How to Adjust Amperage Settings on Lincoln Stick Welders

A Lincoln stick welder, or buzz box, is a welcome tool for any home workshop. Having the ability to perform at-home metal repairs can make the Lincoln stick welder a value-added tool that you can earn you some extra cash on the side. By following a basic setup procedure, you can adjust the Lincoln stick welder's amperage for a clean-looking and hot-penetrating weld.

Things You'll Need

• Welding rods
• Welding helmet
• Welding gloves
• Scrap metal
• Slag hammer

Instructions

1. Assemble the above materials on the list and place the safety equipment on your body. Be sure that the welding helmet fits comfortably and the side tension knobs allow for a smooth release for dropping the helmet past your eyes from the raised position.

2. Place a welding rod into the hand-held stinger and place the scrap metal pieces on a nonflammable surface that is at a comfortable height for you to weld. Connect the ground clamp to the pieces to be welded and switch on the buzz box.

3. Turn the large white amperage selector lever to 90 amps and strike an arc on the scrap piece of metal. Run a bead of weld for approximately 2 inches.

4. Use the slag hammer and remove the top-crusted slag portion of the weld. Is the slag easy to remove or difficult? An easily removed slag crust indicates that the welder amperage setting is close to the correct setting. The weld should have good penetration to the metal with no crevices at the point where the weld meets the metal surface.

5. Adjust the amperage setting "up" one full click or to the next highest range. Strike an arc and lay another bead for 2 inches. Observe the slag and the weld condition as mentioned in Step 4.

6. Adjust the welder once more and lay another bead of weld. Keep performing this operation until you receive a weld that has become "too hot." A "too hot" weld will have an excessive amount of splatter surrounding the weld bead, or the weld will have burned through the piece of metal. Weld splatter is small deposits of metal beads that embed themselves into the surface of the metal being welded.

7. Reduce the welding amperage back down until you receive a good-looking weld and minimal splatter with easy slag removal. Practice will show you the correct amperage adjustment for various types of steel and the thickness of material. A general rule of thumb is that the thicker the metal, the higher the welding amperage should be.

Tips & Warnings

• Never adjust the amperage on the stick welder when you are arc-welding. Turning the adjustment lever while welding can create permanent damage to the welder itself.