[SkyDawg]

Hey everybody, it's been a minute. So I'm getting ready to test out on 6" sch 40 in 6G position. I've been hitting it pretty hard lately and am making improvements. For the root, I have been cutting my tacks out. I'm burning 1/8" 6010 at 77-80amps, arc control/dig around 60. The problem that I've run into is with the 7018 (3/32). My hot pass needs a little work, as of now i have the machine set at about 90-92 amps with arc control around 20. The problem is that I'm trapping slag in the toes and having to clean it out almost excessively. What I've noticed over the past few days is that when I run my fill passes, I turned the heat down to around 87 (arc control at almost zero), and that produces a pretty decent bead to where the slag just peels right off. I guess I'm wondering anybody's opinion on hot pass temps? I may have to try and turn the dig to zero as well, but will I then be worrying about the possibility of lack of fusion? I hear a lot of different things from my fitter pals. I guess one more thing while I'm at it... On my Cap, the 3rd bead I put on at the top of the bevel is a little low, semi- close to being undercut. I know the post is a bit long, I really appreciate any advice available. Thanks in advance, I'll include a pic of a fill pass and try and get a hot pass and cap up here soon. Thanks

[AKweldshop]

the main thing I see is your not fused properly on the left hand side.
Are you coming in at a dead strait angle(side to side I mean)???
Interesting.

~John

[Superiorwelding]

SkyDawg,
One thing I see is you are not pausing on the sides long enough. See how your center in humped up, if you pause on the sides and just sweep across the middle, you will not have that. I believe that will cure your lack of fusion on the sides and allow less slag to get trapped (if any at all). Also, in my opinion, hold a tighter weave pattern.

[SkyDawg]

Thx for the replies guys. I feel like my rod angle is straight from side to side. And as for pausing on the sides longer, I will give that a try, I hold about two seconds at the top bevel and one on the bottom. Can u try and explain what you mean by tighter weave? Right now I use almost a figure 8 pattern, not quite that extreme, but that's kind of how I view the puddle. I'm gonna weld one up and take pics from start to finish. Thx a lot, I appreciate any and all advice/criticism.

[Superiorwelding]

SkyDawg,
Easier to watch a video. Watch how Jody moves his electrode. This is what I mean. Keep us posted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3yDSUeZ ... r_embedded
-Jonathan

[SkyDawg]

So I did another weld last night (6G pos)...I made some changes. I'm not sure the pictures portray the best image compared to what I was actually seeing...but I used a much tighter weave--good advice! I feel the fill pass came out much better when tightening up my weave. The hot pass is still giving me issues, i'll try to explain. Maybe its my technique, rod angle, etc., but when running the hot pass, pockets form on the bevel (undercut) which used to fill with slag. I turned the heat down on my hot pass to 88-89 (dig @10%) and that seemed to take care of the slag for the most part. It seems to be the consensus to run hot pass (3/32) @ a minimum of 90 (I was @ 94 last week--too much heat for me!), but that isn't working for me. Any thoughts on that, is it pretty much personal preference? I clean my root up well so it's slick, bare metal. Thanks for the feedback, it's greatly appreciated. I'm testing out next Saturday, so I have a week. Ill try and get more pics, and sorry for the delay...workin nights.

[Arizona SA200]

I'm with the other guys on this, hold your edges longer and make sure that puddle wets in. As far as rod angle, I'm about straight up on the bottom side and just below perpendicular on the top side while making a smooth transition between the two. On the amperage note, no machine is the same so your numbers are different than my machine. Make sure it wets in on the edges and you should be good.

[SkyDawg]

I guess I still may have to hold the sides a little bit longer on the fill pass, I just don't want that puddle to spill over the bevel.

[SkyDawg]

ArizonaSA200,
Thx for the info, and ya..finding out how a machine is dialed in is a task itself. I posted my last before I saw your reply. It just feels like I'm holding the sides forever on that hot pass.

[AKweldshop]

Hey watch the video in the stick welding section, Somewhere in that video is some good 7018 arc shots, should help you tremendously!!!

~John

[SkyDawg]

Video??

[SkyDawg]

I watched the previous one posted on this thread...many times. Jody has been teaching me for a while, but if there's another one you're talkin about, ill definitely check it out

[Arizona SA200]

Again every machine is different but i run about 85 for 3/32 all the way out. On a good slow weave you can carry a puddle about the size of a dime for the fill pass on the heavier pipe. Schd 40 holds the heat so you cant go that big. I'd say fill and cap weave is the same just a little more pause on the cap to break down that bevel. And dont be afraid to let it cool between passes, to much heat in the pipe will cause undercut no matter what your amperage is at.

