How to cook using inverter welding with electrodes? A manual for “dummies”: features of arc welding with electrodes How to start welding with electric welding.

A weld is one of the most reliable ways to connect parts. It is used in industry and general Everyday life. Every home craftsman uses welding from time to time. It’s good if he knows how to cook himself, but he often has to turn to specialists. But welding is quite possible to learn. You should start with the simplest: electric welding for beginners is, first of all, learning how to make various seams. More complex work can be performed only after gaining experience. Let's look at the basics of technology and some of the tricks of the welding process, as well as the equipment and materials used.

Types of Welding Machines

For the right choice welding machine, it is necessary to take into account all the pros and cons of various types and models of welders.

Transformers- the simplest and most traditional devices, quite heavy in weight, made on the basis of a step-down transformer, which brings the voltage value to the required value for operation. The peculiarity of transformers is that they operate on alternating current, which creates an unstable arc. In combination with an increased amount of slag and gas impurities, such an arc contributes to metal spattering and spoils the appearance of the weld. A high-quality weld with such a device can be made by an experienced welder with skills in working on a transformer.

A simple device operating on alternating current

Rectifiers– welders that can convert alternating current into direct current and reduce the network voltage using semiconductor diodes. Direct current produces a stable arc and allows you to make the welding seam uniform and sealed, strong and beautiful. The rectifier is universal, all types of electrodes are suitable for it, all types of metals can be welded with this device: stainless steel, aluminum, copper, titanium, various alloys.

Universal welding machine, suitable for all types of electrodes

Inverters– very popular because they are light weight, excellent functionality, and automated settings. Such specifications allow beginners to work on it. The design of the device includes a number of blocks that convert alternating current from the network into high-power direct current. The advantage of this type of welder is:

possibility of precise settings;
performing a wide range of tasks;
stable arc;
resistance to power surges;
high quality welding, smooth seam;
work with all types of electrodes;
connection of all types of metals of any thickness and position in space.
has additional functions that prevent electrode sticking and tear-off drops;
possibility of igniting the electrode at maximum current supply;

The disadvantages include:

the need for frequent dust removal;
limited cable length of 2.5 m;
impossibility of working at air temperatures below – 15 degrees.

The inverter is suitable for novice welders

Semi-automatic – There are two types. The former increase the productivity of welding work due to continuous wire supply. In this case, there is no need to constantly change the electrodes. The seam is smooth, continuous and without defects. The latter operate in a gaseous environment; for this they use oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, as well as argon and helium. Gas welding has the following advantages:

one apparatus is designed to work with both gas and wire;
excellent quality and aesthetics of the seam;
stable, even arc;
high functionality;
Possibility of welding complex joints.

With this machine you can make a high-quality weld

What does a novice welder need to get started?

First of all, you need to prepare equipment and clothing.

Tools and protective equipment

You will definitely need a welding machine, a set of electrodes, a hammer and chisel for knocking down slag, and a metal brush for cleaning seams. The electric holder is used to clamp, hold the electrode and supply current to it. You also need a set of templates to check the seam dimensions. The diameter of the electrode is selected depending on the thickness of the metal sheet. Don't forget about protection. We prepare a welding mask with a special light filter that does not transmit infrared rays and protects the eyes. Screens and shields perform the same function. A canvas suit, consisting of a long-sleeved jacket and smooth trousers without cuffs, leather or felted shoes to protect against metal splashes, and gloves or mittens, canvas or suede, with overlapping sleeves. Such straight, closed clothing protects the welder from getting molten metal on his body.

There are special protective equipment that are used for working at heights and inside metal objects, when working in a lying position. In such cases, you will need dielectric boots, a helmet, gloves, a mat, knee pads, armrests, and for high-altitude welding you need a safety belt with straps.

Which electrodes to choose

Electrodes come in various types and brands. This is due to the need to select the metal of the parts to be connected and the same metal of the electrode.

Each electrode has a marking that gives the welder all the necessary information. Learning to read labels is not difficult.

There are special markings on the electrodes

They are often coated on top with various coatings that give the electrodes the properties necessary for welding different metals and working conditions. Here is a table of classification of electrodes by type of coating and application features.

A special coating gives the electrodes special properties necessary for welding different metals

The classification of electrodes by type and purpose is reflected in the product labeling.

Electrodes vary in type and purpose

Types of welds

Connecting welds are divided according to location, strength, technology, and design features. Types of seam locations:

Lower. The simplest and most convenient, thanks to gravity, the metal fills the gap between the parts. This is the most durable and economical seam.
Horizontal. The workpieces are located perpendicular to the electrode and the seam runs horizontally. Some of the metal leaves the welding zone and the electrode is consumed faster.
Vertical. In this case, the workpieces are also located perpendicular to the electrode, but the seam is formed vertically. The molten metal tends downwards, the consumption of the electrode is significant.
Inclined. The movement of the welder's hand occurs at an angle. Used for corner and T-joints.
The ceiling seam is located above the master.

