that dirty ol slag/ my arc enemy

admin

So,I'm in my 5th week of welding class. I'm working with 3/8" plate trying to make an open butt horizontal weld. I'm using 1/8" 6010 on my penetration/ root pass,and 1/8" 7018 on my remaining passes. I've tested a few of the welds,and the root side is looking pretty good,but I'm having trouble getting all the slag out of the filler passes,though. I've been instructed to only use a chipping hammer and a wire brush.I'm taking extra care in trying to find and remove all the slag,but I still have trouble getting it all out. I guess I'm not seeing it somehow. any suggestions would be greatly apreciated. I don't know if this would help,but sometimes too much info is better than not enough,so to add,I'm using a lincoln electric on dc negative about 75 amps on the 6010 and a little over 100 amps on the 7018 and the 7018 is hobart brand. oh,and the test is cutting 2-1.5"x6" pieces,grinding the welds flush and then having a pneumatic press push the plate between 2 rollers till it makes a horse shoe shape and the stress is at the weld. my welds are strong,and don't chip or pop or anything.but that slag is getting me
Reply:Take your chipping hammer over to the grinder and put a good Sharp edge on it. Hold the chipping hammer at an angle and drag it over the weld, making sure to get into the tie inns. (the edge will act as a pick) Ps.    I run 6010 roots at 97 amps with 3/32 landing6"XX P5P8 6G
Reply:if your not allowed to use a grinder, WHIP your root, im not sure weather you are or not yet? some people drag. Im not saying their is anything wrong with dragging a root i dont personally. With dragging you will always have a high crowned bead with some wicked wagon tracks to deal with "toes of the root bead having slag" which is extremely difficult to burn out unless your experienced enough and can control the higher amperage in which it takes to burn out the slag. Whipping your root will give you a bead that is flat and if done correctly will give you a perfect surface to apply your hot pass without having any major slag inclusion issues. You should get used to running your 1/8" 7018 at around 125 amps. Good practice to learn to run 7018 hot it helps prevent porosity upon arc establishment, eliminates any cold lap, and the more consistantly smooth your bead is going to be.
Reply:I'll try whipping the root monday. I've done both.I'm more comfortable dragging,but that doesn't make it the best technique.I just get a more consistant result at the moment on the back side.Nothing practice won't fix.I'll try cranking up the amps on the 7018 too. Mainly because I HAVE been having trouble with porosity at the start of the weld.My instructor hasn't said anything to me about it yet,but I've noticed it.It's definetly worth trying. Of course,once I get a handle on horizontal,I move up to vert up. Yeah!
Reply:When i completed my appreticeship "in canada" we have to do 6010 all the way in all positions. With the high penetration characteristics of 6010 you have a little more control in some respects as to burning that slag out because 6010 almost has a digging action which you can see and control as per burning into your last pass. When i say whip the root, i dont mean huge whips, extremely small maybe half the diameter of the rod? This technique is adventagous as you maintain the keyhole and you can SEE that you are burning both edges of your root landing which is vital. When your dragging your oblivious to whats taking place on the back side, other than the sound. With whipping if you find that your going along and maintaining your keyhole very well dont change a thing, but you will encounter variables that make you change your process during welding, if you find your keyhole getting too large whip further ahead to allow it to cool slightly and then come back in. It will come with time and practice.
Reply:Try to keep you beads flat.  The flatter they are in the groove the easier they are to clean.  As you skill improves and your beads lose that high crown the bits of slag will be out of there with very little effort at cleaning.  As mentioned dragging a pick along the toes of your weld will be very effective once you have a good profile.
Reply:After chipping hammer and brushing I also like to use a scribe seems to help me alot.
Reply:....use a scribe seems to help me alot.
Reply:In class, we have access to a 4.5 inch grinder with a wire wheel on it. It does the job very well, obviously.  But one thing I have noticed in the week or so we've been using 6010s is that as my welds have been progressing the slag comes off much easier.
Reply:Personally i believe you should always be allowed to use a grinder on your root pass to clean out wagon tracks. In the field while pipe welding you always have a grinder with you, and  id have to say most of us always grind our wagon tracks no matter how flat our root pass may be.
Reply:Wouldn't the 7018 run better DC+?
Reply:Some people get confused about DC-......DC+ DC reverse polarity (Electrode +)DC straight polarity (Electrode -)Some weldors run 6010 roots with DC straight polarity,,,,,because they think the root is (sucked) in better. But after they run the root, they need to change to DC reverse polarity to run 7018.Myself, I run everything reverse polarity. Unless I run into magnetized pipe....When you test with only a chipping hammer and wire brush, keep in mind that you can grind your chipping hammer any way you like in order to remove problem slag. I saw one guy grind his hammer with notches in the blade like a saw pattern. The test administrator allowed it.6"XX P5P8 6G
Reply:after your root having trapped slag shouldnt happen. especially with 7018 and its deposition characteristics. Its a very easy rod to manipulate. the flux should peel off more or less with very little effort, i always take a quick file to the toes of the weld and do my next pass.
