SMAW Vertical up

admin

How do you Get the cover pass neat? I think im not stopping long enough to Let the weld pool form. I cant seem to shake the under cut! Am i goin too fast on tha Toes? Ive done a few welds with a very small bit of undercut, but i cant shake it completly. Any tips or techniques yall use would be appreciated. One more question though is there really any way to do Roots Easily? A buddy of mine in my class says he Juss Pushes the rod straight the whole way up. I always whip and pause. Whats goin on there is he just not Prepin His metal right? Maybe not Grinding enough on the Root land? Can you run a Root By just Pushin it straight up?
Reply:You really have to keep a short arc length going Vert up.  when you are doing your whip your probably pulling the electrode out away from the joint.  That is probably leading to extra heat on the metal and causing some of your undercut.  Im no expert.  just my two cents.  Try just making small circles It helped me learn to control the arc length.
Reply:Nah i dont have a Problem with tha Root Undercuttin i juss wanted to know if there was a Secret that i didnt know about to make it easy. My Problem is Undercut on my Toes when i do my cover pass.
Reply:On the root pass the pause is maybe 1/2 sec, keep your rod close to the work and manipulate the stinger to get  bite on both plates.  Your friend is taking the lazy man approach, not a good weld even if it looks so. For a good vertical root you have to ocillate.   As far as the cover pass, hang in the corners, while moving accross the weave just slow enough that you don't lose contact with the puddle.   Oh yeah, the secret is putting your hours in inside that booth. Go get 'em.If you don't have the time to do it right, then you definitely don't have the time to do it over.
Reply:hey try pausing slightly when you reach the edges of your Z weave.  go across, pause, across, pause...etc  you don't want to make the middle too hot either, so keep your speed up in the middle and pause on the sides.  possibly turn your heat down too.
Reply:Thanks Everybody for your replies. Yeah I pretty much know Proper technique. I already had a good idea of what tha problem is, I juss wanted to hear what yall had to say. Also its pretty hard to Diagnose a problem if you cant see it. Oh and clanweld i hear ya, Time practicing is the only way to perfection. i Got Nine Courses under my belt as of right now, 4 smaw courses, 2 1/2 Tig courses, done wit tha Mig, Got skillz wit tha Plasma Cutter(luv that thing) Thanks for your replies Im excited bout class tonight, Well i juss wanna get ta doin my thang. And For tha record Welding is not only a science but Art is Deeeply entwined in tha package.
Reply:I passed my Pre-qualification Bend test. All Pieces bent perfect so i really aint too worried bout it
Reply:GingerBread,I assume you're working with 6010/6011 with your root whip and pause?  That's the way I was taught.Wanted to mention though, with 7018 you do not whip and pause, at least not a motion that increases the arc length much at all, because you'll tend to get porosity.  I was taught to run 7018 with a very tight arc length.Not too close to stick welding these days, but had alway heard the general practice of using 6010 for the root and 7018 for fill and cap.
Reply:You are Correct
Reply:Most welders have a tendency of letting theyre inter pass heat get to high slow down take your time.
Reply:I juss got back from class and i got out tha Undercut I just needed to slow up a bit on tha Toe, I tied all but tha very first one. All my roots today went in like butter cept one coupon that i Stuck 2-6010's and 3-7018's ON ONE COUPON! I thinks its cuz i was Singing or tha fact i Burnt both my Thumbs tonight. Oh yeah i gotta get all new Gloves. I worked a hole in my left Welding glove so i had been using my standard leather work gloves untill tonight when I burnt tha Seam on the right Glove and grabbed A hot coupon. So there i was With One Welding glove and one work glove, i looked pitiful.
Reply:A good set of gloves are invaluable, but I've stretched them out too far too. Usually fry my glove's right thumb down to bacon way before the gloves are worn out otherwise, keep using them and got a berry in the (by now) open seam where the thumb meets the palm. They make a cheap aluminized patch on an elastic band that I found semi helpful, you  just slip it over the backside of your glove and push it up close to your finger tips. It keeps some of the heat off the backside of your hand. Welding supply may carry them, they were like $1.50. Again, good luck!Last edited by Clanweld; 11-01-2006 at 10:26 AM.If you don't have the time to do it right, then you definitely don't have the time to do it over.