Division by design:

Butt. The butt joint is quite durable and economical; it does not distort the joint surface. This is a universal connection.
Overlapping parts are welded when there is not enough space for a butt seam. The thickness of the workpieces should not be more than 8-10 mm.
It is recommended to weld a corner seam on both sides, with the workpieces positioned at an angle to each other. This seam is not easy to perform due to the increase in the heat-affected zone and the high consumption of the electrode.
A T-weld is a fillet weld where the planes of the parts are welded perpendicularly. The seam is formed on both sides and is quite complex.
A seam for electric rivets is used when there is no need for a sealed seam; it is the most economical and inconspicuous.

Welding can be carried out either in one layer or in several layers for thick workpieces.

How to learn to weld by welding - a guide for beginners

Welding is a high temperature process. To carry it out, an electric arc is formed and held from the electrode to the workpiece being welded. Under its influence, the base material and the metal rod of the electrode melt. As experts say, a weld pool is formed, in which the base and electrode metals are mixed. The size of the resulting pool directly depends on the selected welding mode, spatial position, speed of arc movement, shape and size of the edge, etc. On average, its width is 8-15 mm, length 10-30 mm and depth - about 6 mm.

The electrode coating, the so-called coating, when melted, forms a special gas zone in the arc area and above the bath. It displaces all air from the welding area and prevents the molten metal from reacting with oxygen. In addition, it contains pairs of both base and electrode metals. Slag forms on top of the weld, which also prevents the melt from interacting with air, which negatively affects the quality of welding. After the electric arc is gradually removed, the metal begins to crystallize and a seam is formed that unites the parts being welded. On top of it there is a protective layer of slag, which is subsequently removed.

During the welding process, the electrode coating melts, forming a special gas zone. Inside it, the base metal and electrode are mixed

It is best for novice welders to gain their first experience under the guidance of a specialist who can correct possible mistakes and give helpful advice. You should begin work by securely fastening the part. For fire safety purposes, you need to place a bucket of water near you. For the same reason, you should not carry out welding work on a wooden base and be careless with even very small remnants of the used electrode.

Connecting the welding machine

For welding to work safely, you need to connect the machine to the network, observing the following rules:

First you need to check the voltage and frequency of the current. This data must be the same on the network and on the device body.
We set the calculated value of the current power on the welding machine, which should correspond to the selected electrode diameter. If the welder settings block allows you to select the voltage, you need to set it right away. The connection is made through a special plug and grounding lug.
We securely fasten the “grounding” clamp. We check that the cable is insulated and neatly tucked into a special holder.
Be sure to check all connections, cables, plugs.
You can use a special extension cord that is connected without intermediate connections.
In older houses with weak wiring, voltage drops may occur. It stops the work process and can damage the welding equipment. In this case, you need an electric generator that will provide voltage at the operating level.

The welding machine is simple

How to choose the right current

Welding current is an important indicator of welding and determines the type and nature of the seam and work productivity. The higher the current, the more stable the arc and the greater the penetration depth. The current strength depends on the location of the workpieces in space and on the size of the electrode. The highest value is set for welding horizontal workpieces. For vertical seams, the current value used is 15% less, and for ceiling seams - 20%.

The current strength depends on the location of the workpieces and the size of the electrode

How to strike an arc

The first way is touch. To do this, we install the electrode at an angle of about 60° relative to the product. Slowly move it across the surface. Sparks should appear, now we touch the electrode to the metal and lift it to a height of no more than 5 mm.

If the operation was performed correctly, the arc will light. The five-millimeter gap must be maintained throughout the welding. It should be taken into account that when properly welding metal using electric welding, the electrode will gradually burn out, so we constantly bring it slightly closer to the metal. The electrode should be moved slowly; if it suddenly gets stuck, you will have to slightly swing it to the side. If the arc does not ignite, the current may need to be increased.

The second method is chirping. You need to bring the electrode to the surface of the workpiece and strike it over the part, as if you were lighting a match. You can make it easier to ignite the electrode by tapping the coating on its edge.

Tilt and movement of the electrode

Once you can light and maintain the arc without any problems, it’s time to move on to fusing the bead. We light the arc, slowly and smoothly move the electrode horizontally, performing slight oscillatory movements with it. In this case, the molten metal seems to be “raked” to the very center of the arc. The result should be a strong weld with small waves formed by the deposited metal.

For a novice welder, it is better to keep the electrode angle at about 70 degrees, that is, with a slight deviation from the vertical. Below is a diagram of arc welding.

Electrode tilt angle is about 70 degrees

If during the process of welding parts the electrode has burned out almost completely, and the seam has not yet been completed, we temporarily stop the work. We replace the used element with a new one, remove the slag and continue working. At a distance of about 12 mm from the depression formed at the end of the seam, which is also called a crater, we light the arc. We bring the electrode to the recess so that an alloy is formed from the metal of the old and newly installed electrode, after which welding of the seam continues.

