Stick welding help!!!

Question

hi i have just got a stick welder and tryed to weld the rear shock on my lads pit bike, but no matter how much weld i put on it the weld just brakes any help would be great.

Answer 1

are speaking of a bracket for the shock or the shock it self.

try a 7018 rod be sure you get good penetration .a 6010,6011or 6013 will do though.

this is a mild steel frame you are mounting it to yes?

shock mounts are usually bolted or riveted because it allows for flexing a weld is rigid.

Answer 2

the metal might be too thin. arc works best if the metal is at least 3/16 of an inch thick. preparation is by far the most important thing. remove any rust and old weld until you have a clean surface. grind the edges off at 45deg angles and tack weld some spacers on it so that the edges maintain a 1/8 in gap while you weld. the gap asures that the metal is fully melted and mixed. it will take a few passes to fill the V shaped grove, so dont try to fill it all in one go. clean the weld after every pass. this will help keep the impurities out. be sure to prime it. welds rust very fast. by the way bolts are much stronger and they can be maintained and repaired unlike welds. if you can, try to upgrade.

Answer 3

The most common problem is not cleaning all the flux off after each pass. The weld needs to penetrate to the inside of the pipe.

Answer 4

Welding involves melting the base metal. You need the correct rod to match the base metal.

Answer 5

E6010 is a good rod for repair work. If you only just got the welder without experience, this may be your problem. I would suggest getting some scrap steel and experimenting a little and getting used to using the welder. See what it does when you change the current and try different thickness of material and rods. Usually a good weld, the slag will fall off or take very little chipping. You can check for penetration by cutting the weld afterward. Check to see the thickness of the material is not reduced by too much current burning it away. Try and get your work horizontal as this tends to be the easiest to weld. If you have dissimilar metals then a mild steel electrode will not work anyway.