S.M.A.W. unlimited thickness certification

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Can you offer any helpfull advice for pasing a 3g & 4g s.m.a.w. certification test on 1 inch plate with a 45 degree included angle and 1/4 inch backing bar? How about hints for getting comfortable in the overhead position? chompster
Reply:I just finished testing all my guys using the same criteria---D14.3, standards for welding earthmoving equipment---One thing I noticed is most of them put their plates too high, I like mine about nose level, forehead max for an overhead test.  I also like to weld right to left, or left to right on an overhead test where most people I have seen, when testing usually do fore to aft or aft to fore, personal preference I guess, but That's how I do it.   I have taken this test so many times, I can probably do it in my sleep.--Good luck, you'll do fine, my 12 year old passed it his first time.6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Thanks, I'm 40 and taking the test for the first time. I've only been welding a little over a year( to include smaw,gmaw.gtaw,fcaw,oaw) I've been practicing, but cannot seem to get comfy overhead. It seems like my back gets all twisted trying to weld overhead. I will try your tips and thanks again.chompster
Reply:I believe that the problems most people have with overhead is more mental than anything, we are told all our lives how horrible overhead welding is and we start to believe it.   Just simplify it and think about it like this, it is NO different than welding flat--except for the $hit falling on you--Imagine someone or something holding you upside down by the ankles and you're welding flat---same thing, there is absolutely no difference welding flat versus overhead using SMAW.Now having said that, nearly 100% of my welding is out of position, probably 50 percent vertical, 25 percent horizontal and 20 percent overhead and very little flat.  I do not burn as much rod as I used to or would like to but compared to alot of people I still weld ALOT----In any given month I personally burn around 200 pounds of 7018 and 3-400 pounds of hard wire and 3-400 pounds of dual shield.  Anyway, what it all comes down to is I am very comfortable welding out of position, but it took lots of welding to get there, practice alot, listen to everybody who will give advice---you can learn just as much from bad advice as you can from good advice, stuff NOT to do---and don't get worked up over a test, it's just another weld.--Matt6 Miller Big Blue 600 Air Paks2 Miller 400D6 Lincoln LN-25's4 Miller Xtreme 12VS2 Miller Dimension 812 4 Climax BW-3000Z bore welders Hypertherm 65 and 85Bug-O Track BugPair of Welpers
Reply:Sometimes you have to 'make your own conditions'.Some test booths I have used have a chair of some type, others didn't have any.The last test I took, I used a 5 gal. bucket to sit on and I had the plate about forehead level for the overhead.I have ran the stringers in many directions, but prefer left to right and weld them to me.Vertical, I moved the table closer to the wall and leaned against it.Practice and see what works for you.One test I had was a 2" plate in a 6G, I got so comfy that I almost fell asleep Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:This is for the AWS cert? Where are you taking the test, and what size root pass and rod are you planning to use?
Reply:loop stinger over something to take the weight off.I like to set it at eye level and spread my legs to stabilize myself and to get me head lower.i'v taken small bar clamps with me to use as an elbow rest.most of all practice.you shouldn't "need" a crutch, but it can help!take your time, dont let it get too hot, let it cool.G
Reply:and good luckG
Reply:Thanks for all the input. I really dig this site.chompster
Reply:i just passed my unlimited thickness test about a month ago. it was with 5/32 7018    i only had a short amount of time to complete the test and because of the 5/32 7018 the test got very hot very fast, to compensate for this i had to keep turning the welder down as the test piece got hotter and hotter. The test supervisor recommended using wet rags to cool the test down but i had heard of that causing problems with some people so i avoided it. I also traveled a tiny bit faster towards the top of the test piece because it was so hot the rod started melting off faster and depositing more metal into the weld. I used a very SLIGHT weave with the 5/32 and that help keep the welds a little flatter which is just what i prefer. In the end i passed the test with ease and it bent well with no problem.  good luck manAaron Olsonmiller dynasty 200dx