During the welding process, the electrode makes certain movements, mainly translational, longitudinal and transverse. Their combinations make up different kinds seams, the most common ones are shown in the diagram

The arc movement trajectory during the welding process of parts can be done in three directions:

Progressive. Involves moving the arc along the axis of the electrode. This makes it fairly easy to maintain a stable arc length.
Longitudinal. Forms a thread welding roller, the height of which depends on the speed at which the electrode moves and its thickness. This is a regular seam, but very thin. To secure it, in the process of moving the electrode along the welded seam, transverse movements are also performed.
Transverse. Allows you to obtain the desired seam width. Performed by oscillating movements. Their width is selected based on the size and position of the seam, the shape of its cutting, etc.

In practice, all three basic movements are used, which are superimposed on one another and form a certain trajectory. There are classic options, but each master usually has his own handwriting. The main thing is that during the work the edges of the joined elements are well fused, and a seam of the given shape is obtained.

As a rule, all three directions are used; they can overlap each other and form a trajectory

Making welds

Ceiling welding seam

This seam is considered the most difficult, since the weld pool is turned upside down and is located above the welder. Select an electrode no larger than 4 mm and move it slightly to the side so that the metal does not spread. Use a short arc and completely dry electrodes; the seam for ceiling welding should be thin. The movement is self-directed, making it easier for the welder to control the quality of the seam. There are several ways to do it:

ladder;
crescent;
back and forth.

The ceiling seam is considered the most difficult

Video: making a ceiling seam

Vertical

When making such a seam, you can move the electrode from top to bottom or from bottom to top. To prevent the metal from draining, the electrode should be placed at an angle of 45-50 degrees downward from the perpendicular position. Experienced welders recommend making this seam in one pass.

When making a vertical seam, the electrode is positioned at an angle of 45-50 degrees

Video: vertical seam

23.03

Making a horizontal seam

When making such a seam, the main difficulty lies in the metal flowing down. To solve this problem, the welder must adjust the electrode angle and pass speed. Welding is carried out from left to right or right to left.

When making a horizontal seam, you need to correctly select the angle of inclination of the electrode and the speed of passage

Angular

When forming fillet or tee welds, the parts are placed at different angles in a boat so that the molten metal flows into the corner. Then they are tacked by welding on both sides, one edge of the structure should be slightly higher than the other. The movement of the electrode begins from the bottom point.

In fillet welding, the movement of the electrode begins from the bottom point

Features of pipeline welding

Electric arc welding can be used to make a vertical seam, which is located on the side of the pipe, and a horizontal seam along its circumference. As well as ceiling and bottom, located, respectively, above and below. Moreover, the latter is considered the most convenient to perform. Steel pipes usually butt welded with mandatory penetration of all edges along the height of the walls. To reduce sagging inside the pipe, an electrode inclination angle of no more than 45° relative to the horizontal is selected. Seam height – 2-3 mm, width – 6-8 mm. When overlapping welding, the seam height is about 3 mm and the width is 6-8 mm.

Before we start welding a pipe using electric welding, we carry out the preparatory work:

thoroughly clean the part;
if the ends of the pipe are deformed, cut or straighten them;
clean the edges. We clean at least 10 mm of the outer and inner surfaces adjacent to the edges of the pipe to a metallic shine.

Now you can start welding. All joints are processed continuously until complete welding. Rotary and non-rotary joints of pipes with a wall width of up to 6 mm are made in at least 2 layers. With a wall width of 6-12 mm, three layers are performed, more than 19 mm - four. The peculiarity of welding pipes is that each seam that is placed at the joint must be cleared of slag, after which the next one is made. The first seam is the most critical. It should completely melt all edges and blunts. It is examined especially carefully for cracks. If they are present, they are melted down or cut out and the fragment is welded again.

The final layer is made as even as possible with a smooth transition to the base metal

The second and all subsequent layers are performed by slowly rotating the pipe. The end and beginning of all layers must be shifted relative to the previous layer by 15-30 mm. The final layer is performed with a smooth transition to the base metal and with a smooth surface. To improve the quality of pipe welding by electric welding, each subsequent layer is carried out in reverse side relative to the previous one, and their closing points are necessarily spaced apart.

Do-it-yourself welding is a rather complicated undertaking. However, if you want, you can still master it. You need to learn the basic rules of the process and gradually learn how to perform the simplest exercises. There is no need to spare time and energy to master the basics, which will become the basis of mastery. Subsequently, you can safely move on to more complex techniques, honing your skills.

The correct position of the electrode during welding is one of the main conditions for obtaining a high-quality, reliable joint.

Depending on the type of connection, the electrode must be held and tilted differently, so it is important for a novice welder to learn how to maintain an optimal position in relation to the surface of the parts being welded. The inclination of the electrode during welding affects the heating of the part and the maintenance of molten metal in the weld pool.

To strike the arc, the electrode must be held at a right angle, then tilted a small degree (about 15 °). The distance from the surface is 1-2 mm. To obtain a high-quality joint, it is necessary to weld with a shorter arc.

When the electrode is positioned perpendicular to the base metal, it quickly spreads in the weld pool and fills all the voids with the melt.

To reduce the heating of a thin metal plate, it is necessary to place a seam with a small leg. As the angle decreases, heat transfer increases, and the welding speed in this case will decrease. It becomes possible to form a high-quality roller.

