[garrettAdams]

I guess you could say I am a fairly.. inexperienced welder. My problem is that...well.. I'm too shaky. I can't keep my arc at any consistent spot. Due to this, my welds look "lumpy". Any help on this subject at all will be GREATLY appreciated. Oh, and another quick issue. My rod sticks consistently. I am used a 7018 rod set to 125 amps. Should I bump the amperage or could my style be wrong? Thanks a lot!

[Alexa]

I guess you could say I am a fairly.. inexperienced welder. My problem is that...well.. I'm too shaky. I can't keep my arc at any consistent spot. Due to this, my welds look "lumpy". Any help on this subject at all will be GREATLY appreciated. Oh, and another quick issue. My rod sticks consistently. I am used a 7018 rod set to 125 amps. Should I bump the amperage or could my style be wrong? Thanks a lot!

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GarrettAdams.

IMPROVING COORDINATION
We are not robots, so all of us will shake from one degree to another.
Improving the eyes/hands coordination comes with practicing.
Similar to writing, it took time to get better and better.
But the pencil becomes consumed very very slowly ... while the length of the electrode is shortened much quicker.

CONTROLLING WELD PUDDLE
The weld puddle is the center of our activity.
We learn to guide that puddle ... to control that puddle.
For stick welding process, we need to see that weld puddle.
Your shade of lens will be probably a #10 or #11 for the smaller diameters of electrodes.
Make sure the plastic or glass protection lenses are kept clean to facilitate your viewing.

FINDING THE EXTREMES OF THE CURRENT
To help speed up learning, it helps to know the lower and upper limits of each of your types and each diameter of stick electrodes.
Too low of current, and they will stick.
Too high of current, and metal flies everywhere (spatter).
So intentionally play with the extremes and find the right current for each electrode.

CONTROLLING LENGTH OF ARC
For stick welding (thus a constant current machine), it is important that we learn what happens as we lengthen and shorten the arc at the end of the electrode. That is, the arc between the end of the electrode and the puddle. Slightly lengthening the arc will increase voltage and decrease amps (heat). While shortening the arc, will increase amps, and decrease voltage.

STARTING THE ARC
It is important to experiment with the starting of the electrode.
The more current, the easier it is too start the arc.
The lesser the current, it gradually becomes more difficult.
Experiment with scratching the electrode to start it.
Experiment with barely touching the electrode to start it.
When restarting a partially burnt electrode, take note how easy or difficult is it to restart, depending upon how much of the electrode is left bare without the coating. Again, experiment to find the right amount of electrode covering to facilitate the restart of the arc.

Give us some feedback.
Tanks.
Alexa

[rake]

I like to be 5 to 10 amps hotter than vertical up for overhead.
I also like to hold the rod at about a 5 degree push angle.
Jamb the electrode in tight and go, go, go! I like to see tight
stringers with a good long run. If you hit the heat just right
you can hold a tight, tight arc with minimal spatter. Get it
right and you can get the slag off with nothing but the bare tip
of the next rod. One rake to each toe and it's basically clean.

[Otto Nobedder]

Hey, Garret,

Does your machine have an "arc-force" control? (On a stick/TIG machine like the Miller Syncrowave it may also be labeled arc balance.) Increasing "arc-force/balance" helps to prevent sticking the rod... It senses the lower resistance when you get really close and boosts the Amps to compensate. Some inverters also have a "crisp/soft" selector, which is just a two (or four, if separate 6010/7018 options are on it) position arc force control. "Crisp" gives you more leeway for arc length and less sticking.

I shake like a dog crapping a peach pit, and can produce smooth welds, so just keep practicing. Once you get it, you'll wonder why it seemed hard before.

Rake's advice is sound for figuring it out, but you'll develop your own style. When I weld pipe with 1/8 rod, I never vary from 105A. That includes 1/8" 6010 root all positions, and 1/8" 7018 fill and cap, all positions. I got good at this because sometimes my machine (and it's adjustments) were in the next building... 12 flights of stairs down and up, each way, and no helper to send...

Steve S

[garrettAdams]

I really appreciate the help guys! I was hoping on trying out the tips but once i finally got to the Votec shop I found out I had to convert a tilt trailer to a no tilt trailer. It's always something haha.