Need help in a bad way

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Ok fellas, fair warning here, this is another critique my welds thread.  Before I get into all of that though, I figure Ill give ya a little about myself since I dont think Ive told you much about myself since joining.  Im 24, married and have a 2 yr old son.  I live in NC and have been here for about 12 years.  Before that i lived in MA and was born in CT.  Anyway, shortly after marrying my wife, she turned all strange on me and insisted I get a "real job".  I was a bbq cook at the time.  My brother in law was and is a dues paying member of the UA, Local 421 Plumbers and Pipefitters of North and South Carolina, and informed me that if I was interested he could get me in.   Reluctantly, I turned in the paperwork and was accepted.  Turns out, I LOVE PIPEFITTING.  Good money, good people, fairly steady work, and truely enjoyable work at least for me.       Im now a fourth year apprentice and as I said, love my job.  My apprenticeship classes are a joke, with no real training up until the last year.  We have no welding booths at my new training center, and the next closest training center is 2 1/2 hours away.  After finding out that we would be moving to this new training center, I took it upon myself to purchase a welder for the house, something to atleast get my feet wet and learn on.  Turns out that was a good idea because me and my fellow apprenti in the area were without a training center for a year and a half.  The welder is a thermal arc 161 which for those who arent familiar, is a simple suitcase welder, no settings just a amperage knob and a switch for either stick or lift start tig.  Not much, but at my pay grade at the time, and with a newborn baby in the house, I was certainly a happy camper.  Long story short, I feel like my JATC has really screwed me out of what could have been valuable training in my career, but i guess thats for a different thread.     Ive been working on my stick welding for about a year and a half.  Ive worked with one or two welders on the jobs Ive worked that have been a blessing to me, and given me what advice they could.  Im very greatful to them.  Im currently working at a fab shop that specializes in high purity process piping for pharmaceuticals and while we have a lot of welding that goes on there, its all either orbital fusion with AMI 207s, or hand tig.  Im picking up a lot from these guys and am greatful to them as well. What I really am focused on right now though is my stick welding as I dont have the money go out and purchase an argon bottle and a truck to transport the damn thing when having it filled.    So heres the specs.  6g sch. 40 carbon steel. 1/8" gap and land on most of this stuff. Lincoln 5p+ for the root (1/8), Lincoln Excalibur 7018 (3/32).  5p+ typically run around 75 to 80 amps, 7018 run between 80 and 90 amps.  I find that typically on my root pass, I always have 1 or 2 spots that need to be ground completely out and rewelded because Ive left a pinhole that is filled with slag and no metal.  This is most often between 7 and 10 o'clock and 3 and 1 o'clock.  While Im not going to say that the outside pics of the root pass below are a common occurance, its what Id say is the worst of the worst and what IS common isnt much better. Im looking for any and all advice that I can get.  Bad as I might be at it, welding truely is one of the things I enjoy doing the most, and I want so badly for it to be my way of putting bread on the table.  Im gonna try my best to properly drop these pics in here, but Im not too familiar with doing that so bear with me. Thanks for reading my introduction/small rant.  Thanks in advance for any advice.
Reply:more pics, but also forgot to mention root is always whip and pause, 7018 Ive experimented with, sometimes z weave sometimes circles, sometimes dragging. most of these pics is more like circles or half circles
Reply:Why aren't you working to UA-28 Specification? Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Looks like you may be outrunning the puddle on your root. Welding is all about reading the puddle and manipulating it. Are you having similar issues welding beveled buts on flat plates? If not, the problem has to do a lot with changing rod angles as you go around the pipe. If you are having issues with flat plats as well, then it's most likely an issue in basics and reading the puddle..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:wish i had some 6" sch. 80. ive got 6" sch. 40. and 4" sch 40. These were given to me by the superintendant at one of the jobs ive worked in the past.  Other than that, the advice ive been given was to have the end goal of getting my UA 21.  I guess it would cover me on more thicknesses and sizes? this is why i typically use the 4" rather than 6".