If the angle of inclination of the electrode is very sharp, then the material of the main structure will not heat up. The weld pool is quite narrow. The seam will be high, but with uncooked edges.

To achieve a permanent connection of well-fitted parts, during a butt connection it is necessary to maintain uniform advancement of the electrode at a constant angle of inclination.

This method helps fill the weld pool with filler metal and form a weld with increased density.

But in some cases it is necessary to change the angle of the electrode, for example, when welding pipes. It is especially important to follow this rule for welding non-rotary joints.

To fill all the voids in the weld puddle, it is sometimes better to make the slope sharper, slowing down the filler metal filling of the weld and maintaining the selected leg. When finishing the passage, you must remember to lift the tip of the electrode so that a crater does not form.

The ability to hold the electrode correctly during the welding process comes with experience. You must constantly remember the location of the core and try to hold the handle of the holder without tension. Your hands should be slightly relaxed and your movements should be free.

Technique

If observed, it is possible to smooth out errors arising from deviations in the angle of inclination of the holder. Depending on the required filling of the weld, several methods are adopted:

triangle. This wiring allows you to reliably weld the root of the seam. It is used for welding parts with a thickness of over 6 mm and provides reliable heating of the middle part of the seam. The method is most common when welding pipes with a fixed joint;
guiding the electrode along a broken zigzag line. It is used when welding structures with a metal thickness of less than 6 mm. The highest quality seams are obtained when butt welding and in the lower position. Such wiring can be used to weld joints efficiently without ensuring bevel of the edges;
circular or elliptical movements with the electrode. This method ensures reliable heating of both planes of the parts being welded. It is used when welding structures made of alloy steels and in a vertical position of the joint.

In this case, it is important to ensure simultaneous advancement of the core together with the movements responsible for heating the joint and filling the seam. There are three promotion options that can replace each other.

The first option is translational movement along the axis of the core. This movement is necessary to maintain an arc with a constant length and ensure a certain speed of welding structures.

The second type is movement along the axis of the seam in a straight line. In this case, the welder has the opportunity to control the time of metal melting and provide a certain leg.

The third option is to make oscillatory movements at an angle of 45° across the seam. This method is used to ensure heating of the edge of the part.

The welder can adjust the width of the bead on thin metal. This option for advancing electrodes is indispensable for multilayer joints.. Used for root seam.

Selecting the angle of inclination

It is necessary to move the electrode at different angles. The choice of the desired position depends on the type of material, the location of the parts in space and the thickness of the metal. The main methods of core management include three methods.

Angle forward

In this case, the core is driven at an angle from 30° to 60°. In this position of the electrode, the molten coating forms slag.

It moves after the weld pool and reliably covers it from the invasion of harmful gases. Some slag that falls in front of the weld is displaced by molten metal on the sides of the joint.

If there is a formation in front of the bathtub large quantities slag, then the slope must be reduced. In rare cases, the tilt can be adjusted to a right angle. This must be done when there is severe slag formation.

In this case, it does not have time to harden and fills the bath, extinguishing the welding arc. Therefore, it is necessary to ignite the arc at a right angle, gradually changing it, to achieve normal slag formation.

This method is used when a small depth of heating of the base metal is necessary, for welding ceiling joints, welding a vertical seam on a channel, welding pipes with a fixed joint and for making a root weld on thick metal workpieces.

Perpendicular

It is quite difficult to constantly hold the electrode perpendicular to the surface, so the method requires sufficient skills as an electric welder.

Used for welding in inaccessible places where it is not possible to tilt the electrode at a different angle. In this case, you can achieve a small penetration of the metal parts.

Angle back

Welding is performed with an inclined electrode, similar to when welding with a “forward angle”, only the angle is counted in the other direction. In this case, the molten slag is forced out of the weld pool and is located immediately behind it.

For different electrodes, it is necessary to select a certain angle that will ensure optimal performance of work. The molten slag must have time to pass immediately behind the electrode and cover the molten metal, ensuring its uniform cooling.

This method is most often used when welding with the condition of reliable molten metal, regardless of the thickness of the structural parts. This method is indispensable when welding cores with rutile coatings.

Used to make the first (root) seam of thick parts in a vertical or lower joint position. This method will provide a reliable permanent connection of angular joint positions, channel welding, and pipe connections. For a more experienced electric welder, welding with a very small welding arc is possible.

Regardless of the choice of electrode tilting method when welding, position balance should be maintained. It should not spread quickly in front of the seam, but it should not lag too far behind it.

In any case, choosing the right angle and holding the electrode stably during electric arc welding is possible only with experience.

Electric welding is the most common method of obtaining a permanent connection. The availability and simplicity of equipment for welding work allows even novice electric welders to assemble simple metal structures on their own.

Those who want to learn how to learn to weld parts should start with the basics of electric welding, which occurs using electrodes.

Before starting any training, you need a home craftsman. First of all, this concerns welding machines and electrodes, and then move on to the basics.

To carry out one-time work, you can rent a welding machine from specialized companies, but if there is a lot of work to be done, the best solution There will be a purchase of a reliable unit with a sufficient level of power.

