7018 uphill Practice (3g) Feel free to Critique

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Its been awhile since i have been on here. Today i was out in the shop playing with some 7018. Its been awhile since i stick welded. My last job was alot of dualsheild wire welding. Current job has no welding (for now) but lots better pay, benifits. I just have to have time before i can get into the weld shop. (one thing i dislike about union jobs). Anyway, feel free to Critique this plate test practice i did. I always keep up on my welding though with my machines. Scrap 7/16'' plate (yes 7/16'')1/8'' atom arc 7018Miller maxstar 150 on 220v around 115 ampsAround a 22* bevel, 1/8'' landing , 1/4' gap,  3/16'' backerThe plate/bevelRoot pass2nd/hot passCover pass. Start and stop got me. Alittle too wide?Slice and diceI didnt get a chance to put it in the press yet.Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:You need to really work on getting rid of those wagon tracks on your root pass. It's not the end of the world, just harder to eat them out with your hot pass. Here is a vertical up I did with 7018, note how flat the weld is? 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:Your beads look very inconsistent.Your root pass is the worst. 2nd pass looks like you are favoring the right side for some reason. I'm not sure if it's due to rod angle or your position.  Cover looks the best of all, but I'd like to see it tighter and more consistent. I'd like to see you move up 1/2 as much each time as you swing from side to side if not more frequently.I'm wondering if you can really see the puddle well. If not that would explain a lot of what I'm seeing going on..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:Originally Posted by DSWCover looks the best of all, but I'd like to see it tighter and more consistent. I'd like to see you move up 1/2 as much each time as you swing from side to side if not more frequently.
Reply:Bit hard to see with the glare, but yes that's what I'm suggesting. I frequently see students want to move up say 1", and make only 4 to 6 side to side "passes". When I do mine I do say 12-16 instead in the same distance.I know I marked out a weld to show this for someone else in the past, but I'm not finding the picts on this computer. I'll have to dig a bit and see if I can't find the thread.EDIT:Here I marked up the cover Red lines show roughly what you did. Green lines show what I'd probably do, if not even tighter.Last edited by DSW; 09-18-2013 at 06:52 PM..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:+1 what DSW said. The cap does look a little too wide. From the looks of the root pass you may need a few more amps and hold a tighter arc. That will usually help keep the steel going where you want and not have it drip so bad (unless you overheat the steel/weld too slow) Heres a 3g plate cap, I didn't weave it though. Last edited by SquirmyPug; 09-18-2013 at 06:54 PM.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:When doing caps with 7018 I think it helps to turn the heat up to where you're right on the edge of losing the puddle. I think he ran his cap too cold.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 CEPWhen doing caps with 7018 I think it helps to turn the heat up to where you're right on the edge of losing the puddle. I think he ran his cap too cold.
Reply:Dsw, You were correct, i was favoring the right side on the 2nd pass for some reason. I think it was because of the way i proped my arm. All good points.Ya gotta spend money to make money!
Reply:I guess I cant say anything about your welding. I made a good living at first as a certified welder and couldnt make them look that good.First time I tested for a gas plant turn a round I had to watch the guy ahead of me to learn how to run a lohi cap on a 6G pipe test. I made it tho. I dont know about welding with a backup . I always used p5 first as a stringer and hot pass and then filled and capped. A 1/4 in. gap seems excessive but I dont know. Keep on welding. Like one of my foremen says, you are worse than some and better than most. Ha
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderskelterI guess I cant say anything about your welding. I made a good living at first as a certified welder and couldnt make them look that good.First time I tested for a gas plant turn a round I had to watch the guy ahead of me to learn how to run a lohi cap on a 6G pipe test. I made it tho. I dont know about welding with a backup . I always used p5 first as a stringer and hot pass and then filled and capped. A 1/4 in. gap seems excessive but I dont know. Keep on welding. Like one of my foremen says, you are worse than some and better than most. Ha
Reply:too cold, turn it up some, about 10. I don't have a problem with the width, why is it too wide?
Reply:I would also say turn it up 10, watch the rod angle on the root, get rid of the weave and run stringers all the way out. In school, on tests, at work, no weaving allowed EVER for me anyway.
Reply:The only position I weave with 7018 is vertical up. I always weave my vertical up cap passes. It is the best way to make a solid slag free weld. You can carry a very large puddle that will burn out any porosity or slag traps. Run as hot as you can and you will end up with a beautiful clean weld.
Reply:I like to weave both fill and caps vertical up. It's the most natural for me.Disclaimer, never done code work though. Just years of random stuff...Dave J.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:Everyone has there own way of welding . my way for vert up is a lower heat burn for root almost like mig welding .no patterns just push the puddle up  . then to side/side covers hot with a "J" weave so to speak . where it appears to gouge the steel then sets the path for the weld to fill in .