Lincoln Electric POWER-ARC IM871-A - Manual (Page 26)

B-11 OPERATION B-11
POWER-ARC 5500
PRACTICE
The best way of getting practice in the four skills that
enable you to maintain:
1. Correct Welding Position.
2. Correct Way to Strike An Arc.
3. Correct Arc Length.
4. Correct Welding Speed.
is to spend a little more time on the following exercise.
Use the following:
Mild Steel Plate: 3/16” (4.8mm), or heavier.
Electrode: 1/8” (3.2mm) AWS 6011
(Fleetweld® 180)
Current Setting: 90-125 Amps AC
Do the following:
1. Learn to strike the arc by scratching the electrode
over the plate. Be sure the angle of the electrode
is right and be sure to use both hands.
2. When you can strike an arc without sticking, prac-
tice the correct arc length. Learn to distinguish it
by its sound.
3. When you are sure that you can hold a short,
crackling arc, start moving. Look at the molten
puddle constantly, and look for the ridge where the
metal solidifies.
4. Run beads on a flat plate. Run them parallel to the
top edge (the edge farthest away from you). This
gives you practice in running straight welds, and
also, it gives you an easy way to check your
progress. The 10th weld will look considerably bet-
ter than the first weld. By constantly checking on
your mistakes and your progress, welding will soon
be a routine matter.
Common Metals
Most metals found around the farm or small shop are
low carbon steel, sometimes referred to as mild steel.
Typical items made with this type of steel include most
sheet metal, plate, pipe and rolled shapes such as
channels, angle irons and “I” beams. This type of
steel can usually be easily welded without special
precautions. Some steel, however, contains higher
carbon. Typical applications include wear plates,
axles, connecting rods, shafts, plowshares and
scraper blades.
These higher carbon steels can be welded successful-
ly in most cases; however, care must be taken to fol-
low proper procedures, including preheating the metal
to be welded and, in some cases, carefully controlling
the temperature during and after the welding process.
For further information on identifying various types of
steel and other metals, and for proper procedures for
welding them, we suggest you purchase a copy of
“New Lessons in Arc Welding” (See Book Division
section).
Regardless of the type of metal being welded, in order
to get a quality weld, it is important that it be free of
oil, paint, rust or other contaminants.
Types of Welds
Five types of welding joints are: Butt Joints, Fillet
Joints, Lap Joints, Edge Joints and Corner Joints.
Of these, the Butt Joint and Fillet Joint are the most
common.
Butt Joints
Butt Joints are the most widely used Joints. Place two
plates side by side, leaving 1/16” (1.6mm) for thin
metal to 1/8” (3.2mm) for heavy metal space between
them in order to get deep penetration.
Tack the plates at both ends, otherwise the heat will
cause the plates to move apart. (See drawing).
Butt oint Lap oint
Edge oint Fillet oint Corner oint