You can weld with gas, but this is a more expensive method. For various purposes, the industry produces the following types of equipment:

welding machine (transformer), designed to convert alternating currents into high-power welding current. Cheap welding machines can overheat greatly even under light loads, and they produce uneven welding current with large differences;
Rectifiers convert alternating current from the network into direct current. These are the most productive devices with good characteristics, but they cost an order of magnitude more;
Modern inverters are capable of converting alternating current into direct current; they are distinguished by high performance characteristics with small dimensions and weight. Today this is the most affordable, reliable type of welding equipment; many welders use them. This is the best option for beginners, where you can practice the basics of working with electrodes.

Beginners need to know that electrodes are used for electric arc welding. Information about electrodes refers to the basics of training. The success of welding depends on the quality of the electrode and a suitable core composition.

The product is quite simple in design. This is a steel wire made of various materials and alloys, with a special coating applied to it.

The coating prevents unwanted gases from entering the weld pool. For household use, electrodes with a core thickness of 3 mm are most suitable. produced by electrodes with a cross section of 2 mm.

Organization of the workplace and reliable equipment for the welder

When welding with electrodes, strong infrared radiation occurs. To protect your eyes and skin, you must use a special welding mask and protective clothing made of dense material.

It is better to buy a welding helmet with chameleon glass, with the ability to adjust the degree of darkening of the glass. You need to wear split leather gloves or mittens on your hands. Protective clothing should be used regardless of whether you are a beginner welder or an expert.

The welding site must be fenced with protective screens to prevent damage to the eyes of others, especially at home. Welding shoes should not be nailed.

In such shoes, the welder will constantly dance even with slight dampness in the air. Before welding, be sure to ensure that your work area is properly grounded.

Having completed the preparatory work, you can begin learning welding and learning the basics.

Sequencing

Step-by-step instructions provide for performing several types of work. First you will need to equip a welding inverter. 2 cables are taken from it. One is for connecting the ground wire.

On another, of sufficient length, an industrial or homemade holder is connected. The process of learning electric welding is quite complex and time consuming.

Current adjustment

The welding manual includes information about machine settings. Welding current must be adjusted. At first you will not need to set the maximum value of this value.

All data is indicated in the table on the electrode packaging. You need to set it to a lower value and start learning.

With experience, when you can light an arc and make a simple seam, you need to set a higher value for the welding current. This will allow the metal to be heated better and a better weld to be made.

Welding arc

It is impossible to imagine welding lessons for beginners without learning how to strike an arc. At first, the electrode will constantly stick to the metal. There are 2 recommended methods for igniting the arc:

passing the tip of the electrode along the surface of the parts;
The arc can be ignited by tapping the electrode. Sometimes, when using MP-5 electrodes, the welder has to knock often and for a long time.

In the first case, there are no significant marks left on the parts; the second method is important when there is a large layer of coating on the tip of the electrode. Sometimes you have to grind the ends of the electrodes before welding.

It's very easy to learn. You just tap, and when lighting the arc, the main thing is not to stick the electrode into the molten metal and not to carry it over a long distance. In the first case, the arc will go out. The second option will lead to the formation of strong splashes and damage to the seam bead.

It is better to learn on thick metal. Only after learning how to light an arc and maintain its combustion can you move on to the next stage of training.

We develop the correct angle of inclination

The most common electrode position is between 30° and 60°. It is very rarely necessary to cook while holding the core at a right angle. When choosing an inclination, you need to monitor the behavior of the slag in the weld pool.

It should cover it securely, but without the metal spreading. You can't go too far ahead of the bathtub. To begin with, place the holder at a right angle, and gradually making the angle sharper, achieve normal filling of the weld pool with slag.

The quality of welding depends on the development of the normal position of the electrode holder. A novice welder should work by laying seams only in the lower position, on thick metal.

Having mastered the basics, you can gradually move on to horizontal and vertical seams. Depending on the thickness of the parts, you will also have to adjust the angle. Over time, this operation will be performed automatically.

Movement of the holder

To do this, you must hold the tip of the electrode core at a distance of at least 2 mm and see the weld pool.

The problem for beginners is the need to perform several actions at once. To better fill the joint bead, it is necessary to guide the electrode in several ways.

For welding metal whose thickness is more than 6 mm, it is better to use a triangle motion. And for parts less than this thickness, it is better to use a broken zigzag welding line.

At first, only these methods of guiding the electrode will be required. Pay attention to constant size oscillatory movements. You may first need to simply guide the electrode in a straight line to gain proficiency.

Don't think that you will succeed on the first try. This is a long process, so you need to be patient while mastering the basics.

Basic rules for joining parts

After you have mastered the basics of welding, you need to weld metal structures yourself and move on to performing simple assembly and tack operations at home. As a rule, a home craftsman does not weld thick metal, so cutting edges is not required. First, you can practice connecting a profile pipe. To do this, you will need to cut sharp corners at the ends of the parts for a larger penetration area.

The parts are inserted into the corner clamp and secured with a clamping bar. Now you need to first grab it from several sides. To do this, light an arc and place a small point.

