Testing On Fcaw--shipyard

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Greetings! I have to take a FCAW test for a shipyard soon. It will be 2F, 3F, 2G, 3G, 4G on 3/8 plate. Any tips for the verticals? Would all stringers be better, or weave fill? they will be doing x-ray and bend test on these parts.Thanks!
Reply:Tests I have taken they told me stringer or weave. I'm sure you will do just fine.
Reply:What I mean is ....it's up to the CWI weather to lay a stringer or weave
Reply:I would look into talking to "Welderboy"  he works in the ship yards, and can probably tell you most anything you need to know.  I'm sure he will be along shortly, to give you some advise, but if he doesn't catch your post.  Send him a PM.  Good luck on the test.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I imagine that there would be a procedure to follow that would specify stringer or weave.  Stringers are usually good for x-ray, but I would practice both...just in case
Reply:I am going to say stick to stringers. What filler material will you be running?City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I'm gonna say stick with stringers.
Reply:Stringers all the way.  It's generally bad practice to run a weave with inner-shield.  It can be done, but you run the risk if inclusions and undercutting.  Most bosses in my experience will make you cut out a weave and weld it again if they see it.  Been running 9/16-3/4" weld on 1.5" material all week, had to do it in 6 passes.  A PITA, but that's how they want it.  And make sure your multiple passes tie in properly.And not sure your experience running that flux core wire, but in case it is new to you (not trying to insult your experience if you already know this stuff), when running verticals keep your gun at about a 45 degree angle pointing up.  Any less of an angle and you can easily burn and drip because of how hot it runs.  Any more of an angle and you aren't penetrating into the root properly and are piling up metal on top of a void (poor fusion) or slag hidden in the root.  On overhead and flat you want to to start at about 90 degree angle to the work piece and when you start moving, begin a drag offset at a few degrees.  Horizontal or on the last weld on a multiple pass flat weld use a push approach and aim the gun upwards and move fast to prevent sag and undercut.  That stuff always wants to undercut on flat/horizontal welds.Last edited by WelderBoy; 08-03-2007 at 06:43 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by WelderBoyStringers all the way. ......when running verticals keep your gun at about a 45 degree angle pointing up.  Any less of an angle and you can easily burn and drip because of how hot it runs.  Any more of an angle and you aren't penetrating into the root properly and are piling up metal on top of a void (poor fusion) or slag hidden in the root.  On overhead and flat you want to to start at about 90 degree angle to the work piece and when you start moving, begin a drag offset at a few degrees.  Horizontal or on the last weld on a multiple pass flat weld use a push approach and aim the gun upwards and move fast to prevent sag and undercut.  That stuff always wants to undercut on flat/horizontal welds.
Reply:I don't know what 211/232 are.Depending on what we are welding we have wire from .035-5/32".  On structural steel I believe we use Select-Arc 721HP 1/16" E71T-1, T-1M, E71T-9, T-9M, E71T-12, T-12M.  It's a dual-shield wire with up to 81,500PSI Tensile strength good to below -20 degrees fahrenheit.  Listed and approved on the Navy QPL according to their website.We also use solid wire for flat beams, sub-arc and aluminum.  3/32"-7/32" 6010 or 7018HR, and assorted TIG stuff too.Last edited by WelderBoy; 08-03-2007 at 09:43 PM.
Reply:Yeah, sorry they call stuff by weird names, it must be a manufacturers number.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:211 is lincolns 71t-11 and 232 is lincolns 71t-8.
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverWhat wire do you normally run? I know in the structural trades here they only use 232 ever since the Northridge earthquake when the code was overhauled. Before they used 211, but it proved to be too brittle in earthquakes. I know it is harder to run 232.
Reply:Being an experienced shipyard welder (said "experience" currently at one day), I'd say stringers too, but was told if the test is an open root vertical, use a slightly downward angle on the wire to let the slag boil out.  Not sure if it's better or not, I passed my test like that.  If Welderboy disagrees, go with his advice, as he knows way more than I do.We use NR-232 for 3G/4G, NR-305 for flat welding, 6011 and 6027 stick.  We occasionally use 6010, but mostly use 6011.PatrickLincoln 175HD
Reply:Originally Posted by PatrickJI'd say stringers too, but was told if the test is an open root vertical, use a slightly downward angle on the wire to let the slag boil out.  Not sure if it's better or not, I passed my test like that.  If Welderboy disagrees, go with his advice, as he knows way more than I do.
