Product Manual

Page 29 of 47
 Prolonged exposure to the welding arc can cause blindness and burns. Never strike an arc or
begin welding until you are adequately protected. Wear flame-proof welding gloves, a heavy long
sleeved shirt, trousers without cuffs, high topped shoes, and an ANSI approved welding helmet.
⚠WARNING
ELECTRIC SHOCK CAN KILL!
 To prevent ELECTRIC SHOCK, do not perform any welding while standing, kneeling, or lying
directly on the grounded workpiece.
a. Moving the Torch - Torch travel refers to the movement of the torch along the weld
joint and is broken into two elements: direction and speed. A solid weld bead requires
that the welding torch be moved steadily and at the right speed along the weld joint.
Moving the torch too fast, too slow, or erratically will prevent proper fusion or create a
lumpy, uneven bead.
Travel direction is the direction the torch is moved along the weld joint in relation to
the weld puddle. The torch is either PUSHED into the weld puddle or PULLED away
from the weld puddle.
For most welding jobs you will pull the torch along the weld joint to take advantage of
the greater weld puddle visibility.
Travel speed is the rate at which the torch is being pushed or pulled along the weld
joint. For a fixed heat setting, the faster the travel speed, the lower the penetration
and the lower and narrower the finished weld bead. Likewise, the slower the travel
speed, the deeper the penetration and the higher and wider the finished weld bead.
b. Types of Welding Beads - As you become more familiar with your new welder and
better at laying some simple weld beads, you can begin to try some different weld
bead types.
The STRINGER BEAD is formed by traveling with the torch in a straight line while
keeping the wire and nozzle centered over the weld joint. See the following
illustration.