Welding Tips and Tricks

I am running into some issues when welding an open root with 6010 uphill on a 2" 6g carbon steel pipe coupon. My land is 3/32"-1/8" with a gap of 3/32" welding with 1/8" 6010 at 75-80 amps. I am running in my root and only whipping if it starts to get too hot, everything is tying in fine but I am getting a little undercut and sometimes the root is sitting flush and I would rather see a little more root pushed in. Should I try to whip the root in as to stack more metal inside or should I try to push the od in some more? my arc force is set to 50%, does this have anything to do with the root being undercut?

I like my force up around 70 for a root with 1/8 6010. I like a 1/8 land with a 3/32 gap. And I run about 70-75 amps depending on the machine. Sounds about the same. Try pushing through a bit more.

Same^^ where is it sitting flush at? Might also be as simple as pushing your rod angle back a bit more and a tad slower. One of those things you need to do over and over to get a feel for it.

I have a keyhole going on and my rod is sitting on the land or right about the back side of the land where the inside diameter of the pipe is. I have my rod angled going in perpendicular towards the center of the pipe but you say I should turn up too 75% arc force and turn down amps a little bit? Should I also angle my rod up 10-15 deg towards the top coupon? Thanks for all your help, I have welded x ray quality welds for refineries off and on for 10 years but I haven't touched a stinger for the past 3 years so just trying to get back in the groove of things and I would like to perfect my root as that is critical to me and I have always had issues with getting it to lay in the way the inspectors want to see it.

If your close with the settings your using then just play with your speed and angle first. I like to move a little slower so that's why I settled on those settings.

Depends. I run dead 90 to ~10 degrees in either direction depending on the weld. I tend to weld with the puddle and move accordingly. Same with my fill and cap.

Do you think if I slow down my progression on my root that it will push more of a root inside or the keyhole will close up?

koolkat3551 wrote:Do you think if I slow down my progression on my root that it will push more of a root inside or the keyhole will close up?

I am in Wichita, KS too!!!

koolkat3551 wrote:Do you think if I slow down my progression on my root that it will push more of a root inside or the keyhole will close up?

Getting more buildup inside the pipe is a balance of travel speed and pushing in.but travelling slower will build the root up on the outside more,if you dont push the rod tip in far enough.

try to weld with the arc force as low as possible.if your rod starts sticking when you push in,bump it up.try again and bump up again if necessary. You will have a more manageable weld pool,more suited to positional work.

Sounds like you are doing everything correctly. Small diameter pipe is always a little tougher than the big stuff (lot of wrist articulation) Take it nice and easy and tap that keyhole like you are using a little tap hammer and get ready to start moving when you start coming to the top. I don't know what your WPS say's but for that heavy schedule I would either bump up that gap to 1/8" or knock down the land to a dime. Personally I would do it with an 1/8 and a dime. When I was young I used to tighten the gap because I was so afraid of turning the keyhole into a doorway so I thought it would be better to fight and gouge the 5P in, doesn't really work that well.

For all you Wichita boys living next door to Charles Koch (Koch Industries). When pipelining for them KOCH means Keep Ol Charlie Happy!