Quote Originally Posted by dwdw View Post
Is the metal your using hot rolled? I had a arc starting problem many years ago it was the scale on the hot rolled stock, grinding takes it off but only a course wheel, the scale will shine up with a fine wheel and grind only the edge. So unless your exactly on the edge the wire will feed and then burn when you finally touch the edge giving the stub at start up.
Hope this helps
dwdw

DW as with most hobby welders I have no idea of the origin of most of my steel. The material I was using was a frame for our HS weight platforms whih were being discarded after 12 years so I stripped a few and used it for my welding table frame. I made some of the adjustments suggested my others and it seems better I did get some good spatter but I was welding in a difficult corner and I'm pretty sure my gun angle was the cause.