Welding Tips and Tricks

I just finished taking a 3g 4g test & my cap on the overhead had some porosity around it, can someone explain to me what I did wrong so I won't make the same mistake next time?? Thanks

What process? Machine settings? Pics? Hard to say without at least some info

Chad,
You really must tell us more info.
We can't guess.
For all we know it could be O/A aluminum....

I would like to hear answers on this. The puddle on 7018, when welding 6g carbon steel pipe, coming from the bottom, wants to cloud-up, making the start difficult to see due to flux accumulation. This also happens on top. I realize rod angle is the answer, but maybe this is what myself and poster of this thread is looking for.

chadmh91 wrote:I just finished taking a 3g 4g test & my cap on the overhead had some porosity around it, can someone explain to me what I did wrong so I won't make the same mistake next time?? Thanks

I will try to answer but would like more information. There are a few things it could be. One is how you are starting your rod. Jody has videos explaining this better but you should light up ahead of your weld and move back into your start. This will almost always evade porosity. Starting right on your feather can/will cause porosity for up to a inch or so. Another cause can be how your 7018 tip is prepared. If you have to much flux missing it is the same as no gas flow at the start of a mig weld. Again this will cause porosity for the first inch or so. And third it could be the condition of the flux itself. Although I do not believe this is your problem, if the rod is wet or very old, this can lead to porosity. Wait fourth, if you are long arcing to much, you guessed it.
Hope this helps and not confuses. I am sure others can help as well.
-Jonathan

My guess without pics is long arc, bad start technique, or bad rod angle.

DylanWelds wrote:My guess without pics is long arc, bad start technique, or bad rod angle.

Could be tig or mig though...

I'm going to assume, because it's posted in the stick forum, the process is stick.

I'm leaning toward the "long-arc/rod angle" idea from the little bit of information given. The key words I'm picking up on are "porosity AROUND the weld", suggesting at the edges, rather then the middle.

It's common to long-arc 7018 in these positions. Some lens colors make it particularly difficult to distinguish the puddle from the red-hot flux behind it, leading one to believe the puddle is taller than it really is.

I agree, though, more information would help with the diagnosis, as I feel like I'm guessing here.

Steve S