No worries at all. My problem with getting the answers that I needed were that people who are trying to be helpful keep answering questions that I wasn't asking. I've learned a lot, but I'm not a welder and this makes it hard to ask the questions properly.
This is reassuring to hear. I tweeked the mounting tabs for the front left a-arm on my Kawi 750 Brute Force. Maybe even a hairline crack on the factory weld, but since cleaning the finish off don't see a crack. Thought gussets would be a good idea to be on the safe side.
I've welded a few frames myself on much less costly 4-whlrs. Didn't come out too pretty - poked a few holes and did a lot of filing and grinding. Clean-up afterwards isn't in the cards this time due to the sensitive and somewhat complicated location. So it's got to be clean the first time.
Good to know. Thx
Ok, I'll practice this for a while. Due to the thin material and small pieces, I've been afraid to hold still. Been starting the arc and move.
Yeah, I'm using 3/32 7018 at 75 amps. The thin material that I'm welding melts through really fast at 90a, but I'll burn a few sticks at 85 amps to see if I can control that. Don't have too many choices on the selector switch (see below). You also probably noticed that I'm welding pretty short tabs to the tubing that I'm practicing on. That's b/c it's similar to the little gussets I'll be welding to this frame. I've basically got to strike the arc and get moving. The welds will only be 1 - 1 1/2" long each and with pieces that small, I feel like I won't have much time before things overheat.
The sleeves are new and closed each time I remove a rod. But I do have a large toaster oven that I've used for powder coating. I could give this a try easily enough.
Xman_charl, thanks! I've seen most of Jodie's smaw videos, but nothing dealing with stick welding thin metal. Also read a lot of material (some a little over my head). But there's no substitute for doing.
Dr_clyde, Wow! After seeing your test, my lack of experience and training became really obvious. Most importantly, what I want to do with what I've got available is doable. Thank you for taking the time!Ok, I decided to run one to see what it did for me. I haven't stick welded metal this thin in a long time.
I had a small piece of 14ga wall square tube, and a scrap of 14ga CRS sheet.
Tacks were a little rough, but they're acceptable. 75 amps DC reverse with 3/32" 7018" Lincoln Excalibur rod.
Ran one at 75 amps. A bit too hot. I had to hustle. Almost got away from me there at the end, I snapped out a bit early and didn't consume my tack all the way. Not my best work.
Tried to stick with the settings available on the lincoln stick welder OP has. So I ran one at 65 amps. I had let the metal cool, so this was on the backside of the first weld.
This one was done with a restarted rod. It ran a touch colder than I was expecting, and the flux fought me on getting adequate toes on the tube. I think had I started with a fresh rod I would have had a better shot.
This isn't an ideal weld for stick, but very do-able. I didn't have any porosity anywhere. If I had to do it a few more times I think I could get it pretty dialed. 70 amps is probably the sweet spot.
The Bohlers were given to me to try. I'm not looking to blame the rods either. But the practicing I did with them today, unlike the Hobart rods, I got zero pinholes.
Sberry, this is something I understand well. It's especially true of a tapped transformer based welder like my Lincoln AC/DC tombstone like mine. Unlike modern inverter type welders, these welders are also susceptible to line fluctuations. Since I'm trying to use the rods at the bottom limit of their rating, and the machine only has stepped selection of the current, it's certainly got the potential to be the source of some of my troubles. But because the current selection is limited, I can't adjust it up a little.
. As it is, I'm trying to be methodical and work to improve on the others one at a time.There is a lot of truth to this. Much of the real work in small shops has went the way of wire but good stick skills cant be faked, its really obvious when a guy really knows.With all the variables inherent in the stick welding process, this is one I'd like to have
The purpose of the practice (and the direction of the welds) is to improve my ability to strike and maintain a tight arc w/out the rods sticking. Hence the starts and stops in the short direction. I'm affraid my age may be a big factor as my reflexes aren't what they used to be. I can run a tight bead once started with no trouble (if anyone wants to give me feedback on what you can see of my short runs, I'll happily welcome your comments) but I've gotten to the point where I can start an arc and only stick once about half the time at this low-end current for the 3/32" rods (I'm continuing the practice . I've also gotten to the point where the Lincoln and Bohler rods are *almost* indistinguishable. Though the Bohlers *seem* to stick a little more and the Lincolns have a *slightly* smoother arc. I saved the last Hobart rod I had until I had some level of confidence/repeatability (that's what the soapstone marks are about) ... 
I'm aware. The reason for practicing at the bottom of the rod's rating is so I can get good enough with tight arc control to weld gussets onto the relatively thin wall of an ATV frame without blowing holes in it. This was the reason for Dr_Clyde's example above (https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7309594), to show it can be done with a stick welder rather than mig or tig.
