Arc Weld - Tutorial

This tutorial is intended to offer practical advice to beginner arc welders. It was produced with a great deal of help and guidance from professional welders whose time was funded by forum members and supporters.     Take the tutorial slowly and practice the work covered on each page before moving onto the next.
Arc welding (short for Manual Metal Arc (MMA) welding and also known as Stick and SMAW) is a very involved subject and we only cover enough to get you up to speed. There are many books on the subject, and more detailed information can be found elsewhere on the internet. Also we have a very friendly forum that can help.

Arc Welding Safety

As with any other electric welding process, skin and eyes need to be properly protected from UV light. Electric shock, fumes, burns, and fire are other risks.
The safety page discusses how to minimise these risks.

Starting the Arc

The arc is started by touching the electrode momentarily against the work to complete the electrical circuit before raising the electrode to establish the arc.
'Tap starting' and 'scratch starting' are the two common methods of starting the arc. Which one to use is a personal preference, and can be influenced by rod and welder type.

Rod Position, Arc Length and Movement

Rod angle, arc length, travel speed and welding motion are illustrated with photos  shows the effect of varying the arc length.

Arc welding faults

When learning any new process you'll likely start off doing things wrong. Profiles and sections of welds with various faults are compared with good welds on this page.
The faults covered are incorrect travel speed, incorrect arc length, and incorrect amps.

Flat Joints and Joint Preparation

Arc welding is especially suitable for joining thick material as cold joins are easy to avoid. That makes it possible to tackle thicker material using multiple passes of weld.

  

Buying an Arc Welder

For most people a DC inverter is the best type of arc welder to go for. They have many advantages over the older types, but can fall down on repair costs and longevity.
The page covers what to look for in inverter welders and other types of arc welder.

Source: mig welding