Reply:I find alot of the time there is a point where we become intimidated ... we kinda worry ... OMG when I get to this point I know I'm gonna fail ..As DSW said do not out run the "puddle" ... practice on the angle. Watch the puddle and most important ... relax, do not try to choke the stinger ... let it do the work and just smile as that puddle and angle come together.Located In SE OklahomaLincoln Mig 135Hobart Ironman 230 Mig5x10 CNC Table with DTHC & FTHypertherm PM65 on the tableMiller Bobcatwww.caneyagequipment.com
Reply:dsw, i havent run much 6010 on butted plate, but i can say that if i were to whip and pause on flat plate no groove, it looks pretty slick.  no pics to prove it tho.  i would say if i had to pinpoint my main problem, it would be dealing with my key hole. seems like im only burning into one side of the groove or the other sufficiantly.  im getting wagon tracks as well.  do you think maybe id be better off running 3/32 5p+ as its just not carrying as much metal? maybe a 1/8 land and gap with more of a v shaped whip and pause? i will say that when i have ponied up and made the 2 and a half hour trip to the jatc, it seems to go in a lot smoother, still not perfect but better.  any chance its the machine giving me the hard time with the 6010? blue river, i think your right about the intimidation factor. im not choking out the stinger but i do have that "dont screw this up" thought run through my head before i get started.  and i do have a tendancy to get in a rush while im welding.  i guess its ptsd from years of a journeyman in my ear screaming "hurry the f*** up!"
Reply:ct1811 I'm no pipe welder by any stretch of the imagination. Strictly a structural hand.I found the best joint prep for me is 3/32” land, and use a 5/64” drill bit to set the gap. Run 75 to 80-amps with 1/8” 6010. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:cep im truely envious, at this point i think i would literally kill to lay a stack of dimes in there like that.  how were you manipulating your rod there? just a straight whip and pause.  is there anything i should be looking for in particular when dipping back into the puddle after letting it cool? any tips on getting more reinforcment on the bottom in 6g?
Reply:It's certainly possible your machine is part of the problem. Few small inverters run 6010 well. They just are not optimized to deal with the changing arc lengths when whipping and pausing. Sometimes running 6011 some times will solve this issue.We teach open bevel but joints in preparation for pipe. If you can't run good beads on flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead on flat plate, chances you will be able to do so when you have to throw constantly changing angle into the mix are slim. Also when students transfer to pipe, they transfer to 8" or 10" pipe. That  allows the changes to happen slower, and allow the student more time to adjust. The smaller the pipe, the faster you have to deal with the changing rod angles. Jumping ahead, just increases the number of variables you have to learn and master all at once..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Go with a 3/32 gap. Keep the 6010 rod touching the bottom of the bevel.  Slightly pointed at the upper pipe, and drag it.
Reply:Yes, whip and pause. I pay more attention to the sound of the weld. You can tell if you are getting penetration. Sometimes when the joint is closing up on me I find myself pushing the rod through the joint until I hear that sound. Other times you just have to stop, and grind open the joint. On my stops I punch the rod through the joint, to make a hole. Then start with a new rod right back on that hole. This helps make a good tie ins. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:dsw your advice is much appreciated.  ive got some 1/4" plate ive been meaning to cut up for that purpose, just have to convince my instructor to let me use use the gas axe one day instead of sit in the classroom.  he can be a bit of a hard a** when it comes to class.  we've got all the time in the world to build this half a** training center but try and get something done for yourself its a cardinal sin.  hope no one here thinks im ungreatful for the opportunity i have with my job, it just makes me mad when i think of the 1st class training centers the UA has across the country and then I go to mine and its like a swift kick to the groin.
Reply:cep, after stopping and leaving a keyhole, when u light back up, have u feathered that keyhole at all?  i guess im asking how do you go about restarting. striking ahead of the keyhole and falling back in?  feathering back and heating up before hitting your keyhole? I know the possibilities are endless
Reply:No I don't feather my stops on the root pass. I start just ahead of the hole, and drag back right into it. Fill the hole then take off, cut & fill, cut & fill, cut & fill. http://welding-tv.com/2013/12/17/6g-6010-root/Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by KsnyderGo with a 3/32 gap. Keep the 6010 rod touching the bottom of the bevel.  Slightly pointed at the upper pipe, and drag it.
