The amount of stick welding done above 150 amps is very little overall. If you have to weld thicker metal, then you just run multiple passes. For example, if I am going to weld a 3/8" lap joint (fillet weld) then I am going multi-pass this joint and I plan that from the beginning. Usually 3 pas...

Are you referring to a SENSE Level One certification?

Regardless, spray transfer is limited to flat and horizontal fillets.

80% argon is required for spray. Spray is limited to flat and horizontal fillets. You can spray with 90/10 and also short circuit with 90/10. If you need to weld in positions other than flat and horizontal and cannot use short circuit then you need to consider FCAW-gas shielded. GMAW short circuit f...

Hey, I got my first welding experience in Ag. Mechanics and liked it so much that I majored in Ag. Ed. and taught Ag. Mechanics for 32 years. I teach welding part-time at a community college now and I can relate to what you are saying. Some of it is bad info, some is bad training and some of it is j...

Crisp is for 6010/11 electrodes and soft is for everything else. Is your welder a 350 pro?

Kevin

Saw out your test strips and then scarf off the backing with oxy-fuel being careful not to gouge the root. If you can break them off with a hammer and chisel the weld would fail anyway because the root pass is supposed to fuse all three pieces together.

Kevin

There is no variance listed in the code book because it has a backing bar. Open root welding leaves some room for the welder to adjust things to their preference such as root face and root gap.

You also have to qualify GTAW under D1.1. GTAW and GMAW-S are not pre-qualified processes under the D1.1 welding code.

You can make a gusset if you are worried about the v welds but I don't see a problem with what you have done. Weld the channel on both sides and head to the lake.

Just keep liability in mind with whatever you are building or repairing. Stuff going over the road has a certain, built in liability. It is kind of like kids throwing rocks, it is all good until someone starts bleeding.

Donald, I used to have to replace quite a few cross members in truck beds on (Cement) block trucks. They were V'd in the middle similar to a boat trailer. I would only cut a notch from the top down to the bottom flange of the channel leaving the bottom flange intact. This adds an incredible amount ...

The root gap is supposed to be 1/4" if the groove angle is 45*, or 3/8" if the groove angle is 30* and 1/2" if the groove angle is 20*. 60* groove angle (30* bevel angle) and 1/8" root opening is commonly used for open root welds but usually with a 1/8" root face (land). Wit...

CO2 is for short-arc only and you generally need to run it 1 to 2 volts higher than 75/25 because straight CO2 has less ionization potential than mixed gas because of the argon. It does require a little more fine tuning and ctwd (stick-out) control to get a smooth spatter free weld.

Just keep in mind that when you build a really strong bumper and then hit something you will find the next weakest link in the chain. In my case it was the frame of the truck. The bumper survived (to be sold) after some new mounting brackets but the truck had to have the frame pulled. The jolt to dr...

Question: If you run your own business and you have an AWS D1.1 certification, how do you maintain that certification? The form and fee have to be sent in every 6 months and you cannot sign off on your own certification.

Just keep in mind that AWS D1.1 does not allow short circuit GMAW without going through a procedure qualification. So if you want to qualify welders to that code it will definitely be AW$$$$$'s.

90/10 will spray and short circuit so you can do both with the same gas. The transition current is just a little bit higher as opposed to 98/2.

Do not chip a weld until the red disappears. 6011 is just a 6010 with arc stabilizers added for welding on AC current. If they are welding a lot different from 6010 then you are doing something wrong. Whips should be kept short (2 to 3 x rod diameter). All electrodes have a place and will work if th...

Some inverters do not have the capability to weld DCEP because the shielding gas comes through the DCEN side and you only have the option to switch to AC welding. If you plug in the tig torch to the + side then you will not have shielding gas and your tungsten will pop as soon as you light up.

Rule of thumb is 4 times the diameter of the tungsten and I usually add one size for aluminum and you can add a size if adequate shielding is an issue. If you have more cup than you need you are just wasting shielding gas. 1/16" tungsten = 4/16" = #4 cup 3/32" tungsten = 12/32" =...

Matt, please remember to use 6011, 6010's when you are teaching in your shop after you graduate. I have fought against 6013's being the all purpose rod for Ag. mechanics since 1978 and finally got a few other Ag. teachers on my side. I taught Ag. Mechanics for 32 yrs. in N.C. and now I teach welding...

Which method are you using to put your root in. If you are burying the rod then you need to put a little more pressure on the rod. If you are whipping then you need to see a keyhole. Which ever method you use, it is a combination of amps, root face and root opening. You will have to find out what wo...

Keep your arc length consistently tight and watch the edges of your puddle. That will tell you when to whip and how long to pause. BTW your beads are solid, just a little fine tuning needed.

Rate of travel and arc length seem to be the main issues. Are you whipping and pausing?

I have a Jackson Nexgen for tig and a Jackson big lens passive for everything else. Actually I use my old Jackson passive for most all of my welding. It is lighter than the nexgen and I keep my helmet on all the time. I bought the passive helmet in the 80's and I am now on my 3rd headgear. If you ar...