Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm having a hard time getting my 1/8th rod to stick to 4" pipe in the 5G position. I certified in the 2G, but I guess gravity has better leverage (or something) which causes my properly bent 1/8" rod to fall out of the groove at the second pass.
Everything is clean and shiny. I have 4" sch 80 with an included angle between 55 and 70 degrees. I'm using a Everlast 210EXT at 140 amps. I have 4 tack welds positioned at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock positions. I get the 6 o'clock tack hot and melting and attach the 1/8 rod to it as close to flat against the pipe as I can (btw I have a 3/32" gap and feathered edges on the bevels) I carefully bend the rod, while carefully moving the torch along the continuing to bend rod until I get to the 9 o'clock position where I can't get it to lay flat (although I ground the tack down) against the tack, so it usually gets hot and melts (the end of the 1/8" rod) because it's not touching anything to draw the heat from it.
So now I have a groove with a 1/8" rod bent around it and ending up maybe 1/4" short of the tack. The rod is stiff and very close to the gap, maybe 1/64" away (or less) at the unattached end. At this point I could (and do) stick a chisel in the groove and pry it out (so I can try again w/ that pipe) I clean it with a wire brush between attempts.

The problem is when I start melting the rod into the groove for a good root pass (rather than placing the rod where I need the material). I start at the 6 o'clock position, and as soon as I get both the rod and the groove sides to melt, the entire bent 1/8" rod will almost always fall out, because I melt the only support that is holding it up.
I think I either have to be able to attach the rod at both ends (at the 6 o'clock AND 9 o'clock positions) Either that or I have to be able to have some fusion take place between the rod and grove (along the entire section) I would like it to be fused along the entire section, but it will work if it's attached at BOTH ends and I have a problem with having fine enough control to go JUST past cherry red hot so fusion takes place.

Whew, I hope some people read this all the way through and understand the problem, what do advanced (advanced to me, ha ha) welders do to get the rod in the groove correctly (so it doesn't fall out on the next pass)?

Thanks for any info!

I like to roll my bottom tack to more of a 5 o'clock position. It helps a little if you move the tacks to a place where it's easier to position your hands. You also might try adjusting the height of your coupons up or down so you have a diferent body angle when you get to those hard to control spots.

From your description it sounds to me like you are placing the arc onto the rod and trying to fuse it to the pipe. If that is the case you are doing it wrong. You hold the arc over the puddle to keep it molten and add the rod to the puddle. The heat of the puddle melts the rod into the puddle for a continuous bead. Show us some pics if you can.