Welding Tips and Tricks

Would love to see a video on stick welding root passes for landings and gaps of various sizes. I think a video like this would help out a lot of beginner welders since the root run is the hardest to do among the three layers (root, fill and cap). By the way, do your TIG fingers ship to Australia?

Hey,

A mate bought some tig fingers over here, so yes sir.

Mick

Hi, Chad,

I've never had to do 7018 for the root, though I'd expect it to have to be uphill.

From what I've read here and elsewhere, 6010 is not common in OZ.

Shame, really. Once an older hand taught me how to properly do 6010 root, I don't even have to watch while I do it... It can be done by "feel".

Steve S

P.S.
If it's going to be tested, I look....

Yea I know. Why arent 6010s used in aus? These stick root runs are kicking my ass. What should my gap be? I feel as though anything above a 2mm gap is near impossible to do. I also have a problem with sticking when doing the root run. It's so god damn frustrating. It really shouldn't be this hard.

Hey,

What rig did you end up runnig with?

I will do a little research on the 6010s.

Mick

Are you asking me what welding machine I got? I got a Lincoln Electric Powercraft 130.

Hey,

Yep, Is it a good thing? How much did it sting ya?($)

I did a bit of research on 6011/6010s through a facebook page im on. It seems they are used for the same kind of stuff here as in the US, such as pipe lines, tie ins creek crossings and root runs, mining and maintenance work, Lincoln 5p+ seem to be a fav. The only reason I think you have trouble finding them here is that we are simply a much smaller population compared the US. Not a great deal of structural work done with them because of the other options on the market. \

Mick

I've done miles of low hydrogen open root. Mostly 8018 and 11018 but 7018 also works about the same.
Vertical is always up. Run it just hot enough that it doesn't stick. Hold the toes and fly across the middle.
Once the root is in turn up 5 to 10 amps and run a "hot" pass. You should be able to burn almost all the way
into the root without it falling out the back.

rake wrote:I've done miles of low hydrogen open root. Mostly 8018 and 11018 but 7018 also works about the same.
Vertical is always up. Run it just hot enough that it doesn't stick. Hold the toes and fly across the middle.
Once the root is in turn up 5 to 10 amps and run a "hot" pass. You should be able to burn almost all the way
into the root without it falling out the back.

=====

Tanks Rake.
Alexa

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

Yep, Is it a good thing? How much did it sting ya?($)

I did a bit of research on 6011/6010s through a facebook page im on. It seems they are used for the same kind of stuff here as in the US, such as pipe lines, tie ins creek crossings and root runs, mining and maintenance work, Lincoln 5p+ seem to be a fav. The only reason I think you have trouble finding them here is that we are simply a much smaller population compared the US. Not a great deal of structural work done with them because of the other options on the market. \

Mick

What are tie ins creek crossings?

Edit: By the way, my small welder was $231. I'm pretty happy with it. Doing a good amount of practicing in the backyard with 2.5mm 7018s.

I'm going to assume a tie-in is adding a branch to a larger pipe, though I don't speak "Aussie". I have no idea what is meant by "creek crossings", either.

Ah, two peoples separated by a common language...

Steve S

Hey,

Tie is, in the quote I had are putting a branch or section into and older, existing pipe line system. Creek crossings, are where the pipe line crosses a water course of some description, either way both spots where the larger set ups such as an expensive automated welder wouldn't be taken , due to mud and mess and close quarters.
Thats the way I interpreted it though.

However, If you to go down and talk to a local pipe contractor, Im sure they would give you a more detailed and factual explanation of these rods in Aus.

http://www.yellowpages.com.au/search/li ... ocationId=


Mick

What are tie ins creek crossings?

=====

Chadwarden.

On the pipeline, the welders are often divided into four groups with separate functions.

MAINLINE. There are the mainline teams that are organized where the root pass is put in by two or more welders working simultaneously. The hot pass crew is immediately behind them. The first fill pass crew behind them. Etc. etc.. Needless to say, that root pass crew sets the pace ... and thus the buck$.

TIE-IN. There are the tie-in crews that are used to make the tie-in welds. The tie-in welds will be: the weld that connects a long stretches of welded pipes to other stretches of welded pipes; and the two welds that connect stretches of pipe to both sides of the crossings (examples: creek, river, tunnels, roads, railways, etc.) and to the stations (examples: valves, pumping stations, etc.).

PIPING. There are the piping teams that perform the pumping stations welds.

REPAIR. There are the repair welding crews. Often only one repair is allowed on a weld. If that repair is not acceptable, then the weld will be completely cut out. Thus, it is very important to have a specialist in repair welding. If you put a good welder to do repairs, perhaps 1 out 20 repairs will fail and the resultant cut out. If you put a specialist repair welder, perhaps only 1 out 100 repairs will not pass. These repairers, on potentially difficult repairs, will often request to read the radiographs and trace their own transparency of the weld defect.

Tanks.
Alexa

rake wrote:I've done miles of low hydrogen open root. Mostly 8018 and 11018 but 7018 also works about the same.
Vertical is always up. Run it just hot enough that it doesn't stick. Hold the toes and fly across the middle.
Once the root is in turn up 5 to 10 amps and run a "hot" pass. You should be able to burn almost all the way
into the root without it falling out the back.

When you did those root passes with 7018s, did you bury that rod in like you would with 6010s or just kept a tight arc and let it burn through on its own?

7018 is a low hydrogen rod that requires that you hold a short arc.
For a root pass, you will have to work the puddle.
There should be able to find some videos.

Alexa

When you say "work the puddle", you mean I got to stay right on top of that puddle and move it around instead of just jamming it in when doing the root pass, right? Can I at least be slight scraping against the plate when doing the root run?

Chadwarden.

Picture in your mind the keyhole you make with a cellulose rod, for example a 6010.
A 7018 low hydrogen rod will require a slightly larger *** keyhole.
It has less penetration power than a cellulose rod.
It solidifies slower than the cellulose rod.
Working the puddle will mean ensuring that you melt both sides of the joint, resulting in a keyhole.
However, you will not be able to hold a long arc like with the cellulose rod, you will need to keep it short.
You will have some up and down U motions, but just enough keep the puddle from falling out.

Technical schools have people perform open root passes with 7018 and 6013, not because that procedure will be used in industry, but because it is a method to get the student welder to learn the limits of those rods. If you learn to control a keyhole with those rods, you will have understood better your puddle control and adjust your amperage.

Enjoy welding.
Alexa

*** perhaps others will note differently

Alexa, I never SEE the keyhole on a 6010 root, and my arc is very short. I know when it's right by the sound, not the appearance. This is true for up- or down-hand.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder.

For downland (vertical down progression) with 6010, if dragging the rod (with rod pushed constantly in), I do not note a keyhole.

For uphill with 6010, I work the puddle and see the gap widening (keyhole)and use a slight up and down motion, while adjusting the arc length as needed.

For some overhead with 6010, at times I work the puddle (keyhole), while at other times keeping the rod pushed in constantly and judge penetration by keeping the coating burning off at a point.

Tanks.
Alexa