[AKweldshop]

this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP8hh0yQibM

ps. its 45min long

Its the best stick welding video in the WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SkyDawg]

AZSA200,
That's perfect. I think I definitely need to bring my heat down just a bit. I'm using a Miller XMT 304 at work. I appreciate all of the info greatly.

[SkyDawg]

haha, thx for the post script. gonna check it out now, thank you.

[Superiorwelding]

Your fill pass looks a lot better! I would even hold it tighter yet, but there is nothing wrong with this one. Now when you put your cover pass on everything should be fine.
When I am "teaching" someone 6G or even vertical up I always try to stress to not be afraid of the puddle dropping out on you. I can get it to where you would think it is dropping out but when you chip the slag it is good. I was showing someone vertical up MIG and while I was welding they were panicing telling me to speed up. Turned out they just had a fear that pushed them to move faster than they needed to.
One thing I would advise against, and this is just a personal preference and what has worked for me, do not grind your passes flat before you put your cover pass on. I have found that it can lead to more problems. For me you want that center to be ever so slightly raised, otherwise you will have to pause in the center longer. Like I said it works for me.
Get your pictures of the cover pass on here. I think you are doing a great job!

[SkyDawg]

Thanks a lot Jonathan, I really appreciate it. That's a great point about grinding or not grinding before the cover pass. That's always a tricky part of the weld, because slightly below flush is the standard. I actually put a cap on this weld last night, I just forgot to snap a pic...I will definitely have a picture of the cap on Monday. I never want to be too low, because I've noticed if I'm just a little bit low, my 3rd stringer (top bevel/ stringer) has a little undercut which i obviously need to avoid...so to me, slightly below flush is so close to flush. And holding the sides tighter definitely worked, it flattened out the bead a little bit more and fused into both sides much better...great advice! Thanks a lot, all the advice helps immensely. I'll have more soon. Much obliged.

[AKweldshop]

Did the video give you some pointers?
You'll have to wait out the video, Its got some really good arc shots.
John~

[Arizona SA200]

I'll agree with superior, once i grind my root I dont touch a grinder again. Some tests wont let you. A pipeliner file is the best way to go. On a pipe test i dont use a chipping hammer because they can leave peen marks that can bust you on Xray. The file is your best friend.

[SkyDawg]

John, I checked out that video, watched the whole thing. There were some really good shots of the puddle and whatnot...definitely took something from it...good recommendation. And AZSA200, I try not to grind to much either. I pretty much use a half round file, a wire wheel and a cut off wheel for cleaning up the root pass or any high spots I might have. I think the biggest thing for me was that I had my heat just a bit too high. I originally was welding the hot pass @ 95 amps w/ 3/32 7018--too hot for me. Since then I've been bringing it down little by little and things have been much more smooth, though I still need some more work. I'll be welding 6" in the 6G pos all next week when I get the time..so hopefully there will be improvements. I'll keep yall posted. All the info and advice is priceless..thank you all kindly.

[Superiorwelding]

SkyDawg,
How did your cover pass turn out?

[SkyDawg]

I'm gonna post the cover pass any minute now. I'm still having a tough time with the hot pass, everything else feels pretty good. It's hard to see the problems in the pics tho. mainly, when I run my hot pass..I weave and my heat is around 87-90. The thing that is really frustrating is that I'm leaving little ripples of undercut in the bevel. I know I should be holding the sides, but it feels like I am. The slag doesn't come off nearly as well as the fill and cap passes, which tells me that something is wrong. Should I just be doing a slight weave on the hot pass? Like I said, its tough to see in the pic, but these little pockets of undercut trap slag, and im able to grind most of it out...but it feels like I must be doing something that I can fix...just frustrating is all. Thx for the help people, cover pass will be here in the next few hours with possibly a few other pics.

[AKweldshop]

From what I've found throughout my years of trial and error, is that vertical stick hast to be a very tight amp range.
Vertical up with 1/8 7018 can be a mess if your to hot or to cold, or it can be so much fun, and be a very controlible puddle if your amps are just right.
I always try a rod on scrap before I do a weld on a part.
Just out of curiosity, why did you choose 3/32 rods?

[SkyDawg]

That's a good question. To be honest, I feel I have a little bit more control with the 3/32 rods. Plus, I dont have to weld as hot with them as opposed to 1/8. I've been taking classes at a community college, and the way we do it there is, we use 3/32 for hot and fill passes..and then we would do a cap with 1/8..but this was on plate vertical up. It feels like that the groove is really tight on the hot pass when doing this 6G..maybe I should tighten up my weave for the hot pass, as opposed to spreading out the weld so much into each bevel..like almost a stringer but still a weave. The fill pass is really smooth for me..its just that hot pass...the slag is harder to remove and it seems that no matter how long i hold the sides, there's still some places where undercut is present...Ill try and take some better pics soon..Ill be welding another one up here shortly.