There is no need to withstand a large leg, you just need to fix the parts. After checking the diagonals, tacks are performed on all accessible sides. Now the structure is removed and welded with a reliable and high-quality seam.

If the lessons on the angle of inclination and laying metal in a molten weld pool are well learned, then the operations of assembling metal structures will not cause difficulties even for dummies in welding.

Having studied the basics of welding and gained theoretical knowledge, you need to practice as often as possible, put on welding equipment, turn on the welding machine and for a long time hone your skills. Only practice will allow you to become a high-class welder.

IN modern world welds are found almost everywhere, in any industry. But many owners resort to the services of specialists. But you can easily acquire this skill yourself, especially since the welding process is very exciting; you may be drawn from welding an ordinary garage to making an openwork fence. It’s not difficult to learn how to cook; just understand the nuances and you can safely move on to the welding process.

Before you begin any training and understand how to properly weld with electric welding, you need to stock up on certain accessories. For welding you need to purchase:

Welding machine – electric welding.
Set of electrodes. Their diameters vary and must be selected depending on the density and thickness of the metal section. Necessary for supplying current to the welding seam. For beginners, you can purchase rods with a heating and easily melting composition.
Long sleeve rubber gloves. It is recommended to wear suede ones.
Mask with a darkened light filter.
Thick clothes.
A hammer needed to knock down slag (glassy material).
Brush for cleaning seams.
Transformer – used to convert direct current to alternating current. It is used, as a rule, when there is no need for a high-quality weld.
Rectifier.

Instead of a transformer and rectifier, for a beginner you can use a simpler mechanism - an inverter. It is very convenient and versatile. They can be used to weld both aluminum alloys and durable steel alloys. It also comes with a pair of wires with clamps attached to them. An electrode is inserted into one end, and the parts necessary for welding are attached to the other.

When welding, do not forget about safety measures.

Before starting welding work, it is necessary to prepare the working surface. To do this, you need to remove rust from surfaces by treating it with sandpaper, a grinder or sandpaper. If you ignore this procedure, problems may arise when igniting the arc.

Electric welding process technology

Welding is a process cultivated under the influence high temperatures. Under its influence, the treated surfaces melt, forming a so-called bath in which the base metal is mixed with the metal core of the electrode.

The size of the resulting pool can be different, depending on the initial type of welding, position to the surface, speed of arc movement, and so on. On average, the welding width can be 0.8 - 1.5 cm, height 1 - 3 cm, and depth about 0.6 cm.

Oxygen, when combined with metal, can have an undesirable effect on the joining of the seam, which is why the electrode is covered with a special coating, which, when melting, forms a zone of gas in the arc area and above the molten pool, into which air does not enter. This is why the metal does not interact with oxygen. In addition, slag forms on top of the seam, which also prevents the interaction of the alloy and oxygen. At the final stage, it is cleaned with a brush.

Arc striking training

Before any type of activity you need to gain experience. Likewise in the welding process, before you start alloying several metals, you need to practice making beads on an unnecessary sheet of metal. To do this, you need to clean the rusty surface and dirt on it.

The electrode is then clamped into the welding machine holder (inverter). Next, in order to deliver current to the melting zone, you just need to scratch. Or you can also do it with tapping movements.

After the completed electric arc is created, the electrode is directed to the workpiece. It is worth noting that the gap between the electric arc and the metal surface should be the same throughout the entire gap, but not less than 0.3 cm and not more than 0.5 cm.

Important! If the gap between the arc and the metal is changed, the electric arc will break, and the welding seam will be defective and unsightly.

The electric rod is usually held at an angle of 71 degrees. It can be tilted forward or backward, as is more convenient for the master. In the future, the tilt can be changed depending on the convenience of the master or on the specifics of welding.

And also at this training stage, it is necessary to feel the required electric welding current in order for the supply to be carried out stably. If the current strength is small, then the electric arc will go out, and if, on the contrary, it is large, then the metal will begin to melt. Welding skills can be gained through trial and error.

Weld seams depending on welding speed

Correct movements with the electrode

After training with rollers, which after hard training should turn out approximately smooth and beautiful, you can begin training welding seams. It is at this stage that you can understand how to correctly lay perfect seams using electric welding. This stage is already within the capabilities of beginners who have gotten good at using rollers, felt the required current strength, the distance between the gaps, etc.

For a welded seam, you must first prepare the equipment, as described above (light an electric arc). A distinctive feature from the previous stage is that this time the master’s hand moves not in a straight line, but along an oblique path, making light oscillatory movements with a small amplitude. It looks as if the master is moving hot, melting metal from one edge of the welded element to the other.

The movement can be different and can be a zigzag, looping or reminiscent of repeated bends similar to Christmas trees and sickles.

There are trajectories produced in three directions:

Progressive. The electrode moves along its axis. For this purpose, maintaining a stable electric arc length will be sufficient.
Longitudinal. This is one of the thinnest types of seams. It looks like a thread. In order to apply it, it is necessary to maintain a height that depends on the speed at which the electric rod moves. In order to secure the resulting seam, it is necessary to make transverse directions of movement.
Oscillatory. This trajectory helps to obtain the required seam width. They can be done by making oscillatory movements of the hand. The height of the vibration wave is selected based on the size of the desired joint.

