Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
Cranked my trusty old Lincoln SAE 200 up for the first time since last fall. She popped right off. What a pleasure to be burning some 7018 again instead of a jukey wire feed.
Old friend
- Thread starter Willowbilly3
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Yankee Transplant
He started out with nothing, he still has most of
My son is learning to weld , actually he is getting pretty good . I told him to just tack some hinges we were placing on a grill , well his tacks were getting longer and longer 
.. I told him ( I know how it feels when its welding good , you dont want to stop ). I have a wire welder . but its not welding right , but the ol stick welder always welds right .
.. I told him ( I know how it feels when its welding good , you dont want to stop ). I have a wire welder . but its not welding right , but the ol stick welder always welds right .
26Troadster
Well-known member
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- May 22, 2007
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i don't mean to be mean, but you should learn to weld with a stick before you move on to wire or tig. well that is the way i was taught.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
It's kind of like riding a motorcycle makes you a better driver. If all you ever did was wire feed, you really don't know how to weld IMO. Learning on wire feed tends to make sloppy welders. Don't get me wrong, I love my wire feed for little jobs and tacking things but if I want a weld I have to trust, it has to be stick welded.
JBailey
Well-known member
When I took metals class in high school we started out brazing with acetylene then moved to stick and finally learned on the mig. I enjoyed the acetylene the most, but prefer a good mig machine.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
I used to love acetylene too and was pretty good at it but haven't done any for a few years. I don't think mig was invented yet when I went to high school.lol
mikec4193
Well-known member
Hey Willowbilly
I went to school for welding...nothing like the sound and smells of a good old stick welder...I sent many a night welding old stock cars together...I love my wire feed tho...makes everything so much easier now...
MikeC
I went to school for welding...nothing like the sound and smells of a good old stick welder...I sent many a night welding old stock cars together...I love my wire feed tho...makes everything so much easier now...
MikeC
bob w
Still crazy after all these years!
I'm so old that wire feed was not in existemce when I took welding in college (Was going to be a shop teacher). In fact we weren't even introduced to "Heli-arc" as it was not in use for general welding.
I stick welded and gas welded for 35 years before getting a MIG. While I agree that stick is better for field welding rusty farm equipment, pipelines and welding in windy conditions, there will never be another pro qualty race car stick welded together. NHRA will not accept stick welded roll cages. Those tiny TIG weld beads on 300 MPH dragsters must be pretty strong.
I don't think you need to learn stick welding in order to MIG weld. You need to learn correct MIG welding technique.
Possibly the danger with MIG more than stick is that a novice can make a good looking weld that just lays on the surface and think it is a strong weld.
I stick welded and gas welded for 35 years before getting a MIG. While I agree that stick is better for field welding rusty farm equipment, pipelines and welding in windy conditions, there will never be another pro qualty race car stick welded together. NHRA will not accept stick welded roll cages. Those tiny TIG weld beads on 300 MPH dragsters must be pretty strong.
I don't think you need to learn stick welding in order to MIG weld. You need to learn correct MIG welding technique.
Possibly the danger with MIG more than stick is that a novice can make a good looking weld that just lays on the surface and think it is a strong weld.
Bamamav
Well-known member
I like my Lincoln stick leader on thick metal, but I prefer a 6011 or 6014 rod. 7018 wants to stick to bad for me.
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
Yeah, 7018 is a little tough getting started, especially a half used rod. Takes a lot of getting used to but lays down the best weld that the slag cleans off easy. I have used a lot of 6013 on buzz box welders. I call 6011 dirt farmer rod, good for burning through paint or grease but nasty to clean up for multiple pass, you have to use a grinder to clean off the slag.
