| Now that you have built yourself a Buzz Box, you | | | | Buzz Box. |
| are probably anxious to see what this home built | | | | Preheat The Steel Plates |
| arc welder can do. Your first attempt at welding | | | | It is never a bad Idea to preheat, in fact, almost |
| may seem like you wasted a lot of time and | | | | every welding job I perform professionally |
| money building a piece of crap that clearly doesn't | | | | demands a preheat temp of 400 degrees and up. |
| work. Rest assured, you have a welding machine | | | | You will be amazed at how easily the arc strikes |
| that is capable of producing quality welds with the | | | | and how well the welding rod burns, improving |
| right welding electrodes and a little help from you. | | | | welding quality significantly. Bear in mind, once the |
| Before we start, let's get an understanding of | | | | steel has reached preheat temp, this temp must |
| what happens when we strike an arc with welding | | | | be maintained through out the procedure till all |
| electrodes. The size of the welding rod, amperage | | | | welding is finished. |
| and plate thickness determine weld fusion | | | | Run The Root Pass |
| (adhesion) initially. In other words, a large diameter | | | | Extra care should be taken when running the root |
| welding rod on a thin steel plate will blow right | | | | pass because If the root pass has good fusion |
| through it. On the flip side, a small diameter | | | | and is water tight, the rest of the welding is just |
| welding rod on thick steel plate may not start the | | | | formality especially when welding pipe. Make sure |
| arc and, if you do, the weld will not fuse to the | | | | the joint is good and hot and you are comfortable |
| steel but simply lay on the surface of the steel | | | | during the weld. Comfort means control. |
| plate. This is where preheat comes to your aide. | | | | Run The Fill Passes |
| Preheat allows you to use small welding electrodes | | | | I dub this part "Mindless Welding" because you |
| with thick steel plate. | | | | burn rod after rod until you complete the passes. |
| Prepare The Bevels and Lands | | | | I run the welds in steps starting with the root |
| Prepare to clean the steel plates by donning your | | | | pass, the intermediate fill passes and the final fill. |
| safety equipment, welding helmet, welding gloves | | | | As you step up the welds, pay particular attention |
| and a dust mask for particles. "Junk In, Junk Out", | | | | to tying in the sides, this is the strength of your |
| is exactly what you will get if you do not prepare | | | | welding. |
| the steel plates for welding. Never weld through | | | | The "Cap" passes are where you let your skills |
| trash, rust or scale if you have the means to | | | | shine. They can be as few as one or as many as |
| clean the steel. The bevel should approximate 45 | | | | it will take to cover the filled joint you just |
| degrees with a 1/8" land (flat) at its base. | | | | welded. This is your signature so take your time |
| Set The Root Gap | | | | and get them straight and the proper height. The |
| When the bevel has been applied to both steel | | | | grand finale' of this episode is to turn the plate |
| plates, turn them face down, set the root gap (I | | | | over, grind out the root opening down to flawless |
| use the metal stub of the welding electrode I'm | | | | metal, preheat the steel plate, fill the joint and run |
| welding with) and employ spot welding to tack | | | | the caps, you're done. |
| them into position. | | | | This simple procedure for using your Buzz Box is |
| Position The Steel Plates | | | | the basics of all welding. Welders in many welding |
| Now that the plates have been cleaned, beveled | | | | careers performing many welding services and |
| and tacked, clamp the steel plate in a position of | | | | welding jobs use these techniques. They produce |
| comfort and prepare to weld the root pass. | | | | quality welds consistently with welding wire or |
| Gather your welding supplies, gas and torch for | | | | welding electrodes and you can too. |
| preheating, welding electrodes, stinger and your | | | | |