welding overhead, or up...how?

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did a quick search, could not find what i was looking for...so i'm MIG welding in an 'up' direction, whether overhead, or sitting on ground and welding, but any way around it, i'm welding with the gun pointing up (as in a level surface that is facing/horizontal to the ground, not a joint running up hill and perpendicular to ground) at the joint to be welded. i keep running into the problem of the weld puddle wanting to drip, or even run down the wire toward or even into the tip. i think i had tried increasing wirespeed a bit, and slowed it down, nothing really seemed to help.so here i am requesting some help from the pros - what is the best practice for welding in an up direction?-wick
Reply:You need to watch the puddle and react to it. If you can read the puddle, overhead welds are easy, probably easier than welding vertical up.What I see most is that guys haven't yet learned to read the puddle. They want to do timing patterns or just squirt metal at the weld joint. That will result in what you have happening. Also many times guys are scared of vertical and overhead, and want to run way too cold. For overhead usually I run fairly close to my settings for flat in short arc..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:Overhead was the hardest for me to learn. In my limited experience (MIG/C25), I found welding a bit easier by increasing the machine settings over, say, what worked well for vertical up on the same material. It seems counter-intuitive, but, it may have been just my imagination, doing so sort of pushes the puddle back "up". But a little of a good thing is easily overdone so don't get carried away or you get into globular transfer, an experience you won't likely forget. Gun angle too is important, probably moreso than welding in the flat position, which is just overhead upsidedown. You don't want a "tall" bead which will tend to droop upside down rather than flatten, so hold the gun nozzle close to perpendicular as you drag, keeping the arc on the edge of the puddle and allowing the molten metal to fill the voids created by the arc as you move. Don't weave.You'll get it. If I can do it to AWS standards, anybody can!Last edited by wirehead; 06-14-2013 at 04:01 PM.XMT304 (school)SP125+ (home)HF 4x6 BandsawGood judgement comes from experience and much of that comes from bad judgement.
Reply:Maybe a video would help?Overheadhttp://welding-tv.com/2011/10/04/4g-mig/Verticalhttp://welding-tv.com/gas-metal-arc-...nd-downhill-2/Dave J.Last edited by MinnesotaDave; 06-14-2013 at 04:12 PM.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:Like i was always told: Overhead is nothing but an inverted flat weldStep your machine down about 10% for a starting pointWhen doing overhead or vertical up ..Leather is the proper wear because nobody likes a molten blob of hot steel landing on them ..incase you're still too hot..Don't ask me how i know this..lets just say that lesson is burned into memoryBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old Truck
Reply:Than me for all the tips, tricks, and feedback. I appreciate it.Ill keep practicing.
Reply:For stick on 1/8" electrode i crank it up to 140 and shove the rod against the metal and let the rod do all the work, i've passed 3/8" limited thickness bend tests doing that. As long as you keep a tight arc stay consistent and dont have a crazy angle youll be ok.Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold