Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys I'm a newbie, will be graduating from south texas college next month, I'm fairly proficient at welding and well I love to question my teachers and even they can't really give me a real answer, now my question is in the 8010 5/32 rod lets say the cap pass on 5G 6" pipe sch.80 to be elaborate before anyone starts with lack of information. Now going downhill I ran a test piece doing whip and pause and 1 drag, I didn't really get any undercut with either, I did prefer how the drag looked over the whip and pause, my actual question comes from the pattern of whip and pause vs. Drag. Drag doesn't look to have trapped any slag but is technically complete fusion aposed to whip and pause? If you say that whip and pause gets better penetration lets call it a preheat before the weld is made if you understand that. The 8010 just a straight drag downhill lets say 135amp, is that complete penetration/fusion? We do not have non destruction testing so which do you all use in patterns? And what is technically correct and why? If you say it NEEDS to have whip and pause any time running a 6010/8010 rod then why is it during a root pass downhill everyone just drags? I always have complete penetration there so what's the difference?

-pete

Welcome, Pete,

I think it's purely a matter of personal preference. Ask 12 welding inspectors which they rather see and why, and you'll probably get 13 answers. I should mention I've not done pipeline, so have not done a xx10 cap, just root and hot-pass, but I've seen just as much debate between drag ("bury-rod") and whip/pause there, as well. My personal preference is to crank up the heat and drag it, because I can't make whip/pause look as good as my drag. The cleaner weld makes it easier to see I've not missed some slag before the next pass (xx18, in my case).

Steve S

Thanks for the reply! Yea I figured it would be preference but I was hoping for some more insight from others. I can get the whip and pause to look decent but always prefer any little advantage over the next weld

I like to drag because I can make it more consistent. A buddy of mine prefers to use the whip and he does a real good job of it. I'd just experiment with both and see what you prefer

Pete,
I will agree with everyone that it is personal preference. I would not say that whip and pause or key holing gets better penetration any more than dragging gets more. That will depend on several factors, weldor skill, rod angle, gap etc. I can do both and don't really prefer one over the other. In my opinion, a skilled weldor needs to know both. There are times that whip and pause will be better than drag for a root as an example.
You are correct that drag has a better apperience than whip but there will be those who would disagree I am sure. The only downside on whipping would be the rough look and slag entrapment from not cleaning up good between passes. Also remember that 8010 will look rougher than 6010 so dragging might be best for esthetics.
-Jonathan