Arc blow

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Does anyone have a secret formula for dealing with Arc Blow?I structurally weld on Gas Compression Skids, and when welding out the vessel support beams, as well as the engine & compressor blocks, I always encounter a lot of Arc Blow.I've tried laying the Rod right down, I've tried moving the ground cable closer, I've played with the angle, heat, etc. Just wondering if there was any inside info on combating Arc Blow?I am a 1st year apprentice.thanks.
Reply:oxtail-t, welcome to the group!! Glad to have ya!!---Arc blow is a pain but there are a couple things to do. It is caused by magnetic fields and you need to disrupt them or change the fields. Try wrapping your ground lead onto your work. Wrap a couple of loops here,couple there, couple on the ground. Wrap in the other direction if it didnt work. Get seperation between your work lead and your stinger lead. Change work clamp location. Hold your mouth right. Pray? Just remember that it is magnetics your dealing with and you can change the field strength. Try tacking a long chunk-o-junk to the work and wrap/clamp to that. It will be different on everything so there is no set answer. Hope this helps.
Reply:Cheers! Thank-you, thank-you!I appreciate any ideas, anyone has, and I am glad that I found this site.Changing direction on my bead, I guess, is an option as well?
Reply:It's pretty common to run AC to counter arc blow.  I would try TEC suggestions first and AC second.DennisThermal Arc 185-TSWMillermatic Challenger 172VictorO/AAtlas Craftsman 12 by 24 LatheEsab PCM-875Wholesalem Tool Mill-Drill
Reply:Originally Posted by oxtail-tDoes anyone have a secret formula for dealing with Arc Blow?
Reply:No secret formula, but sometimes I place a small magnet near my welds when all of the above suggestions fail. I run into arc blow mostly on complex joints - areas where 3 or more pieces meet (gusseting usually). Sometimes I place the magnet so I am welding towards it, other times away from it. Fortunately, I have never had this problem in a joint that required UT. Does anyone know if this would affect a UT test? I cut one open once just for grins and the cleanliness and penetration looked fine.
Reply:don't forget there are two forms of arc blow, magnetic and thermal. so be sure what your dealing with first.MikeHH210Hobart Champ 10KLincoln Buzz BoxCampbell Hausfeld 115Victor JourneymanMilwaukee 14" Chop Saw7" Chop Saw4/12" horz band sawmetal benderother toys forthcoming.
Reply:Someone above said use AC. That will work.
Reply:[QUOTE=crenshawjmtwo forms of arc blow, magnetic and thermal..[/QUOTE]Can you explain that?...Uh, you know, for the new guys.......
Reply:The AWS says there are 9 possible cures for arc blow. That means none of them work! All the time, anyways. But, only 2 of them can be tried while welding. While welding, you can shorten arc length and/or change electrode angle; which in a way is the same thing. I've found that while stick welding, changing electrode travel angle solves the problem 80-95% of the time.i.e. - If you are welding left to right and the arc blow is to the left (back blow), then what you see is large spatter balls exiting the arc from the trailing side of the puddle. Also, the arc sounds louder, you can see deeper penetration, and the spatter balls that stick to the plate look like little Hershey kisses. Sound familiar? Then, adjust rod angle to the left, so you are pushing the puddle (shortening the arc length) and usually, you will regain control of the puddle. I'm not saying you solved the arc blow, but you should be able to control the puddle again. Disclaimer - Pushing the puddle - not really, because the arc still must lead the puddle otherwise, lack of fusion, cold lap, overlap, and/or slag inclusions will result.Stick or MIG no matter, same technique works for me. Now for the Instructors on this site. I have also decided that you will seldom experience arc blow while weaving.Comments?....Weldtek
Reply:TEK i can do  better than that.... click on the link to Lincoln and they will explain to you the difference. that way i don't misquote what they said...http://www.lincolnelectric.com/knowl...nt/arcblow.aspMikeHH210Hobart Champ 10KLincoln Buzz BoxCampbell Hausfeld 115Victor JourneymanMilwaukee 14" Chop Saw7" Chop Saw4/12" horz band sawmetal benderother toys forthcoming.
Reply:if no body is looking i use a dissimaler rod like a lastek 802 for the first stringer then block out with a conventional 6013
Reply:hey maybe you guys might know about this,,,  i have a 2006 lincoln 305g and i was wondering if i can weld ac with that thing... it has the tig setting, will that allow me to stick weld ac?