Electrode manipulation

The training also needs to be done on an unnecessary metal sheet. To begin, draw a line with chalk so that it can be seen through the darkened glass of the welding helmet. Next, along this line you need to draw a seam with an electrode along one of the trajectories listed above. After the joint has cooled, the slag is knocked off with a hammer, and a beautiful seam is obtained.

After obtaining these initial skills, you can safely begin welding connecting seams. They come in completely different shapes: horizontal, vertical, angular, butt, overlapping and others. After you feel that your hand is moving more or less confidently and have trained a lot, you can only then try to weld beautiful and delicate seams.

For a visual understanding of the welding process, we recommend watching this video

Thus, you can independently learn the very necessary skill of working with electric welding. To do this, you need to stock up on certain supplies and tools. It is also worth remembering that welding is a very dangerous activity, so when working with it you need special equipment and protective measures (helmet, gloves, clothing). To master this type of work, you must first practice on an unnecessary sheet of metal.

On summer cottage, in your private home, garage or your own workshop there are often times when welding skills are required. These skills are especially useful when conducting construction on your own. And learning how to use electric welding and use it for your needs is quite simple. To do this, you need to understand the basics of metal welding, know some specialized secrets and learn how to use them.

Welding Basics

The essence of electric welding of metal consists of the following steps. A power unit in the form of a transformer or inverter produces a current of a certain power, which is supplied through cables to a special metal electrode. An electric discharge occurs between the metal workpiece prepared for welding and the electrode, forming a stable high-temperature electric arc that melts the metal. In this case, a point bath of boiling metal is formed, in which the electrode itself melts, simultaneously acting as a filler material.

The welder, moving the arc, forms a seam, in which the boiling metal of both workpieces being welded together is mixed to form a single monolithic compound.

Types of electric welding

An electric arc burns due to a powerful current supplied to the electrode. The current can be alternating and generated welding transformer or constant, supplied to the welding site from an inverter:

Transformer. Depending on the model, it can be connected to a 220 or 380 V network. But it will be difficult for a beginner to work with this unit, since with alternating current the electric arc is not constant and it is quite difficult for a person with little experience in welding to hold it. At the same time, the arc creates noise and tends to splash boiling metal from the bath. The transformer itself is heavy, bulky and creates significant voltage drops in the electrical network, especially at the moment of ignition of the electric arc. This naturally has a negative effect on household appliances.
Inverter. It supplies the electrode with direct current, converted from alternating current, which it receives from a centralized electrical network with a voltage of 220 V. The device is light weight, compact, operates silently and has virtually no effect on the voltage in the network, and is characterized by high performance. The direct current supplied to the electrode ensures a stable burning of the electric arc, which can even be used to weld tin, making it easier to control and move during welding.

This is exactly the type of machine that a novice master should use to acquire welding skills.

Process technology

Electric welding refers to a high-temperature metal melting process. To make it clear how to properly weld metal using electric welding, you need to be clearly aware of all the processes taking place:

The electric arc is ignited when the electrode touches the metal, after which a small distance (2-5 mm) is formed between them, which must be constantly maintained. Under the influence of the arc, the metal of the workpieces being welded and the electrode melts and mixes.
The volume of the weld pool depends on the voltage applied to the electrode, its position in space, the speed at which the electric arc moves, the size and shape of the edges of the workpieces being welded and other aspects. The average depth of the bath is usually about 6 mm, the length is about 10-30 mm, and the width is between 8-15 mm.
During combustion, the coating of the electrode forms a cloud of gas, which protects the arc and molten metal from oxidation when interacting with air, and also ensures maintenance of a certain temperature necessary for melting the metal.
At the moment when the burning electrode moves from the point where the metal has just been molten, the process of crystallization and cooling of the seam connecting the welded parts begins. At the same time, a slag crust forms on its surface, which is subsequently knocked off with a hammer.
The slag formed on the surface of the molten metal from the electrode coating is also capable of maintaining the temperature during crystallization of the metal at the same time, preventing oxygen from the air from reaching it.

Welder's working tools

Inverters for welding are sold already with a set of cables with an electrode holder and a clothespin for ground. But when purchasing, it is recommended to carefully inspect all these working elements to ensure their quality.

Welding cables must be covered with flexible rubber insulation with reliable contact tips made of brass and be suitable for the connector of the selected device. If the inverter is designed to operate within 150A, its cables should have a cross-section of about 16 mm 2. With a current of 200A - 25 mm 2, and above 250A - it is advisable to use a cross section of 35 mm 2. It is also undesirable to lengthen the wires, as this reduces the power of the current supplied to the electrode.

Electrode holder. It is the most important tool for a welder because it performs the main manipulation of the electric arc when welding metal. Usually this is a well-insulated and completely safe holder in the form of a clothespin. This model is convenient in that after replacement, before cooking with the electrode, it can be set not only perpendicular to the holder, but also set to a certain degree of 45 degrees.

