Welding Tips and Tricks

Last weekend I built a jig for the plasma cutter to bevel plates at 37.5 degrees to get some practice with open groove welds. Here is where I am at after a few practice joints… 1/4" plate, 3/32" gap, 3/32" ER70S6, 105 amps root, 115 amps hot pass, 125 for the remainder. There are a few small contamination marks, most likely abrasive that got imbedded from blasting off the plasma oxidation. Am I on the right track? Any feedback would be great.

Thanks,
Pete

Do you have a picture of the root?

The cap looks pretty good. And seeing as you have a 3 bead cap I'd try weaving, simply because it covers a larger area faster.

Nothing wrong with stringers, but it's good to know both.

Yep, the cap looks good, but the root tells the tale.

Seems you're off to a great start.

Steve S

Looks good.
Was this just done in 1g?

Looks ok to me, a little cold on the cap maybe from the pics. I prefer stringers over weave also. Nice work

Thanks for the comments, I was afraid (but knew) that you'd ask to see the back. Not quite as pretty!

All in all it doesn't seem to bad. I see a little suck back, but that's not the end of the world.

The worst I see is about an inch and a half, or so, after you start where it looks like you didn't break down the bevel. It looks the same about halfway down.

The best I see is a little before the end where there's good penetration but you're not over penetrating, and it seems a little more consistent.

And if you think it might have been contaminated take a clean rag with some IPA or acetone and give it a quick wipe, same for your filler.

Regardless, you're on the right track.

Would be nice if the backs of mine looked like that.
Did u use a perge box or similar for this result?

Stupid Tafe I goto don't even have some copper for a back up