Welding Tips and Tricks

After spending the last 2 months trying to figure this out, I am just not sure if I can really keep this up...
I feel that I am doing this right in some cases. In other cases, I tend overthink about positioning and hand-to-hand coordination.

I ran a solid root between 1/16-1/8" reinforcement with 3 bad tie ins. It looks consistent, but only the top half truly is. The bottom half had tungsten dip about 28 times( I counted), Basically stop- Game over each time tungsten gets fouled. This was the second time I completed a root by walking the cup. I have a 5/32" - 7/32" gap, a knife(feather) edge, 1/8" tungsten, #10 cup w/ gas lens, flex head, Amp 85-95, 1/8" filler.
On the bottom half of my 6" 6g sch40 carbon, The root does not like to wet in as it normally will for the top portion. It appears of what I think is cold lap? Also because of the large gap I sometimes have, I feel that I cannot center the filler rod as I feed it or I will blow out either side of the bevel or ball up. So I desperately try to stagger the filler rod up and down to match the arc( is this how it is done?).

I am still practicing until I get the word to leave school from our financial aid dept. Once done My first Call will be with Performance Contractors to try and setup testing with them. They will not accept a flush root and like to see you walking the cup on the root. The test will consist of a 6G MIG root/ Flux Core out, 6G TIG all way out, & another I cannot remember. I am not so much concerned about anything other than doing a TIG root- Up until recently I had to reconfigure TIG since I was doing laywire with 1/8" gap and filler wire...SO Easy, wish I could do it instead.

Between understanding how to become ambidextrous and all the simultaneous methods in GTAW, I am on the edge of it being near impossible to keep moving ahead. My consistency is always lacking. My competency for a PIPE ROOT TIG just fluctuates. I try and watch every video that comes onto Youtube. Unfortunately, They are not Jody.

I can't say too much because I haven't done 6g pipe, but there are a few things that stand out to me. I think you might be having difficulty either staying comfortable, or you can't see the puddle well enough. If you're dipping the tungsten that many times walking the cup, you might need to shorten you're stickout slightly. If this weld/process/technique is the only one your having trouble with just take your time and practice. Nows the time to try new things and see if it works for you. You might find holding the torch in a different way makes all the difference. You can also try a cheater lens if you're having trouble seeing the puddle. Just a few ideas for you to think about, and post pictures if you can, some of the guys on here might pick up exactly what you need to do by seeing what your working with.

Are you not using the laywire tech when walking the cup? Like mentioned above of dipping while walking you need to shorten your stick out. Why such a large gap, I'm assume 30° bevel, flap wheel or grinder to clean up before tacking. Are you feathering your tacks at all?

It can take a little time but you need to master the 6" since most testing is on 2". I took a class before I took my ASME IX test and they also wanted us to walk the cup the entire time. I asked why an was told 1 to teach us that skill and 2 it generally helps guys slow down an ensure they are breaking down the edges and tying in properly.

FWIW- I use a 3/32-1/8" gap, 3/32 filler, 3/32 tung, #7-8 cup, 85 amps on my roots...95 amps on hot pass and 105 on the cap.

As always, for what it is worth thank you for taking your time to reply.

The pipe fab facility in AL is somewhat strict on what they will allow- " No flush root they said", Lol- but whatever I'm trying. I think I have said before in other posts and now... The hardest issue I have is consistency.
^ Some of the bad cuts we get. Damn, these pics suck sorry. If you look close enough you can see one of the waves in the middle.

Please don't get carried away- This root looks good for penetration, but like I said took way too long( too many tungsten dips). Also 3 bad tie ins. I use jodys tig finger on the last fill and cap, just because I find it somewhat comfortable. I don't really try to improve on it, but Im sure you can spot out the several restarts on the cap.
Our bevel on this 6" sch40 ranges from 25-40 degree depending upon teachers. We normally get bitched at if we try to angle the cutting tip. When I can turn it, I like to use a 30-35. I use a P60 grit flap wheel on the the bevel, inside and outside of pipe. No land.
Btw, Rick H from the guys I talk to that journey out to the fab shops all use a 5/32 gap with 1/8" filler and tungs.
Yes I need to start feathering my tacks, but I wasn't focused so much on that; Rather, the practice on this root. When you say laywire No, I have been trying to rest the filler rod on the tacks or balance it while feeding through thumb and forefinger.

