Welding earth connection. Make sure it's good.

If you just think about the basic principal of the welding function. All you are doing is using electricity to melt metal and join it together...right?

So the basic idea behind welding is a simple electric circuit...right. You attach the earth clamp to the bit of metal being welded, and then when you bring the electrode closer to the bit of metal you want to weld, you establish and arc.

So you need the earth to touch the work and you need the electrode to touch the work, thus completing the basic circuit.

This step in the welding process is also very critical if you want to learn how to stick weld properly. You must always have a clean, secure and tight earth connection. If you do not, it can really affect you welding experience, especially if you are learning and you don't know what's going on.

So when you are doing the first step to successfully make you first weld by doing "weld preparation" . Make sure you grind away a small area on the steel to be welded, so that when you clamp your earth to it you will not have any troubles later on in the welding process.

This good earth connection is in many ways more important to have than a clean welding surface. Why??

Because at least when you are welding the heat from the arc will to a certain extent burn away some of the impurities. But where the earth clamp goes, it can't burn away paint or other surface contaminates can it.

Make sure you have an excellent welding earth connection

Once you have made an excellent earth connection, you will have eliminated an area where potential problems can occur.