Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi guys I started with welding 2 and a half months ago and now I got the opportunity to test for the AWS 4G Structural test with the Dual Shield FCAW process this friday (I spent the 1st n half month burning MIG wire) , I'm real nervous but I keep practicing everyday at home by my self with no instructor but YouTube, I always wanted to be a welder and this is my chance the first step to become a combo welder, but since im still a rookie Im coming for help and advices from you.

TEST SPECS:

1" Carbon Steel Plate

0.045 E71T-1 ESAB Wire

25/75 Argon-CO2 Gas

45° included angle 22.5/22.5

1/4" gap 1/16 root face

My doubts and questions:

*¿How many passes should I fit between the plates?

For example:

Right now I'm throwing my first pass (Root Pass) barely touching the bevel and keep going just to fill that root face then the Hot Pass which I do a little bit of weave to fill and flush the surface a little bit so I can stack my next 2 passes and here's where my problem is, it seems that I cannot completely flush the next two big *** passes so I can start capping on a flat Bead profile.

I'm Pointing my wire right on the side between the toe of my hot pass and the bevel ( I do the same on the other side) but I keep getting these space between'em.

¿Should I run hooter? ¿Should I run another weave pass on top of my hot pass and then flush it? Tell me What your advice would be? ¿How many passes you guys burn on this type of test and gap? And also what settings or what's the trick with the cappping step?

I'm going to upload pictures of my bead welds tomorrow btw so you guys can tell better (I'm practicing on 5/8 CS Plates with E71T-9 wire my dad bought it for me and I cannot afford a new one just to burn T1)

Thanks! Hope you guys can help me any advice or comment would be appreciated

Enviado desde mi SM-J730GM mediante Tapatalk

I would suggest running smaller beads on your fill passes. After you play with it a little you will find a balance between full enough for the cover. There isn’t a set number of passes, only not enough passes( not full). And to many passes( to full). Focus on smaller beads without a weave, and get them consistent. You can also play with the idea that you may want one side of the v more full than the other to give you an even cover depending on angle.

Moyses.rdzh wrote:Hi guys I started with welding 2 and a half months ago and now I got the opportunity to test for the AWS 4G Structural test with the Dual Shield FCAW process this friday (I spent the 1st n half month burning MIG wire) , I'm real nervous but I keep practicing everyday at home by my self with no instructor but YouTube, I always wanted to be a welder and this is my chance the first step to become a combo welder, but since im still a rookie Im coming for help and advices from you.

TEST SPECS:

1" Carbon Steel Plate

0.045 E71T-1 ESAB Wire

25/75 Argon-CO2 Gas

45° included angle 22.5/22.5

1/4" gap 1/16 root face

My doubts and questions:

*¿How many passes should I fit between the plates?

For example:

Right now I'm throwing my first pass (Root Pass) barely touching the bevel and keep going just to fill that root face then the Hot Pass which I do a little bit of weave to fill and flush the surface a little bit so I can stack my next 2 passes and here's where my problem is, it seems that I cannot completely flush the next two big *** passes so I can start capping on a flat Bead profile.

I'm Pointing my wire right on the side between the toe of my hot pass and the bevel ( I do the same on the other side) but I keep getting these space between'em.

¿Should I run hooter? ¿Should I run another weave pass on top of my hot pass and then flush it? Tell me What your advice would be? ¿How many passes you guys burn on this type of test and gap? And also what settings or what's the trick with the cappping step?

I'm going to upload pictures of my bead welds tomorrow btw so you guys can tell better (I'm practicing on 5/8 CS Plates with E71T-9 wire my dad bought it for me and I cannot afford a new one just to burn T1)

Thanks! Hope you guys can help me any advice or comment would be appreciated

Enviado desde mi SM-J730GM mediante Tapatalk

1st Pic root pass
2, 3,4th Pic Hot pass
5,6,7,8 Another weave wider pass on top of the hot pass
9th I threw 3 stringers on top but removed the plate from the stand so I can grind a little defects
10th first cap string
11th second cap string
12th final product



Enviado desde mi SM-J730GM mediante Tapatalk

Try it with 4 stringers for your cap. Keep the first 2 like you did. Make the third just like them. Then make the 4th smaller so it looks like it’s the same size. Inspectors like even stringers.