Welder Career Guide and Counseling

Question: What parts of an electirc arc welder can and can't I touch when the welder is on? Basically so I don't get shocked. I understand it is dangerous as the amperage is high (225 A). Can I touch the negative electrode if the welder is on? Can i put a new electrode in the + when the welder is on? Can I touch the piece of metal being welded while being welded? Thx in advance.

Answer: As has already been said. Just don't touch the earth or the earthed workpiece at the same time as the electrode. You will get what welders call a "belt" It is not dangerous but don't half make you jump.

Question: What is the maximum powered arc welder i need to do a medium sized job such as creating a gokart frame? I am trying to make a light go kart frame and was wandering what ampage arc welder i need? Thanks!

Answer: Most arc welders are variable from around 50 - 140 Amps. BUT: It depends on the thickness of the frame. I am by no means an expert, however when I weld 3mm thick RHS (Mild Steel) I use around 60 Amps with a 2.6mm rod. It seems to work well. OH and by the way. Wear full length overalls, Gauntlets (Long Leather Gloves), and a proper full face welding mask. The arc creates Ultraviolet light (Sunlight) but in very high doses, it will burn your eyes and skin. So be careful. Cheers

Question: What is the prevailing wage for a welder with fifteen plus years of experience? I have all this time and experience as a welder, but can't seem to find an employer that values my qualifications enough to dish out decent pay.

Answer: I live in Detroit, I was a welder for 27 years, pipe, submarine hull, nuclear power plant and then a nasty steel mill. The steel mill was $24/hr, the others were in the Navy. I see ads for flat/vert steel for $12-$18/hr. Plate pays less than pipe. Structural pays more than table welding. The more flavors you can weld (stainless), the more you can ask. REALLY GOOD torch work is rare, and pays good here. Even still, in Detroit! I'm too old, gone back to school for a desk job.

Question: I have a campbell hausfeld welder and the switch broke? My switch broke on my campbell hausfeld welder,the switch is shorted out and melted. I was wondering if my welder is still ok? Or could it have shorted out the welder? It is an arc welder. 120 volts. Also could I use just a regular toggle switch on it? Or do I have to buy the original rocker switch for it?

Answer: any switch will be fine. you could even use a single pole light switch if you wanted. but i would try to figure out what burnt it up before i threw power to it again.

Question: Is a stick welder much better for automotive bodywork than a wire welder? I bought a pretty cheap Campbell wire welder and it seems like it's the wrong tool for the job. Ugly, spotty, messy welds that don't hold well. Then again, maybe I'm just a n00B. Even if it's my low skill level, would a stick welder be better anyway?

Answer: Stick welders are good if you want cheap and are welding thicker material. I have welded 16 gauge steel with 3/16" rod before because that is all that was available at the time, but generally, stick welding is not ideal of the thin gauge steel used for automotive bodywork. I have stick welded for years, and it isn't something you just pick up in a few hours or a few days. It takes constant repetition to get good at, but once you master it, you can make welds as pretty as a wire feed welder. The problem you are having is probably due to the fact that you bought a low quality Campbell welder. Even the best welders can be tripped up by a welder that is malfunctioning, and there is nothing that can be done if the welder is not up to the job. I would look into buying a used Lincoln, Miller, or Hobart 110V wirefeed welder if you want to start off on the right foot. A little Lincoln HD100 can be had for $150 and will do what you want. In terms of wire, fluxcore wire can be used for thin guage metal without a problem, but you must keep in mind that fluxcore burns hotter than solid wire with a shielding gas. When you say that your welds aren't holding, it means you aren't getting proper penetration on the weld. The spotty and ugly welds point towards your travel speed being too fast where you aren't letting the puddle form. This will also cause a lack of penetration. It would be impossible to tell you exactly how to correct everything without being there in person, but it seems that you need to either slow down your travel speed or turn up the heat to a more appropriate level. If you are working on thing stuff that is 20 gauge or smaller, you will have to do small tack welds every few inches and then return to where you started to repeat the process until the entire joint is fused together. Otherwise, you will burn through the base metal without a doubt. The best piece of advice is to get someone who knows what they are doing to help you setup the machine and run a few beads then start welding on thicker metal you won't burn through easily. Once you have learned to weld on thick material, you can move to the thinner stuff. Also, if you do want to make the jump to solid wire with a gas shield, use CO2 or a 75%/25% CO2/Argon mix. Straight argon is a waste of money for mild steel which most bodywork is made out of. Unless you are welding high performance vehicles that use aluminum or stainless steel, you won't ever use straight argon, and even then, it would be better to just use TIG.

Question: Is it possible to make a magnet using a welder? I think it might be possible to make a magnet using an ordinary electric welder, although I don't know if a would need to be an A/C or D/C welder. It seems like I've heard this before. I want the magnet to play around with mostly, maybe use at work, if the need arose. Thanks to all those that spend their precious time evaluating and answering my question. Have a good night. thank you troyboy!! I appreciate your time spent answering my question! Also, do you think that setting the amps higher will result in a stronger magnetic pull?

Answer: yes you will have to use DC and wind a insulated wire around a steel rod you may over heat the welder if you energize it for more than a short time

Question: where can we find a good welder that can be shipped to rural Alaska? i like to weld stuff and its hard to find a welder out here in rural alaska.

Answer: Contact Lincoln, The company that handles Lincoln, They have great stick and mig welders. I have both, MiG for small stuff and stick ac/dc for bigger stuff. most major hardware outlets handle them, Home depot etc. If You get a mig, get the type that used a shielding gas, such as argon or nitrogen, the job just comes out better, little or no splatter. They do have flux core MiG, it works well but isn't the prettiest, also with gas you can weld aluminum etc.

