Having trouble welding horizontally across on a vertical surface? Please help!?

change the leads to reverse the polarity

Horizontal Welding Tips

If your slag is starting to "drip" out that's generally a sign that you're going too slow, which is a common beginners mistake.

Either a)Increase your travel speed, b) Use a smaller electrode size if possible 3/32" for example, or c)Reduce your current. Or else d) use some combination of the three. All three of these action will reduce your puddle size, thus limiting the so-called "fluidity" of the weld.

Use as short of an arc as possible. you should use a "drag" technique.

Are you getting molten metal dripping off the end of your ELECTRODE, and not from the bottom of the weld puddle itself? If so that's not a cause for concern. That means you may be using too much current, or your arc length may be too long.

DCEP is generally the correct polarity. You could try using DCEN as one poster suggested. That tends to cause an unstable arc and lots of spatter. However you should only use DCEN it states on the package of electrodes that DCEN polarity can be used.

Hope this helps, mate. Keep practicing!

EDIT: @ Donald: Never use a whipping technique with 7018. That's likely to cause slag inclusions in your welds. 7018 has a thick, heavy, sluggish slag that can easily get mixed up in the puddle. The reason you can use a whipping motion with 6010/6011 is those rods have a thin, aggressive, highly fluid slag.

Buy a small box of ESAB atom-arc 7018H4R those are my favorites for horizontal/overhead/vertical-up. Don't buy $hitty tools from harbor freight.

Try 6010 welding rod and whip it.

Whip means to strike an arc. Weld for one quarterf second, pull back to let it cool for one quartwer second, weld for another one quarter second.

When you pull back, you actually pull forward in the direction that maens this weld splatter will be covered over with weld.

6010 is fast freezing deep penirating rod. The bead does not flow smooth because it is fast freezing. (and is ugly) It's deep penetrating so it is easy to burn through the semi molten slag that is left behind when you pulled away let it cool. It is important to burn through this or else you will get slag inclusions/perocity in the weld and it will look like bird poop. Whipping is easy to do with 6010

You can whip with 7018. It isn't as easy but it makes a better weld.

Your steel needs to be fairly new and clean to be using 7018. This rod is mainly used for clean and neat weld applications. Keep your rod perfectly perpendicular to your work. It would be better for u to practice welding with 6011. This is one of th strongest most user friendly all position rods out there. It welds a little dirty but is excellent for beginners. Even on pipelines they use 6011 to weld pipe together and then dress it with 7018. 6011 use ac

7011 use dc

hope this helps and good luck with your welding!

try lowering your amperage more or try getting your rod in closer to your work so there'll be a shorter gap between the rod and the work. using 7024 helps with this. That will result in less heat which should cool your weld down. beveling the edges of the two pieces to be joined will also help the flux stay put.