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The theory behind keeping an arc going is, the electrical current is forced between the welding rod tip and the steel you are welding. If you want to be a successful welder you must be able to strike an arc and keep it going without even thinking about it.

The 2 most common ways of starting your arc are by tapping and scratching your welding rod to the steel. Scratching seems to be the most natural way used by beginners.

Scratching is when you swipe the rod across the steel as if you were trying to light a match. Once the rod makes contact with the steel, the arc starts. The only real reason for scratching it to get it started is so it won’t stick to the steel since it is in motion. The trick then is to locate where you want to weld and try to keep the arc going. This takes some practice to get the hang of it.

Tapping is basically stabbing the steel with your welding rod. This is better for starting your rod in the correct welding location, but it is harder to keep the rod from sticking and still maintaining an arc. The natural reaction is once the arc strikes, you will want to pull it away to keep it from sticking. The only problem is, beginners tend to pull it too far away and lose the arc. This can go on and on and is actually pretty funny to watch someone doing this. But we all need to remember we were new at one point also.

Sticking of your welding rod is caused by the rod melting to the steel before it is pulled away slightly to maintain it’s arc. I won’t go into how far away it should be from the steel since it is dependent on what type of rod you are using and the amperage you are welding with.

These are the basics and should give you an idea of how to strike an arc. Just remember that it takes practice and patience to get good at it. One day you will grab the stinger and it will all just click in your head. It will almost start to feel natural, then you will know it’s all coming together.

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It is obvious that Arc welding is considered as the major and an essential part of all the industries involved in designing and infrastructure. But what arc welding is? It is a process of fusing two metals by applying intense heat. This welding type used welding power supply in order to create an electric arc between base material and electrode. And, the final product that develops contain all the properties, just as in metals. The term arc welding is named because the heat that is used during the process of melting the metal at the juncture of joining is caused by an electric arc. With the help of a mechanically guided electrode, carrying the current between tip and the joint leads to cause of electric arc. Listed here are some of the arc welding tips and techniques for the beginners.

- Safety Precautions
Remember that before commencing with any of the welding methods, you need to adopt proper safety precautions. During welding harmful UV rays and sparks are produced that can damage eyes and skin, so it is important to wear safety glasses to get rid of any kind of damage. Also, wearing helmets during arc welding is mandatory. After all, self protection is a must to reduce risk of fire accidents and electric shocks. So before starting with arc welding, make sure that you have every safety gear ready with you.

- Rod and Arc Setting
This is the one of the most crucial and important parts of this procedure. And, if you are starting with this welding type for the very first time then it is better to do it on a rusty metal work as it is much more tolerant to the rusty surfaces. Also, make sure that your current setting should be in the correct position. And, if you are making use of 2.55mm rods, then make sure to use only 80 amps current supply. Also, polarity settings have to be adjusted. Polarity setting is done in such a way that the rod is positive and the earth is negative.

- Arc Welding Process
At first you need to turn on the welding machine. An electric arc is being generated when the welding rod comes in contact with the juncture of fusion. Generally, Tap Starting and Scratch Starting, are used for the process of electric arc generation. In Tap starting method, an electrode is used to tap on the work that removes excessive flux from electrode tip, which meanwhile creates an electric contact to generate the arc. While in scratch starting method, the rod is made to scratch against the surface of the work slightly and as the spark is generated, the rod can be lifted off. Also, remember not to put extra pressure in the method, because through this the rod might get stuck to the work medium.
Stick welding is known as the process that makes use of a covered electrode called stick. Also, known as Shielded Metal Arc Welding or SMAW, stick welding is the most widely used method today than other welding methods. But, now the question is how do they work?

The equipments used:

Stick welder contains circuitry inside the machine, which enables to carry a specified amount of voltage, therefore creating an arc. And, this is the reason why these welders are sometimes referred to as ARC welders. Totally relying on the application as well as on the machine, the current can be either alternating or direct current. The circuit board, which is present inside the welder enables it to ground the negative to the positive by creating heat without burning the electronics.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

The welding procedure with the help of stick is called shielded metal arc welding or SMAW. The welding stick is a metal, which is coated with a flux material that burns off when the arc is struck, thereby creating a gas that protects the weld created. This type of welding is the most preferred method for the purpose of large metal structures like building framework, etc., because of its versatility and penetration ability. Although, today, other welding process like Flux-cored welding, or wire feed, is gaining more popularity, but stick welding still dominates the field.

The Weld:-

Factually, there are two types of leads that occurs in a stick welder. One lead is the negative clamp, and the other is the positive lead. In positive lead, the consumable metal stick is placed, while the negative lead is clamped on to the metal that is to be welded. During the process, when positive lead containing the stick comes in contact with the metal, an arc is created that further burns into the metal surface. Throughout the arc burning process, the stick is also burned, which thereby creates the weld. And, this is why welding is considered different than that of soldering process.

Safety Measures

While getting indulged in the process of welding, it is imperative to consider certain safety precautions to get rid of the risky environment. Always make sure to wear a welding hood when striking an arc. It is known that harmful UV rays are produced during the welding that can lead to burn in the eyes, so it is advisable to wear suitable goggles during welding. Also, wear leather welding gloves and a long-sleeved leather jacket, as well as heavy footwear and jeans. Remember, to remove all the inflammable materials from the work area before welding. So, consider the safety measures in order to get clean and successful welding.

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It gives such a thrill to see sparks fly as people weld iron and other types of metal. And this leads you to ask why not learn this skills as well. Welding comes with some hazards but if you have a guide to arc welding for beginners, you will soon see how easy it is and how you can make a profit out of your newly-learned skill. Are you starting to get interested into arc welding all over again?

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There are certain things you will need to learn the basics of arc welding. First, you will need to understand what welding is all about and you will also need a guide to arc welding for beginners. And not to worry, because there are several tutorials and guides available all over the internet that you can easily have access to.

Perhaps some people might have told you how difficult it is to go about arc welding but with the right guides and tutorials, it is not all too difficult to learn. While there can be great challenge in striking the arc as you weld, you will simply need to follow the instructions carefully. And if you do so, you will soon realize that you already know how to do it.

Or maybe you are asking why you would want to learn this skill anyway? Not only will it give you something to do on those boring weekends, you can also have an opportunity to earn a little extra money. And you can even impress your spouse with your new skill as you can do some little fixes around the house.

It is about time that you find yourself a reliable guide to arc welding for beginners. You can find some over the internet or you can also read more about them in industrial books.

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