Welding Tips and Tricks

1/4 inch hr steel, 60 grit flapper.
First 6 passes with 5/32 8010 at 140amps 100% dig.
Last 6 passes(or so) with 1/8 7018 at 130amps 100% dig.
Miller Maxstar 200sd on 230v.

here's the Tweco 200amp stinger I use....

~John

I gotta ask AK why 8010? 7018 would suffice all the way out on a fillet.

Just cause I got a 50lb box of 5/32 8010 for $30.00
No other reason than that....

How it look???

~John

Those are some fine looking welds. Nothing wrong with those at all.

John,
I agree, those welds are fine. I was testing one of my Syncrowaves doing the exact same thing. Will have to snap a pic to keep this thread going.
-Jonathan

Well, these aren't my best welds....
Those 8010 rods, I assure you, are over 10yrs old, Just opened them yesterday....
The 7018 was outside at about 40deg F overnight, so could be better....
Just messing around...
~John

They look good. That 8010 was a good score. Do you have a rod oven for your 7018?

Yes I got a 300lb phoenix.
Got it at a garage sale for $45....
But these 7018 had been cold for months....
How the 7018 look by your pro opinion???

The ripple pattern looks great and the edges flowed in nice. Looks like you trailed of course a bit at the end but I'm guessing that is because of it being at the end of the plate it was building up a fair amount of heat.

Yeah,
I need to get a bunch of 3/8 plates beveled, and run some v-groove tests(keep in practice)
I'll get you guys some more 7018 picts for you, some vertical "texas weaves" and some overhead weaves...
Thanks,
~John

On plate i usually run stringers for overhead and pipe its almost always stringers. If I remember right from school I was told the puddle size should not be more than 2.5 times the diameter of the rod. I have passed Xray and bend test with bigger but its not the "by the book" method. I'll try to find my books from school to see if it was in there and get back to you.

PS don't confuse the "puddle size" with the width of your weave. I am referring to the molten puddle size. A weave is carrying that smaller puddle back and forth over a wider area.

So your a "stringer guy"????
I used to be pretty good at overhead weaves, wish I had some pics for you, but I'll try and make some.
Wish me luck,

~John

Vert on plate no. I love me some vertical weave action with 7018.

What motion do you use for vertical weaving???
My uncle taught me to pause at the edges, say 1, 2, and shoot back across, say 1, 2, shoot back across....
Takes consistency, every weave...
I'll try and get some pics, if you get some pics of your verticals....

~John

This question can get kinda tricky and I will explain. Lets say its a standard D1.1 3/8 plat test with backer bar and nothing in the weld procedure states how I must weld this test. D1.1 has a 1/4" gap between the plates with the backer bar so I would run a slight weave for my root pass then a few good size stringers for my fill and a weave cap for the vert. The overhead I do all the same but for some reason I run a stringer cap on it (not really sure why, just the way I've always done it). Some tests may say you must run a two stringer root and stringers all the way out. Some may require a weave cap and so on. I guess mainly it is all in what I am told I need to do to meet the requirements.

Sorry i got way off my point and forgot to answer your your question entirely. Plate like the D1.1 i run a plain Z pattern. You get into the fillet welds its close to the same but you need to push the rod in to the joint in the middle.

Do you hold the corners for a cpl sec, or a smooth zig-zag???

I always hold the edge to get it to "wet in" and fast across the middle. If you can get the edge if a weave to flow in like the stringers you posted above you have it right. Remember you are going to carry a lot more heat on the weave so watch for the undercut. On a beveled plate like the D1.1 I try to leave my last fill passes about 1/16 to 1/8" under flush and i really watch that corner on the bevel to make sure it ties in good.

I'll ask my buddy to mill me up some coupons, and get you guys some good pix....
Thanks "AZ",

~John

Most tests will be 27.5 to 30 degrees so 55 to 60 degrees included angle.

Nice welds man

DylanWelds wrote:Nice welds man

Thanks,
Took many boxes of rods to get here...
~John

John,
Here is a pic to keep this thread going. Lincoln 7018 that needs a oven, 140 amps, 6 passes.
-Jonathan