Reply:sorry never mentioned its uphill.  whip and pause.  reason for amps at 75-80 is UA 21 parameters specify a minimum of 75 amps (maybe 80) with 1/8 6010.  any hotter than 80 and i tend to have to make longer strokes when whipping.
Reply:I agree on the 3/32 gap until you can control the puddle. I would experiment with a little less heat to minimize your in and out of puddle and just stick it in so your root has more metal penetrating on the inside then outside as in the pics. Tack something to the pipe to set/rest your arm on; position it so you can follow the contour of the pipe. Maybe in the learning stage ,if you have trouble with a keyhole, feather edge where you stop to make the restart easier. Practice with heat settings to find out where you get the best control.
Reply:ok cool, not familiar with ua tests. so amperage seems right for what your doing, but i would definitely shrink that gap down. 3/32" will treat you well. i had to edit my post, traded flux for slag and when i said about guessing your travel based on amperage, i meant to guess up-hill lol. if your machine isn't snuffing out on you, thats about as much as you could ask for. if it is quitting on you, it may be worth it to look into something else.the best news by far is you know what your doing. your comment about the pinhole's/ slag inclusions you saw brought a smile to me you wouldn't believe. your on the right track, and know what to look for; and im guessing you'll have it in two more coupons. keep your arc tight, and see how 3/32" gap does for you!ps. wagon-tracks can be ground, as well as starts/ stops. dont stress too hard on those yet. just get the metal in the pipe. and as far as feathering, starting on a stop will tie in, starting on a start (the bottom) will get you in trouble.are you having to prep these coupons yourself? if so, how are you cutting/ beveling?bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:o yeah all prep is done by me. portaband to cut, make sure to get good and square.  bevel is as close to 37.5 as i can eyeball but im gonna say more ofter than not its probably  more like 35. as said earlier my land is typically 1/8 with 1/8 gap but lately ive been doing some that are 3/32 with a 3/32 gap.  sadly my wife is not going to be happy with me in the least bit if i purchase another welder.  it may end up on my front lawn along with everything else i own.
Reply:prepping yourself can make it difficult, but it will work out well for you in the long run. if you havent figured already, always fit your pipe to index exactly as it was before you cut it. if your working with seamless pipe, you will have to mark it, otherwise just use the seam. this helps ensure a consistent gap even if your cut was a little squiggley. 35 deg should be enough. my problem in the beginning was over-beveling which caused me all kinds of headache. use a 3/32 rod to really gauge your fitup. set pipe on it, and use another to make sure your gap is there before you tack. pull the one out while you can, and use the other to check the other spot where your going to tack. set that gap a hair loose, tack, then even out the sides.it will have shrunk a tad, and any spot where it shrunk too much can be fixed with a cutoff wheel, which is conveniently used to feather the tacks.like i said, you know what your looking for, and if you already knew what i told you, your all set except for a little muscle memory. you'll have it in the next couple times.as long as your machine is running the rod ok. im not familiar with those and what i was getting at was if it acts like a maxstar 150, and just quits randomly with 6010, your going to scream and cuss. if your machine can maintain a nice, tight arc, your all set.bosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin
Reply:Starting off on pipe, especially 6G, before you learn the basics on plate ranks right up there with racing a Ferrari before you have your drivers license. Usually land and gap are the same whether 3/32" or 1/8". I like it right in between and use a 1/8" rod for the gap which shrinks slightly. You always want to point the rod toward the center of the pipe. I find when my heat is right, I can use just a slight whip to keep the keyhole and can hear when I'm getting proper penetration. I like to go a little slower and put in a heavier root. The absolute worst feeling in the world is when you put in a good root only to burn through on your hot pass after cleaning the root up with a grinder. When I took my initial pressure test, one guy was finished about 20 minutes before everyone else. Had 7 good bends and the last one had a big crack on the root bend and he failed. I think it's because he was going so fast he didn't have enough build up on the outside of the root and then couldn't run a proper "HOT" Pass.
Reply:Originally Posted by ct1811sadly my wife is not going to be happy with me in the least bit if i purchase another welder.  it may end up on my front lawn along with everything else i own.
Reply:The thermal arc should be fine if its the 161stl. I use mine for pipe almost every day. Not the best with 6010 but more than good enough.