Reply:Well today I had an "AH HA!" moment.I was having all that trouble w/slag,which is why I posted the question in the 1st place.I took a grinding wheel to a few passes,and it illuminated some of the problems I was having.I remembered something that my instructor had showed me a few weeks ago,but had forgotten to do while trying different methods to get a better weld. When doing my hot pass I wasn't scrapping into the bead that I had already laid and touching the top plate. My welds were nice and flat,but I was getting little gouges in the top plate,which was making it impossible to get the slag completly out.After I started weaving correctly,it was like someone had thrown a switch. Thanks for all the input.Also a little trick I picked up today for my test plate:Well,like I said on my 1st post, I only have my hammer and brush,but I also have my unburned length of rod that I can grind a point on ,and use to get into little spots and chip that out.
Reply:Originally Posted by all10fingersWell today I had an "AH HA!" moment.I was having all that trouble w/slag,which is why I posted the question in the 1st place.I took a grinding wheel to a few passes,and it illuminated some of the problems I was having.I remembered something that my instructor had showed me a few weeks ago,but had forgotten to do while trying different methods to get a better weld. When doing my hot pass I wasn't scrapping into the bead that I had already laid and touching the top plate. My welds were nice and flat,but I was getting little gouges in the top plate,which was making it impossible to get the slag completly out.After I started weaving correctly,it was like someone had thrown a switch. Thanks for all the input.Also a little trick I picked up today for my test plate:Well,like I said on my 1st post, I only have my hammer and brush,but I also have my unburned length of rod that I can grind a point on ,and use to get into little spots and chip that out.
Reply:Pressure welder? At amperage would u do the root pass? say 3/32 gap maybe a litttle more, with 1/8 land? using a 6010 1/8 rod. Currently practicing my 2G (horizontal) on 3/8 plate.
Reply:Ive come to find that blades from old power hacksaws work miracles for cleaning out slag, best tool ive ever used apart from a grinder.  Also a few different cold chisels should always be in your box.If you do grind your hammer, makes sure to harden it again.  Go ahead and grind it how you like then heat it up until the whole thing is glowing orange.  Quench it until the color disappears but not any longer.  Take it out and file off the scale until you see shiny metal and look a tthe color.  You want a nice blue at the ends and a straw color towards the middle.  When you see this, quench it again until its cold.I like to run my roots 3/32 gap and land with 1/8" rod anywhere from 75-85 amps whipped or dragged depending on what things are looking like.But make sure your running the 7018 DC+ if your running the 6010 DC-Have we all gone mad?
Reply:6010 and 7018 are both DCEPCWB InspectorRed Seal B PressureArguing with an Inspector is like mudwrestling with a Pig.After a while you realize the Pig likes it.
Reply:Originally Posted by pileobones6010 and 7018 are both DCEP
Reply:J-Roc     Is it necessary or required to add a land on your plate, it seem to be a waste of time.  I leave the sharp edge of the bevel and gap it at 3/32" and run 1/8" 6010 at 90 amps making sure to push thru to the otherside.
Reply:Originally Posted by sn0border88There are plenty of procedures that specify 6010 on DC-
Reply:Funny you should cite lincoln because I was going to as well.  Im not saying I would ever run it DC-, and 99 out of 100 your going to run it DC+  HOWEVER it can be ran on DC- to achieve certain goals in certain situations.  Some people prefer it that way and I dare you to come up with one good reason why it cant be ran straight polarity.Thats on 6.2-51 in the lincoln book along with a few others.  I could find more but its thursday night and I have better things to do.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Originally Posted by Jay OJ-Roc     Is it necessary or required to add a land on your plate, it seem to be a waste of time.  I leave the sharp edge of the bevel and gap it at 3/32" and run 1/8" 6010 at 90 amps making sure to push thru to the otherside.
Reply:Originally Posted by sn0border88Funny you should cite lincoln because I was going to as well.  Im not saying I would ever run it DC-, and 99 out of 100 your going to run it DC+  HOWEVER it can be ran on DC- to achieve certain goals in certain situations.  Some people prefer it that way and I dare you to come up with one good reason why it cant be ran straight polarity.Thats on 6.2-51 in the lincoln book along with a few others.  I could find more but its thursday night and I have better things to do.
Reply:Originally Posted by sn0border88Funny you should cite lincoln because I was going to as well.  Im not saying I would ever run it DC-, and 99 out of 100 your going to run it DC+  HOWEVER it can be ran on DC- to achieve certain goals in certain situations.  Some people prefer it that way and I dare you to come up with one good reason why it cant be ran straight polarity.Thats on 6.2-51 in the lincoln book along with a few others.  I could find more but its thursday night and I have better things to do.Originally Posted by pileobonesThat must be for grease pans @ Billy Bobs Slaughterhouse.
Reply:Originally Posted by all10fingers I HAVE been having trouble with porosity at the start of the weld.!