Welding Tips and Tricks

So, I was going to run a job out in CA using E71-T1 as I stated in an earlier post. Got a call today, got a new inspector, and he says I should run T8 unless I feel like putting up wind screens, or having problems with him. Original fella had no problems as long as porosity didn't become an issue. I guess that means I will be needing to certify with Innershield-232 (or33?) this week. We've burned some innershield at the quarries and while it's held up okay, I never liked it as much as SMAW or GMAW.

Playing with assorted rolls of stuff I found laying around the shop (picking up wire tomorrow) I've come up with the following: Upside down "U"s (frowns), don't hold the edges as long as I'm used to with the solid wire, slow it across the middle or end up low.

I got the Bernard self-shielding gun with my eXtreme, but the largest innershield wire I had laying around was .045, so I had to run it through my Roughneck 400. I still need to practice with this gun and with a larger diameter wire, I was thinking .072?

And advice on which wire/size I should use would be appreciated. Any technique advice would be appreciated, as well. I got some great advice on my dual-shield setup, walked through the 3g/4g first go round with it. Thanks for any advice up front!

I will definitely have to agree with ya on the post title.

Is this for the handrail job you were talking about? If not, what type of metal and thickness will you be welding on??

We have some momentary connections, 5/8" to 1/2" plate. I think I have four joints where the 5/8" will be tying to 3/4". From what I found playing with the T-1, even outdoors in less-than -ideal situations, this seems well within it's capabilities, it is a seismic rated wire, and I am confident we'll be able to get it done with minimal shielding, as I said in my last post, we ran ER70S-6 doing railings not a hundred yards away outside with pretty much no problems.

The good news is, my departure got pushed back by a job in the shop that needs to get knocked out, so I'll have a couple more days to a week to get some more practice before I test. I'm thinking .072 NR-233. Haven't gotten it in yet as it's been coming tommorrow for a couple of days now. Have been playing with a hobart E71T-8 that I hear is similar, and am liking it thus far. Hoping for the best! They've had me taking tests left and right for this job, and I gotta say I seem to be on a winning streak, the longest I've had yet, for sure (I know, nobody else fails tests ever...but I am the rankamateur!)