Finally got a clean weld on that old anvil stand after my first three tries left it looking like bird poop.

I was in my garage last night, frustrated because the flux kept sputtering and the bead was a mess, so I cleaned the joint with a wire wheel for a solid five minutes, cranked the heat up a notch, and laid down a perfect, smooth pass on the fourth try, which makes me wonder, what's your go-to fix for a sputtering arc on mild steel?

3 comments

3 Comments

zara_kelly2716d ago

Yeah, the wire wheel is key. I'll even hit it with a flap disc after if the mill scale is really stubborn. Sometimes the sputter is just the metal not being hot enough, so that extra notch on the welder does the trick.

rileynelson6d agoMost Upvoted

Read an article once that said mill scale can actually mess with the arc stability big time, like it adds resistance or something. That sputter zara mentioned might be the arc fighting to jump that bad layer. The vinegar soak shane talked about is supposed to eat that scale off chemically so you're down to clean metal. Makes sense if you've got the time to let it sit, but for quick jobs, grinding it off hot and heavy seems like the way to go.

shaneb1616d ago

Ever try using a vinegar soak for that scale before you even touch the grinder?