Welding guides
Parts, troubleshooting, equipment, and life in the trade. Browse by topic or search below.
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Stick Welding Porosity Troubleshooting: Pinholes, Wormholes, Moisture, Arc Length, and Electrode Checks
Stick welding porosity usually comes from gas trapped in the weld metal before the puddle freezes. With SMAW, start with the electrode, base metal, arc length, amperage, polarity, and technique before blaming…
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6010 vs 7018 Rod Selection Guide: When to Use Each Stick Electrode
Use 6010 when the weld needs deep penetration, fast-freeze puddle control, open-root tie-in, or tolerance for less-than-perfect steel. Use 7018 when the weld needs low-hydrogen deposit control, higher tensile classification, smoother fill…
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Stick Electrode Sticking During Arc Start: Amperage, Arc Length, Rod Condition, Polarity, Ground, and Hot Start Checks
Stick electrode sticking during arc start usually means the arc is not getting hot and stable fast enough to keep the rod from fusing to the work. The common causes are low…
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Stick Welding Arc Blow Causes and Fixes: Magnetic Arc Deflection, Ground Clamp Placement, AC/DC Settings, and Weld Sequence
Stick welding arc blow happens when the arc is pulled, pushed, or deflected away from the joint instead of staying under the electrode. The usual symptoms are a wandering arc, undercut on…
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7018 Rod Moisture Contamination Troubleshooting: Porosity, Rod Sticking, Arc Instability, and Hydrogen Cracking Risk
7018 rod moisture contamination is a low-hydrogen failure, not just a storage inconvenience. Damp E7018 electrodes can cause porosity, rough arc starts, excessive spatter, slag trouble, underbead cracking risk, and welds that…
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MIG Contact Tip Overheating Causes: Wire Drag, Short Stickout, Loose Tip, Duty Cycle, Ground, and Gun Setup
MIG contact tip overheating shows up as blue/purple discoloration, repeated burnback, wire sticking inside the tip, unstable arc, spatter welded to the tip face, loose consumables, or tips that fail after only…
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ESAB Rebel Aluminum MIG Setup Issues: Wire Feed, U-Groove Rolls, PTFE Liner, Contact Tip, Gas, and Spool Gun Checks
ESAB Rebel aluminum MIG setup issues usually show up as birdnesting, wire shaving, burnback, erratic starts, black soot, lack of fusion, poor bead wet-out, or aluminum wire that feeds briefly and then…
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Lincoln Power MIG Poor Arc Stability Troubleshooting: Wire Feed, Contact Tip, Liner, Gas, Ground, and Settings
Lincoln Power MIG poor arc stability usually comes from inconsistent wire delivery, poor electrical return, wrong setup, or shielding gas problems before it comes from a failed control board. Common symptoms include…
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MIG Spool Gun Birdnesting Causes: Aluminum Wire Feed, Spool Tension, Drive Pressure, Contact Tip, and Gun Setup
MIG spool gun birdnesting happens when aluminum wire buckles, loops, or piles up inside the spool gun instead of feeding smoothly through the contact tip. The usual symptom is a stalled arc,…
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Lincoln Drive Roll Pressure Adjustment Guide: Wire Feed Slip, Burnback, Birdnesting, and Wire Shaving Fixes
Lincoln drive roll pressure should be set only tight enough to feed wire without slipping. Too little pressure causes the drive rolls to spin while the wire stalls. Too much pressure crushes…