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When establishing arc for upward vertical stringers should the electrode be moved across workpiece clockwise?...I was advised to use the electrode at an upward angle to do these beads.Should I use a lighter lens? ...I'm having three view problems:1) Cannot see workpiece at all till arc is on.2) Sometimes my vertical stringers will start to go off in another direction...no longer straight.3) Cannot see the workpiece during weld process making it difficult to make the beads straight. I tend to get about 4-5" from the work piece.If I've tacked two pieces together (90 degrees) and want to join the two with a weld/s; what type of bead/s would you recommend?To run the root: whip/pause, weave pattern or other?Pattern for the (fillet weld) on top of the root bead?Background:I got into welding class two weeks ago. Have been to three classes. Each class is three hours long. Have done beads on the flat and on the vertical. Have joined two pieces together using tack and a variety of weaves...guessing all the way! Also have worked on overlapping beads....happy welding 2 you all.
Reply:Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice untill you are sick of it..Then do it again..Repetition is a wonderful thing at times.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Move clockwise in the northern hemisphere, and counterclockwise in the southern.    Just kidding, if I understand your question, it doesn't matter what direction you move when establishing an arc.In general, for vertical stringers, I keep the electrode pointed straight at the joint.  I might use a slight drag angle, perhaps 10° at the most.  Alot depends on what I'm doing.  Just running a vertical stringer on a flat surface or as a cap(cover) pass, keep the electrode pointed at the surface.  Running a root pass on a joint, move the electrode travel angle to wherever produces the right size keyhole in the joint.  If the root opening, root face, work angle and amperage are all correct, then the travel angle is 90°.  I can correct for variations in the other parameters to some extent by switching from a drag to a push travel angle.  Going uphill, a push aims heat away from the keyhole, causing it to shrink.  A drag points the arc and more heat at the keyhole, causing it to open up.With regard to your vision problems....Nobody except superman can see through a shade 10 lens in normal light.  Get used to working in the dark; unless you spend the money for an auto-darkening helmet.  You can experiment with a shade 9 lens for light arc welding.  If you don't see any spots after watching an arc through the lens, you're OK.  Most people need at least a shade 10; I like a shade 11.There are welder tricks for keeping the electrode in the right place until you strike the arc.  I could tell you all about these, but then I'd have to kill you...  Talk to your instructor and see if he'll share the secrets.  Hint:  you have two hands, use them...Running straight beads takes practice.  I think most welders (or is it weldors, I can never remember) keep their beads straight by gauging from some other visible feature; the edge of the joint bevel, the preceeding bead, the edge of the metal plate they're welding on.  Pick some feature parallel to where you want the bead and keep the distance between the electrode tip and that feature constant.  You can also try drawing a line in soap stone, or using a center punch to creat a line of dots along the path you want to weld.  Both work, but will slow you down in the long run.If you're having trouble seeing and getting too close, I recommend starting with an eye exam.  If you need your vision corrected, nothing else will help until this is done.  Second, your problem may be not enough shade.  I had similar troubles seeing the weld when stick welding, until I switched to a DARKER lens.  This seemed counter intuitive until I discovered that glare from the arc was the root cause of why I couldn't see clearly.  So, if your eyes are OK, try switching to a darker shade (11 or even 12) lens and see if this helps. Originally Posted by blueduckyWhen establishing arc for upward vertical stringers should the electrode be moved across workpiece clockwise?...I was advised to use the electrode at an upward angle to do these beads.Should I use a lighter lens? ...I'm having three view problems:1) Cannot see workpiece at all till arc is on.2) Sometimes my vertical stringers will start to go off in another direction...no longer straight.3) Cannot see the workpiece during weld process making it difficult to make the beads straight. I tend to get about 4-5" from the work piece.If I've tacked two pieces together (90 degrees) and want to join the two with a weld/s; what type of bead/s would you recommend?To run the root: whip/pause, weave pattern or other?Pattern for the (fillet weld) on top of the root bead?Background:I got into welding class two weeks ago. Have been to three classes. Each class is three hours long. Have done beads on the flat and on the vertical. Have joined two pieces together using tack and a variety of weaves...guessing all the way! Also have worked on overlapping beads....happy welding 2 you all.