The clamp with which the mass is connected to the workpiece to be welded must have a powerful spring and brass contacts.

Besides all this, The welder must be provided with:

A protective mask that does not allow harmful rays of the welding arc to pass through.
Gloves and clothing made of thick, fireproof material and leather shoes.
Auxiliary tools in the form of a combined hammer with chisel and a metal brush.
A bucket of water or a fire extinguisher.

Electrodes are selected depending on the thickness of the metal that will be welded. The voltage power for welding is set based on the diameter of the electrode used, and you should start from the value - for 1 mm of electrode diameter, a power in the range of 30-40 A is sufficient.

It is advisable not to exceed this value, otherwise the electrode will simply blow it out of the bath instead of calmly melting the metal.

Basics of the electric arc method

In the recommendations on how to learn to cook with an inverter, it is recommended to pay attention specifically to the beginning of the welding process. Before you start work, workpieces to be welded should be placed into a given position, and, if necessary, securely fix them on the desktop. For fire safety, there should be a bucket of water nearby. To avoid accidental fire, do not weld on a wooden base. It is not allowed to scatter hot electrode cinders in the welding area.

Ignition of the electric arc and application of the seam

To light an arc without sticking the electrode, it is recommended to tilt it to the metal workpiece at an angle of approximately 60 0 and make a sliding movement with it (approximately like a match on a box). After a spark appears, the electrode should be torn away from the metal at a distance of no more than 3-5 mm and kept in this position throughout the entire welding process. If the electrode sticks to the metal surface during ignition of the arc, you just need to swing it from side to side and try to ignite again.

During the burning of the arc, the electrode must be slowly moved along the edges of the metal workpieces being welded, smoothly making oscillatory movements with it. With these movements, the metal molten at high temperature is “raked” into the center of the bath, forming a monolithic, slightly convex seam.

Once the electrode has burned down to its minimum size, it should be replaced with a new one. After this, the slag is removed from the welded seam, and then an electric arc is ignited at a distance of approximately 10-12 mm from the recess that was formed at the end of the welded seam.

After this, the electrode returns to the recess, is filled with boiling metal from the electrode, and work continues.

Electrode manipulation

Before you learn how to cook with an inverter, you need to become familiar with the trajectories of electrode movement that need to be done during welding work. They can be carried out in three directions:

Forward movements. Small oscillatory movements of the arc are produced along the welded seam. To do this, it is enough to maintain a stable burning of an electric arc of a certain length.
Lateral movements from side to side are performed to form a certain width of the weld. Typically used to cover previously applied welds.
Longitudinal direction. A regular but thin seam of a certain height is formed, which is formed depending on the speed of movement of the electrode and its diameter. To give the resulting seam greater strength, it is overlapped with a new one, made using the transverse movement of an electric arc.

In practice, when welding particularly thick metal, all three movements are used, which are performed in turn by sequentially placing successive seams on top of each other.

In addition to classical manipulations, each welder develops a personal style over time. But the main work is to thoroughly melt the edges of the parts being welded and create a seam of the specified height and width.

Working with pipes

Manual arc welding can be used to apply vertical, horizontal and ceiling seams, and the simplest is welding in the lower position. For example, heating, when the pipeline is in a horizontal position, welding is performed in almost all spatial positions. In addition, if the pipe is located vertically, only a horizontal seam is applied.

You can weld the pipe yourself by rotating it around its axis using a gas apparatus or an inverter. In this case, it is welded with a vertical seam or in the lower position.

If the wall thickness of the pipes being welded is no more than 6 mm, two seams are applied to the joint: the root and the overlapping layer. For wall thicknesses in the range of 6–12 mm, at least 3 layers are applied. If the metal has a thickness of more than 19 mm, then the seam is formed from four or more layers.

Each applied seam must be freed from slag and thoroughly cleaned, after which the next layer can be applied.

The most important seam is the first (root) seam. It completely melts the edges of the pipe and, after welding is completed, is carefully checked for the presence of pores and cracks. If any are found, they are cut out and the area is boiled anew.

The second layer and all subsequent ones are performed at a slower pace, while the beginning of each new layer should come from the previous one with an offset of 15-30 mm. The final top layer should smoothly merge with the metal surface of the pipe being welded and have a certain leg.

To improve the quality of the welded pipe joint, a new layer in relation to the previous one is made in the opposite direction.

To better understand practical lessons in electric welding, it is advisable to start training with the ability to apply seams on a thick metal sheet. It is easier to learn how to manipulate the electric arc, applying a wide variety of seams, using simple measured movements of the electrode. The acquired skills will help you feel at what angle of the electrode and with what movements the seam is better and in the future will help you develop a certain style of using the holder.

It is not recommended to weld two workpieces with a long continuous seam at once. At temperature, the seam will contract and the welded part will be deformed. To prevent this from happening, the workpieces should be temporarily fastened together with small point tacks with a pitch of approximately 80 - 250 mm. In this case, the step depends on the size of the workpieces prepared for welding.