Welding Tips and Tricks

This has been frustrating me like crazy. Been doing overhead fillets for the past couple of weeks and I just can't seem to get the second run right. The first and third runs are no problem but when I do all three runs, there is cold lapping at the bottom of the weld. Unfortunately I don't have a camera and can't post any pictures but basically my main problem is that the bottom side of my second run sorta hangs out and I can't seem to make the second run nice and flat. I'm pretty sure I'm using the right amps (a little over 100 for 2.5mm and 130 for 3.2mm) so it's probably my rod angle, speed of travel and or where I'm placing that second run. What angle should I be using for that second run? Should I go a lot faster than I do with the first run? Where should I place the rod? Right at the toe of the first pass or a little above it? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Here's what has always worked for me. I hold the rod about 35` off the vertical member Also hold about a 5` push angle and hold the rod tip right at the bottom toe of the root pass. I also run about 5 to 10 amps hotter than I would run for vertical up. I also run a fairly brisk travel speed.

So a 35 degree angle at the bottom toe for the second bead? Should my second run be faster than my first? Amperage ain't no issue for me. I set it nice and hot (same setting for flat).

Yes, it's point more upwards. Boogie along rather quickly. You should be getting a long tight stringer bead. they tend to stay flatter that way and don't get a chance to roll over or grape up. Keep it tight. If the arc gets long then you'll get a lump or a grape. Too long and you get a bunch of grapes. We ran a lot of 3/16" 110/18 overhead in the shipyard and got like 16"-18" beads per rod overhead. If you get it just right you still get tiny stringers that look like they were done with 1/8" rods.

I'll try that next time. Where would you do overhead fillet welds on the shipyard?

Hey rake. I took your advice and ran that second run faster. No cold laps and my three run overhead fillets are good now. Thank you very much.

Glad to here.

Most of our work was full penetration but the cover of an overhead T joint goes on the same way.
Some of the non structural stuff was fillets. Sanitation tanks, mounting fixtures stuff like that.