Reply:As far as viewing problems:You won't be able to see the work with a standard helmet regardles of the shade with the helmet/lens down. You need to get the rythum down of flipping down the helmat at the last second as you strike the arc. Don't be surprised if you get flashed a few time, its not the easiest thing to coordinate. An Auto darkening helmet does away with this issue.Not going staright is mostly due to lack of practice. Once you get situated correctly that should not be an issue. Depending on how you set up your position will dictate how your weld moves. If you tend to weld to the right shift so that you start a bit left. Not that easy for me to explain on vertical, I tend to weld flats at an angle so I weld straight if that makes sense. As I swing the rod I naturally correct for the angle I was at so my weld goes where I want it.If you can not see the work you need a lighter shade in the helmet. Don't expect to see everything just whats in front of where you are welding by a couple of inches. Thats all you need to see. Corners are easy to adjust for as you should be able to see both plates and the joint to stay in.The whip and pause is for digging rods like 6010/6011, not for rods like 7018. I run a V shaped weave on vertical. start at center for one beat, then up to the left for 2 counts then back down to just above where you started for one beat, then up to the right for 2 beats, then back to the center for one. This lets you spend equal amounts of time at each location. Hope that make sense. Be advised vert, stick is the position that gives me the most trouble other than overhead stick. Then again I seldom use either, I just use the mig for those if required.Lastly you seldom need to run 2 passes on most welds. One good pass is plenty unless you are welding thick materials. If needed weld both sides one pass rather than 2 on one side. There are reasons to run 2 beads but as a beginner theres no reason to do so, other than to keep running beads over and over for practice.Hope this helps, good luck.Where are you from? post your location in your user CP, someone may live near you and offer to give you a hand posibly if they know where you are.Last edited by DSW; 07-16-2008 at 07:43 PM.
Reply:Thank you welders.Your replies read, and printed for further review. You have given some good stuff.Tomorrow may be last weld class till school starts up in September. The maybe about the whole thing arises from the truth that there is not enough interest from the student body to keep the class going during the summer...I was the only guy there during class last Tuesday.This welding class is offered through the local plumber/pipe fitter union of which I'm a member and student.
Reply:Originally Posted by blueducky The maybe about the whole thing arises from the truth that there is not enough interest from the student body to keep the class going during the summer...I was the only guy there during class last Tuesday..
Reply:Ok, Pipefitting makes sense why they would have you run a root and then a cover as opposed to just one pass.Where are you located?
Reply:Actually they would not require me to run a root and a cover and I'm sure would have no problem with one pass. The root and cover idea sprang up from me since I read about this and that...I've already forgotten more than I'll ever learn.I like the used machine idea and had already been warming to that idea....when money permits.Additionally I imagine that I would have to build up some type of weld facility; if even only a stand to pratise off of.Theres not much Merry about Maryland.
Reply:Depending where you are in MD, your not that far away from me. If I wasn't swamped with work right now I'd offer to have you swing by on a weekend and run some beads. Maybe in later this summer or fall we can do it.If you decide to look for a used machine, I have 2 stick machines I may get rid of. I have an old AC Craftsman thats the plug style model I would like to get rid of. It's taking up too much space in my garage and I never use it since I have a Syncrowave and an AC/DC Thunderbolt. The thunderbolt I haven't decided if I want to sell yet. The biggest problem is the weight of the machines, if you're not close enough to pick it up its not worth it. (heck with gas prices if your not down the block it might not be woth it).
Reply:DSW:Would like to come by sometime as you say when you are not swamped. I will most likely be looking into getting a used machine in a few months as I am not currently swamped by money.Took last class today and confirmed that next classes will not start up again till September.Will post latest beads tomorrow if I can remember and make time to do so.Did some vertical stringers...OK. & joined a few pieces using tack welds and then a zig zag pattern...came out quite well on about a quarter of the welds anyway!7/17/8, 11:40pm
Reply:I PMed you.