How to AC Weld

AC Welding

• 1

  Place the piece of base metal that is to be welded on a flat, hard surface so it is stable. Make sure the part to be welded is facing up. Using a grinder, grind off as much of the rust and mill scale as possible.

• 2

  Put on your safety gloves and visor. Take your arc welder and turn it on. Approach the metal with your arc grinder, making sure you are holding it at the appropriate angle. It should be held at an angle between 10 and 20 degrees, assuming a vertical starting point. If the angle is incorrect, you may end up welding over slag, which causes disruptions in the weld.

• 3

  Move the arc welder toward the far end of area to be welded (i.e. furthest away from your body). As you begin to weld, the arc length (i.e. the distance between the electrode and the metal) should cover approximately the same distance as the diameter of the arc welder's rod. If you are welding with the correct arc length, you will hear a punctuated cracking sound.

• 4

  Begin welding by moving the rod slowly across the area to be welded and toward your body. As you weld, you will notice that the rod becomes shorter and shorter. It is important to take this into account as you aim to maintain the correct arc distance and the correct angle. Move in as straight a line as possible.

• 5

  When you are finished welding, chip away the slag that is left behind. Use a hammer or some other metal tool designed for hitting or chipping.