Oftentimes we put the professional experts in this column – those with Ph.D.’s and other title acronyms behind their names. We appreciate them. We depend on them. They present instruction refined through the process of experience and training.
I suppose it is human nature, however, for readers to occasionally wonder if the professionals ever get their boots dirty or their hands greasy, to wonder if they have ever rapped their knuckles with a ratchet wrench. So this issue we bring you “un-professional” and unvarnished advice from your fellow on-farm mechanics, but take this advice at your own risk.
We asked, “From the school of hard knocks, what are some welding tips you’ve learned over the years?” (Our edits were very minor, so be prepared for candor.)
“I like to weld hot and fast with no side-to-side motion unless it’s a wide joint. My 300-amp welder is set two-thirds of the way up on heat 90 percent of the time. Also clean metal is a big helper. Also, do not weld while kneeling on cement; little balls of slag will roll under your knee and cause jumping and profanity.”
—Minnesota
“Spend the extra few minutes to properly clean, and ‘V’ out (if necessary – over, say, ¼-inch material) the piece to be welded. We are often welding or repairing things that are dirty or rusty or covered in paint, etc. A few minutes of prep will make a much better weld.”
—California
“Material prep, proper electrode selection, proper amperage selection for the materials to be welded … I think that a person needs to learn to weld with a stick welder before learning to Mig weld. Just my opinion ….”
—Central Illinois
“A leather jacket to weld overhead really helps. I cannot make a good overhead weld and dance at the same time.”
—Location unknown
“Surface prep. Get comfortable and breathe. Clamp your work piece. If it’s a small weird-position work piece, tack it to your table/sawhorse in the best position possible. If it’s a 12-inch or less bead, pretend weld to the end of joint. If it’s 12-inch or longer bead, learn to move your body before you get to the end of your stroke. Know where your gun lead is … Check your spool before starting a 6-foot bead. Clean floor. [Use] lots of tack welds if it’s thick material. Turn and burn right through them. Stitch weld if it’s gauge material. Throw the nozzle tip away. This mainly for pulse welding ... if you’re using 035 wire, use a 045 tip. If using 045 wire, use a 1/16th tip. If you’re using a Bernard gun, put the contact tip in backwards. If you’re only welding 1/8th and larger, use 045 ….”
—Nebraska
“A hard strong rod does not necessarily give you a strong weld. Choose a rod or wire that has some ductility or elongation for mild steel. Just for squirts and giggles, take two pieces of 3/16 or 1/4 by 2, V the ends and weld it together. After it cools, go to the vice or press and start bending it over at the weld. After you get it bent far enough, go to the anvil, and with a sledgehammer bend it completely flat. If it does not crack, you made a very good weld. If it does, then try it again until it does not crack. This will teach you how to use the right rod, right temperature and how heavy the bead should be and how to start and finish a bead properly. Frustration and practice will make you a competent welder. After you get one that works, drill a hole in it and hang it on the shop wall and ask the guy who thinks he is a cracker-jack welder to do one for you.”
—Washington
“Think before you pick something up off the welding table. Burnt fingertips are no fun. Do not tuck your pant legs into your boots (especially rubber boots). Always make sure your pant legs are on the outside of your boots. Made that mistake only once; flung my Dunlop across the shop. Select the proper rod for the job. Seeking advice if unsure is always a wise move, even for experienced welders. A pretty weld is not always a good weld. Prep work, making sure things are clean (work area included; hate working around a mess) and V-ing out the weld area will make a world of difference.”
—Location unknown
“These are what I’d suggest: Clean metal well; get comfortable; make sure you can clearly see what you are doing … watch the puddle not the arc; vertical welds almost always should be welded from the bottom up to the top; more weld doesn’t make it any stronger; a good weld is a good weld; adding bad passes on top of each other is just burning rods.”
—Michigan
“You are supposed to use the helmet when welding, and that includes tack welding. You should always keep aloe vera or sunburn cream handy in case you get welder burn. Welder burn comes calling in the middle of the night in the form of painful burning of the skin or eyes, feels like someone sucked every last drop of moisture out of your eye sockets and then threw sand into them. If you weld on a pulling tractor, disconnect the computer; bad news if you don’t.”
—Location unknown
“Keep your welding rods dry. I keep mine in an old fridge with a 100-watt bulb that I have rigged to be on all the time. Compressor is unhooked. Never have a problem with moisture, and I keep a lot of rods of different types ….”
—Location unknown
“Tips for using a cutting torch: Check for loose fittings on torch before turning on bottles. Never adjust regulators above 10 psi for acetylene and 40 psi for oxygen; it becomes unstable. Adjust acetylene flame to just when black smoke disappears, then slowly add oxygen ’till small blue flame is on very end of the cutting tip. To check proper adjustment, push down on oxygen handle; if blue flame expands, then more adjustment is needed. Proper adjustment is when blue flame does not expand or contract. Safety goggles and leather gloves (although generally not fashionable) are always a good idea. Check for holes in hoses before turning on gas bottles. Check for air leaks with soapy water on your cutting torch and regulators. Oxygen bottle regulator is righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. Acetylene regulator is lefty-tighty, righty-loosey. Hose fittings mirror regulators. Always have a stable rest for arms when possible. Red hose is acetylene; green hose is oxygen. Acetylene has a distinct smell that can be easily detected if leaking. Be sure area when cutting is clean and free of debris, and always have fire extinguisher close for easy access if needed.”
—Idaho
And remember, facial hair burns easily and does not smell very good. Be safe. PD
Lynn Jaynes
Editor
Progressive Dairyman
