Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello everyone,
I finally had some free time at work so I found some scrap 2" x 2" angle in our bone yard. (Junk area of plant) Took it back to the shop and cut it up and cleaned off some of the rust. I am starting to get the hang of just running beads on the flat and the slag pops off nice and neat. So I thought I'd try a T joint fillet. (just the vertical side of the angle on the flat of another piece) I'm not sure what the best rod angle is or should I just stick the rod in the joint at a 45 degree angle and run straight across? My attempts left more of a flat weld on the bottom piece that under cut (a lot) into the vertical piece. I tried turning the current down some but still ended up with similar results. The welder is a old stick/tig machine and does not have digital readouts so I don't know the actual current. I was using 7018 rod and we keep it in a rod oven. (I'll try and get the welder info tonight) Also the slag did not come off nice and easy as when I just do a flat weld. Any advice or links to videos will be very helpful. Thanks again for being willing to help out beginners!!

I'm no expert by far, but I would try a 6011 rod instead.

Slag is always more difficult to remove in a fillet, in any position. It "keys" into the corners, as well as any undercut present.

While you're practicing this (you'll develop your own technique with experience), for a fillet in the flat position, I'd hold a rod angle of 30*, not 45 (30* from the flat side of the tee, so the arc-force is more toward the vertical part). I'd also drag at about 15*, so your pushing the puddle back slightly, to fill that undercut in the vertical member.

On metal from 3/16 through 3/8", I'd be running at about 115A for a 1/8" 7018.

Take your time, and focus on the puddle. The red-hot slag on the back side of the puddle will fool you into thinking you're putting down too much metal, and lead you to undercut the top side.

Steve S

Remember that if your bottom piece is flat on the table then you are welding a horizontal fillet weld and need to run a bead with little or no weave or motion (stringer). Each time you go up the vertical wall with your weave you create a crater that is hard to fill. When you have a wall, either fillet or in a groove weld that the slag can bind to then it is going to be a pain to remove. A lot of weld tests fail because slag is left on the toes of the weld.

Thanks for the advice. Its tough learning something when you keep making the same mistakes. It would go so much faster if I had someone at work to watch and say to slow or to fast or change your angle this way or that way. But little by little I'm starting to see some of the details you all talk about. I was able to get my last try last night to actually look like a fillet weld and not a flat weld. Here is the info from the welding machine. Its a Lincoln Idealarc Tig - 300/300 variable voltage. Ac/Dc arc welding source with high frequency stabilization. I use the DC+ with the setting on high (range of 50/205) my best results were with the amps about 4 and 3/4. (not a digital machine, bummer) The rod is a 1/16th" Excalibur 7018 H4R. I try the 1/8th" every now and then just to see if I'm getting better. I seem ok if I turn the heat up some. Oh yeah the angle I am using is 1/4" thick 2" x 2". With any luck tonight will be semi quiet so I can get some more practice in. I'll talk to my boss and let him know I'm going to bring the trail pieces home then I can take some pictures to post. (don't want to get accused of stealing) The short time I've been here I know pictures tell so much more to the trained eye. Thanks again!!

Otto Nobedder wrote:Slag is always more difficult to remove in a fillet, in any position. It "keys" into the corners, as well as any undercut present.

While you're practicing this (you'll develop your own technique with experience), for a fillet in the flat position, I'd hold a rod angle of 30*, not 45 (30* from the flat side of the tee, so the arc-force is more toward the vertical part). I'd also drag at about 15*, so your pushing the puddle back slightly, to fill that undercut in the vertical member.

On metal from 3/16 through 3/8", I'd be running at about 115A for a 1/8" 7018.

Take your time, and focus on the puddle. The red-hot slag on the back side of the puddle will fool you into thinking you're putting down too much metal, and lead you to undercut the top side.

Steve S

Excellent advice Steve, as a fellow welder hailing from Louisiana, I love seeing that you know what you're talking about and are passing it on to others!

Only thing that I can add to what Steve said is that if you are welding 1/4" angle, I would definitely go with the 1/8 7018, but at bare minimum no leas than a 3/32. Throw the 1/16 away unless you are welding sheet metal or very thin stuff like a bicycle frame.