Question: How much should It cost to have a welder tack my exhaust system? I recently put a glass pack and a straight pipe in place of a catalytic converter and I only have clamps right now but I have so many exhaust leaks because of it and the pipes keep falling off so how much should it cost to have a welder at least tack the pipes together 3 pipes have to be tacked together.

Answer: Lol at the last answer, most places do this for free, too funny. I'd say 100 bucks is more than fair. I dont know of any technician out there anywhere in America that works for free.

Question: What type of welder should I get? I am looking to weld 1/4" steel and up to 1/2" steel. What type of welder should I get and how hard is it to learn to do basic no structural welds that will hold up to impacts? How many amps would be needed to weld 1/2" steel?

Answer: Lincoln or Miller welders do an excellent job, I use them everyday. The type of welding you are describing you would probably would be better off with a MIG welder (not having any experience). I would strongly suggest reading up on the subject at a minimum or taking some lessons. A 200-250 amp MIG welder will weld 1/4" - 1/2" steel very easily with the right wire and gas. You will need a 50-70 amp dedicated line to be able to weld the steel you are describing. I would suggest going to your local welding shop or better yet to a welding supply store to get more info. We could talk all day on this subject and still not get to it all. Go talk face to face with experienced fabricators or welding supply store salesmen to get good info. to suit your needs. They will be able to direct you in the right direction. Be ready to spend a little money to get a welder that you will be happy with over time. Do research and ask many many questions. Also be prepared to answer questions as well. You will need to know everything from want you want to weld, to supply voltage in your shop. Good luck and don't skimp on the protective gear.

Question: Can a half ton double cab dodge safely support a 800 pound welder if on a trailer? Debating on purchasing a 3/4 ton or a half ton truck. 3/4 ton is older and has more miles. I know the half ton would not safely support the welder if actually in the bed and I am pretty sure it would support the welder if on a trailer but would like to make sure before making a decision on what to buy.

Answer: That truck can safely tow 4500 pounds. It can also carry 1500 pounds in the bed. (not at the same time)

Question: ¿What features should I look for in a portable stick welder? I have a welder, but it's big and heavy, so it's difficult to carry it, and I must mention that I have problems with my spine. So, I would like to buy a smaller one, but I am still wondering if these kind of machines work well. Do they have enough power to melt steel? a.c. or d.c. which one is better?

Answer: You can get trolleys for these things, or better yet, you could make one yourself. Apart from that, it depends on what kind of rod you are using: AC machines are usually smaller, simpler, cheaper, and somewhat more robust, since they are essentially just a small adjustable transformer. On the other hand, some rods, such as 6010, or 7015, do not appreciate AC. * EXX10 DC+ * EXX11 AC or DC- * EXX12 AC or DC- * EXX13 AC, DC- or DC+ * EXX14 AC, DC- or DC+ * EXX15 DC+ * EXX16 AC or DC+ * EXX18 AC, DC- or DC+ * EXX20 AC ,DC- or DC+ * EXX24 AC, DC- or DC+ * EXX27 AC, DC- or DC+ * EXX28 AC or DC+ http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/weldrod.html Most reputable companies, such as Miller, Lincoln, or ESAB, make excellent small DC welders. These are usually solid state, 50 lbs or lighter, and have a great duty cycle rating. For most of these units, you are going to need a 220 Volt wall outlet though. Unless you are using rods that are more than 1/8", or doing arc gouging, you should be fine using one of the smaller units. You have no reason to need more than 200 amps DC.

Question: How do you stick two pieces of metal together without a welder? I am building a bike but i need to replace the brake holders. I need to cut it off and then stick it one inch down the frame. How do I do this without a welder?

Answer: You are always going to want an epoxy when dealing with metal on metal. I suggest using J-B Weld. It is a great product that I have been selling for years. Customers are always pleased. Good luck fixing your bike!

Question: about how much does a average welder make weekly? i want to know how much a regular welder makes weekly, not those underwater ones, special ones just one that may work in a shop.

Answer: I used to own a metal fab shop in Detroit (non union). We paid production welders $14.00/hour with benefits like vacation pay, full medical and paid holidays. However, the higher degree of skill that the particular job requires and the region that you live will affect that average. For example, New York City has a much higher cost of living than a place like Detroit. I would expect that wages would also be higher.

Question: How can I become an airplane welder? I have 3 years experience as a welder. I do a lot of tig welding. Now I want to make a further step of my career. I always fancy about aircraft welding. And I wonder how can I become one?

Answer: By welding airplanes.

Question: What do I need to run a 100 amp hobby welder? I have a 100 amp 110 volt hobby welder. Do I need an outlet just for the welder and what amp breaker. Also can I power it with a 2000 watt generator. Thanks.

Answer: hehe 20 amp circuit. OK! Look if an electrician really knows what he is doing he would go to the nameplate. Find the duty cycle rating on the nameplate. Go to Article 630 in the NEC. Use the duty cycle to find the circuit ampacity needed by multiplication of the code book demand factor by the nameplate amperage. The same would apply to the circuit breaker size. So why dont you just put it on a 100 amp breaker, with a plug and call it a day. Also dont try to use the generator it will not work for it.

Question: Can I turn a flux core welder into an arc welder? My machine has a (+) post that the torch is connected to. Can I just take the spool off, disconnect the torch, and in it's place put a wire and rod holder? Or is an arc welder voltage / frequency / something else different? I know this is kinda going backwards, but it seems like it would allow me to make deeper welds and also work with different rods for Al and Stainless without gas. Can I do this?

Answer: I dont think thats possible, What exactly are you trying to weld, just the coupons or a job of somesort, let me now.