Reply:Thanks for all the tips!!! I tried to get him to send me a wps on it and he was like "no-no", so i don't know the actual electrode or the designated procedure...I think that is part of the test, whether or not you can interpret the sheet. I do know it is .052 wire, most of my experience is .045 E71T-1.I usually ran this at about 200 ipm @ 23-24V for out of position stuff. They will be turning the knobs to zero, and i am on my own. There will be a backing strip, not open root. My primary concern is that i have been driving a desk for almost a year, so i will practice my @ss off for the next couple days. On multi-pass with the fcaw i also us a file tail to clean the toes before the next pass, always semms to be a little tiny piece of flux hanging in there.I was thinking the safe way to go, if they give me a choice, is all stringers...i don't have the confidence to pass x-ray or bend with a weave fill every time. But if they spec weave fill, i will give it a shot. I dunno why they would on 3/8" plate, but it's their test so...Last edited by hotrodturbo7; 08-04-2007 at 10:19 AM.
Reply:How big will your gap be?  < 1/4"?
Reply:I think he said 3/8"
Reply:with a backing strip
Reply:Alright, with .052 E71T-1, (Assuming that you are using CO2 or 75/25 Ar/CO2) you should try 24-25 volts and about 210-220 ipm for vert-up.  If they spec at weave, just remember to not step up too far on your weave and pause nice and long on the sides.  If you step up too far, you will get little pockets of slag and non-penetration.  Good luck!!!
Reply:"Same rod except 6011 can run on AC or DC. I like 6011 on AC for welding underwater, but DC 6010 works too if you crank it up. I don't think we even have 6011 on our jobsite. hmm... Now I want to know. I'll check monday"AC for wet welding?!!!  that's a big time no no, unless you meant using an AC rod with DC current.
Reply:Im with rusty. AC will kill ya deader than heck. if you read the manualls it says " do not even lay on the ground" with ac current. I think he means Ac rod with Dc current though.
Reply:acccchhh!!!blew up on the overhead butt plate.2 pm, 128 degrees and new orleans humidity.dirty lenses, no spares.what's the secret to multipass overheads?
Reply:BTW, did fine on the 2f and 3f (bend test) and the 2G and 3G (x-ray)screwed the overhead, didn't get the job. Try again in 30 days
Reply:128 degrees?  Weird, said it was only in the 90s there yesterday and less today.  You must mean New Orleans, Iraq?    128 degrees...wow, that's hotter than death valley and phoenix!Last edited by WelderBoy; 08-13-2007 at 04:47 PM.128 degrees in the metal shed (oven) where me an 12 other guys were testing.
Reply:Originally Posted by hotrodturbo7128 degrees in the metal shed (oven) where me an 12 other guys were testing.
Reply:This thread brings back some memories. I took and passed a heavy plate test at a nuclear power plant in 81'. We used only 7018 1/8" uphill and 1" plate with a 1" x 1/4" backing plate and 1/8" root gap. Thay used a 3/8" strip cut back 1" from either end of the coupon and bent them sideways, called it a transverse bend test. We wern't allowed more than a 1/16" fisure. We are allowed a weave 5 times the diameter of the rod plus two which allowed a total of 7/8" weave width. It was one of the ASME test criterias for structural pipe supports.
Reply:Originally Posted by jtrapperThis thread brings back some memories. I took and passed a heavy plate test at a nuclear power plant in 81'. We used only 7018 1/8" uphill and 1" plate with a 1" x 1/4" backing plate and 1/8" root gap. Thay used a 3/8" strip cut back 1" from either end of the coupon and bent them sideways, called it a transverse bend test. We wern't allowed more than a 1/16" fisure. We are allowed a weave 5 times the diameter of the rod plus two which allowed a total of 7/8" weave width. It was one of the ASME test criterias for structural pipe supports.
Reply:It's interesting to hear how people test in different states and countries.  For example, here you cannot wave 7018 on the 1" v-grove <1/4" root with backing or you fail.  Kinda weird how it hasn't been nationally standardized.  You would THINK it would be, right?