Welding Tips and Tricks

A friend of mine who works as a plumber was kind enough to get me some Sch 40 Steel 6" pipe as well as some Sch 40 2" and 3" Stainless. I just wanted to practice pipe welding (never done it per-se) and this was just free scrap from jobs he worked on. He can get me more if I want it but I'm stocked up for now.

Having never done this stuff before, can anyone describe the process of prepping the pipe for a tig joint? Meaning, how would it be done if a guy was doing this in the field? What dimensions on the bevels, depth, angles, etc? I've got a dual flow regulator for the stainless purge. My Dynasty 210 I'm sure has enough snot to weld this stuff. I have a positioner for flat use but no chucking-vise arrangement nor rollers, though I'm considering building something that I could power with my existing positioner, but run rollers for pipe to roll in like I've seen in the past. I've seen them on ebay also. Not really a toy I need in my shop though. This project is just for fun. I will never be a pipe welder.

Any insights? I've got a couple stainless elbows also, but they're welded to other pipe so only one side is open for practice. I'm also considering trying to do this as a fixed position test. Probably makes more sense.

I can see a lot of bandsaw blades dying in this experiment.

Wish I could help you, buggy, but I'm a tubing welder at best. Never got the "pipe welder" merit badge. Hopefully a proper pipe welder can chime in.

Ha, I just finished watching one of Jody's DVDs on welding 2" pipe for a 6g test. I think it's a 3-4 part video. Good stuff.

Not sure if it's still up on YT. This is on his 2012 collection. If you can find it....Great viewing.

If not, is there a way I can upload it for you?

eelman308 wrote:Ha, I just finished watching one of Jody's DVDs on welding 2" pipe for a 6g test. I think it's a 3-4 part video. Good stuff.

Not sure if it's still up on YT. This is on his 2012 collection. If you can find it....Great viewing.

If not, is there a way I can upload it for you?

Might be able to post a link to it and I'd check it out. I was curious what the prep angles were, if it was to the open root or making contact. I know a little less than 0 about it, but figured it'd be fun!

Spartan wrote:Wish I could help you, buggy, but I'm a tubing welder at best. Never got the "pipe welder" merit badge. Hopefully a proper pipe welder can chime in.

I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna get that badge either. I just figured if I could get the pipe for free, I'd give it a shot welding it. I've got filler rods and sticks I haven't even wasted yet

30 degree bevel, nickle gap, nickle land.

cwby wrote:30 degree bevel, nickle gap, nickle land.

Cool, thanks.

cwby wrote:30 degree bevel, nickle gap, nickle land.

Thought I'd post this graphic I found somewhere, might be useful for someone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sUltaivfiY

6G on 2"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9X30P6rrLQ

Hot pass on 2"

eelman308 wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9X30P6rrLQ

Hot pass on 2"

This is probably more like what I"ll try at first. The 2" I have is stainless, so I'll do only TIG on that. The steel I could tig root and stick the hot pass and cap. That's all 6". I'll just bevel some in the lathe and that'll be all ready. Then I just need to find time at work without staying till 10pm to do it.

6"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fuSXbIuuiU&t=31s

Lots here too
https://www.youtube.com/c/weldingtipsan ... h?query=6G

eelman308 wrote:6"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fuSXbIuuiU&t=31s

I know I will start off with the stainless but I have a feeling this is going to be fun also. It will also be easier to cut the pieces of heart and re bevel them for another try. The steel simply is much easier to cut than the stainless.

I'll also have to jerry-rig up a stand for it.

LtBadd wrote:

cwby wrote:30 degree bevel, nickle gap, nickle land.

Thought I'd post this graphic I found somewhere, might be useful for someone

Annotation 2020-09-07 102149.jpg

Yup! I've had countless phone calls, texts, and emails having to ask people where the zero origin is for the angles in the drawing when they just have an annotation pointing to it and it's close enough to 45 that you can't tell by looking at it. You'd think they would get the drift after the 3rd or 4th reminder. But you'd be wrong...

Today at the hardware store I ran into a young guy who used to work for me. He's now working full-time welding out in the field. Doing all kinds of crazy stuff, anywhere from pipe to structural to turbine generators at power plants and all kinds of stuff. When we both have some mutual time to spare he's going to stop in and show me this whole 6G pipe thing. We discussed it some today and maybe next weekend he can stop in. I'll have my own instructor, LOL.

When I welded pipe about a month ago, I used the Oscar Pipe Welding Code Book. 950 pages. Each page said the same thing: Use 6010. Burn it. That's it.

The OPWCB is a good reference for welding. I wore out a highlighter on my copy.

Oscar wrote:When I welded pipe about a month ago, I used the Oscar Pipe Welding Code Book. 950 pages. Each page said the same thing: Use 6010. Burn it. That's it.

I most likely won't do any 6010 roots, just Tig. I got my parts beveled in the lathe yesterday. Now just need to find time to set it up and try it.

VA-Sawyer wrote:The OPWCB is a good reference for welding. I wore out a highlighter on my copy.

I son't suppose you're willing to part with the already-highlighted version? If so, I'm in!