OT: Stick welding, 2nd welding question of the day Options

[lapuwali]

So, I have a cheap stick welder that basically fell into my lap for free, and I've tried to fool around with it, but I can't seem to figure out exactly what you do to make this work.

As soon as I get the electrode anywhere near the workpiece, it gets magnetically attracted to the work and sticks to it. I have to yank it off and try again. Holding the electrode close enough to the work to get an arc, yet far enough that it doesn't grab hold, has proven pretty much impossible after a couple of hours of practice. I have yet to run a single weld bead with the thing, just a series of blackened spots on test bits.

What's the trick?

NOTE: I'm not advocating anyone use a stick welder for anything car related, I'm just wondering how anyone could use one of these things at all.

[ruddyboys]

Had the same problem with the rod sticking. Found that if I cut the rod smaller I had more control and was able to get the arc going pretty easy. After doing that for a while I was able to use longer pieces of rod which equals longer welds. Hope that helps, Oh I did a lot of welds with the stick welder, not the most pretty welds but again the 914 won't win any beauty contests either. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/happy11.gif)