Welding Tips and Tricks

Anybody got any good tips on running vertical stringers? I tested for a company a while back that required all vertical up welding to be done in stringers with no visible weave.

Make sure you get you heat setting right. If you are using 7018s which you probably are use about a 5 or so degree push uphill. Keep you speed consistant and dont let the puddle get much more than 1-1/2 times the width of the rod. Practice practice practice... the bead should be almost flat if you are doing it right. Overlap your beads 1/2 to 2/3 over the previous bead. Give the base metal a chance to release some heat between passes too. It will keep each pass a little more consistant than if you just turn and burn and go as fast as possible. Oh yeah practice uphill beads as much as you can. The more you do it the easier it gets.

What do you recommend as an ideal amperage setting for 1/8" 7018 rods when running vertical stringers?
Thanks

I like 105A for thinner sections, like sch. 40 pipe, up to 115A for 1/2" for thicker material.

I agree with Otto. It has a lot to do with how much meat you have to deal with. If you are on sch 40 pipe i would be between 100 and 105. If you are on 1" plate you might be anywhere from 115 to 125. This can even change from one machine to another.