter that the flux core produces? or is the weld bead in most cases more appealing?

I will be welding up a frame to build myself a CNC router again.

Just waiting for my welding jacket to be ordered in, should be in friday.


Any good brands that are recomended for an arc welder? or would any arc welder sold in stores be good to use as im only doing light work.

Originally Posted by Ch4iS

Would appearance wise be mostly due to the excess spatter that the flux core produces? or is the weld bead in most cases more appealing?

Better in both ways. Gas-less MIG beads are ugly, sunken dark blobs of bird crap.
Stick can do some beautiful welds with the right technique and choice of rod.

Originally Posted by Ch4iS

Any good brands that are recommended for an arc welder? or would any arc welder sold in stores be good to use as im only doing light work.

I just bought one of these https://www.woodworkforums.com/f160/b...ck-tig-117958/ after 2 years with a $100 Bunnings AC machine and it's been fantastic so far. Had about 6 hours clocked already. Inverter wise, I have heard the good ones are the Cigweld Weldskill range, UniMig and Lincoln cant be beaten.

As distractor says ,stick with the tried and true brand and bought from a shop front.

Cheap as chips these days.The days of the old buzz box are truly numbered ,I reckon.

Grahame

Cheers for the help fellas.

I'll take a look around this arvo and see what I can get my hands on.

Shout yourself a reasonable quality auto darkening shield

I bought this helmet from Bunnings today, on clearance for $29. Never used one before and the guy serving just said that they were on clearance to make way for a newer model.

I just wanted to ask, have I bought a rubbish helmet?

Originally Posted by Sawmaster

I just wanted to ask, have I bought a rubbish helmet?

I love mine.
The only downside is it can be slow to start up if left in dark for too long.

Good buy on the helmet.
I work in a welding shop and am still learning the ropes but as has been said, the new inverter stick welders are fantastic. We have a demo bay where you can try them out with a multitude of diffrent electrodes. Yesterday i had a crack at the new 170amp cig machine and ive gotta say I WANT ONE. Fantastic bit of gear. Its also has tig capability for an extra 75 dollars for a tig torch. Top shelf are fronius theor little inverta caddy is about $1350 but it really is the rolls royce. You can go all day with 4mm electrodes where as the cheaper cig model will run a 4mm electrode you would have to let the machine have a breather after about every 2 welds to let the thing cool down , but will run 2.5mm all day. These machines are tiny and i mean about the size of a lunch box so storing them is a breeze. They come in 130 amp and 170 amp models for well under $400. They get a boost of power as the electrode nears the job and striking an arc is instant. No more dragging the rod accross the surface to get it to go. Just Brilliant machines. If you get a chance to have a go of one you wont be dissapointed.

Originally Posted by Sawmaster

I just wanted to ask, have I bought a rubbish helmet?

No you have not.
I have had my Techman for a good while.

If there is a down side is that it does not like being left in the dark and loses its battery charge and it fails to auto darken.Keep it happy by hanging it near a window and it keeps the charge up.Remember the headband adjuster knob is spring loaded and is pushed in and twisted to adjust.
The price is around what you might pay for a plain helmet. Good pick up.

Grahame

One feature well worth looking for on the inverter type machines is the arc force control.

For a few extra dollars it offers the ability to fine tune the arc and therefore the welded deposit to the electrode and the parent metal.

The arc force can adjust the arc from a fierce condition to a soft condition and can shape the deposit and how it "blends" into the parent metal.
It makes your stick welding a joy.

Grahame

Is there really any contest?

This is 6mm RHS welded to a piece of 45mm thick steel. Electrodes are pretty much the cheapest you can buy Lincoln 6013's, $15 for 5kg at Gasweld. I had to preheat the 45mm part as you can imagine

Attachment 138400

Something a bird did as it flew by...

Attachment 138401

No you have not.
I have had my Techman for a good while

Thanks Grahame, much appreciated. I tried it out this afternoon. The urge to blink behind the mask just as you're about to strike an arc, is almost insurmountable, but I'm getting use to it!
Amazing technology.

Cheers
Graeme.

distractor
There are photos of gasless weld beads in this page here.
Gasless mig wire

That orange steel was about 2mm thick maybe, It was welded with a small gasless mig welder using Kiswel K-NGS 0.8mm mig wire.

If you need some good gasless wire, look for my auctions on eBay for kiswel wire.

Ch4iS
A mig welder is way easier to use than a stick welder. Especially if you are a beginner. Whilst using self shielding wire is not as pretty as using a solid mig wire and gas it saves you money on renting a gas bottle. If you plan to do a fair bit of welding and can afford the gas, get solid mig wire without a doubt. But if you only plan to do the occasional DIY mig welding at home gasless may be the better choice.

I will be welding up a frame to build myself a CNC router again.

Ch4is
Don't mean to spoil the party but it's best to bolt the thing together only. The heat will warp the **** out of it. Trust me I've been there.

You would have to stress relieve it in an oven. If you are welding and want to do it properly.

Unless,... you plan on shimming the rails. How big a machine? For gas cutting cnc machines I believe the the manual says to have each rail straight to within about 0.10mm along it's length. A small machine may be say 3mm length.