I need to post pics of the outside of Pipe so you can see the tig root problem I am having.
I will try and get that next week.

Pics are a bit off, but that root looks very nice and consistent for width and penetration.the dipping of tungsten is something that normally clears up with time.

one tip for your cap restarts, I think you are lighting up too far forward.step back more into the previous bead and they will become harder to spot

wheresmejumper wrote:Pics are a bit off, but that root looks very nice and consistent for width and penetration.the dipping of tungsten is something that normally clears up with time.

one tip for your cap restarts, I think you are lighting up too far forward.step back more into the previous bead and they will become harder to spot

I know, I wish I could have used a better camera. All that I have is a Iphone.

For the lower half of the pipe I am extremely inconsistent- I called my instructor in to have him watch me, he recommended higher on amperage with a knife edge bevel. For a 5/32- 3/16 gap is 100AMP too high? For the bottom portion I am knotting up the outside instead of it being washed in. He felt I did not have enough amperage to tie in the walls. I find this so difficult with 1/8" tungsten for lower half of 6g

hacadacalopolis wrote:

wheresmejumper wrote:Pics are a bit off, but that root looks very nice and consistent for width and penetration.the dipping of tungsten is something that normally clears up with time.

one tip for your cap restarts, I think you are lighting up too far forward.step back more into the previous bead and they will become harder to spot

I know, I wish I could have used a better camera. All that I have is a Iphone.

For the lower half of the pipe I am extremely inconsistent- I called my instructor in to have him watch me, he recommended higher on amperage with a knife edge bevel. For a 5/32- 3/16 gap is 100AMP too high? For the bottom portion I am knotting up the outside instead of it being washed in. He felt I did not have enough amperage to tie in the walls. I find this so difficult with 1/8" tungsten for lower half of 6g

I cant really advise on amps and gap for knife edgs as its not a setup I use that much.my preferred setup is 2.5mm land and a loose 4.0mm gap.i think thats 3/32 land 5/64 gap in american speak.i would be 115 amps to start with and a bit higher if she tightens.
How is your bottom on 5g as I think if you can get that right then the bottom of 6g is a doddle.the only 'trick I know for down there is relax and dont rush it.8 o clock can seem miles away as your lighting up on 6,and you try to get off the bottom as soon as possible.but do it nice and slow, bit by bit, and before you know it your outta there.more of a state of mind than a physical hurdle

For tig I like knife edge bevel, 1/8 gap, 1/8 filler, and I was around 115-125 if I remember right.
That's the way we were "taught" anyways.
Also we cut our bevels about 30-35 degree.
3/32 tungsten.
For root cup, imo, kinda depends on your fit up. Think a 6 was what I used. On 2" pipe used a 8 all out.
Make sure you're getting the inside of the pipe good and clean. Only need about 1/2-3/4 inch below the bevel cleaned.
Are you free handing the cap?

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I finally got it!

hacadacalopolis wrote:I finally got it!

YEAH!

Once it all clicks, don't you wonder what took so long?

Congratulations.

Steve S

Steve,
A lot of common sense stuff that just doesn't come to mind when I feel it is more about skill and technique.
I turned to the miller forum and a miller GTAW guideline manual to get the "click" of WTF to do...

Big fail #1- Torch Angle/Travel angle. I switched to a #7 cup for this sch40. My angle was off by probably 30 degrees.
My feed will need work, but it will come. Majority of improvement is achieved. I can now walk the bottom of 6G backfeeding. Some cases I have the line in the middle of the root for the guarantee of penetration.

Holy hell