SMAW practice today.

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Well I just got done practicing in the garage for several hours today after work and it went so so. If you guys don't remember my last post, Im a pipefitter trying to become a welder for my work, have to pass a weld test of 2" Schedule 80 CS in the 5G position must pass a bend test. But about today. Today is went about how you would expect someones 3rd good welding day. My beads are getting allot better and I have no problem striking and arc and maintaining an arc. I messed around with welding two plated together, and welding an angle, also had two 1.5" CS coupons that I made at work to play with, that didn't go so good, lol. I just can't seem to make a nice looking bead when coming up the vertical side. It tends to drip like crazy and not lay flat like it does on top (gravity) and the same goes for the far side going down. I haven't tried to weld the bottom yet as I am trying to at least get down welding from the far left of the pipe to the exact opposite right 180* (Im right handed) and then try and tie in and do the next 180*. I tried speeding up to maybe put less mass of metal so it woudn't drip, I tried different heats from 100 to 130 amps and the bead on top would look differen't the sides really wouldn't. Also what kind of motions do you guys use to pipe weld. I like the zig zag motion for just putting beads down on metal in the flat position like /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ with a slight pause at the top and bottom, but will it be different for pipe welding. Now the root I know I just push in and burn away, but for the fill and cap what are you guys doing?Also when I did my root I grinded out a V and when I did my fill I grinded it down some as well. I found my self grinding bead after bead off after I didn't like the results is there a point when you have ground too much on the pipe? Well anyways I'll post some pics right now of the stuff I did today all 1/8" 6010 and 7018, plate is 1/4 and pipe is 1.5" 40 CS.Thanks guys, Steve
Reply:Here are some crappy pictures, its funny because I was actually a photographer in the Army and I don't even have a decent working digital camera. Enjoy.
Reply:if it is dripping, you are too hot, try backing off the voltage a little bit, I just went through this last week. also, you should travel in a U shape bead, stop each side and fast through the middle of the weld. at least that's what I was told and it worked for meGuy_48Welding is an art......Millermatic 252Lincoln SP175PlusLincoln 225 AC/DC
Reply:What I didn't learn in school but what works for me now is to really concentrate on the weld puddle.  If you are getting the puddle you want figure out what motion you used to get it.  In uphill vertical welding it often works well to keep a shorter arc.  It's easier for me to tell what is molten metal puddle and what is slag by how the ripples look.  The slag usually will be more "ripply" (believe it or not, heh heh) than the molten metal puddle.  This is especially useful if there is no great color difference that you can see.  There is no substitute for practice, but if you can get a couple of inches of the kind of weld you want to make just by experimenting, then try to remember what it was you were doing, then that's the way to do it.  Just a repetitive motion won't always work, especially if your weld area is not consistent (which is the case in a lot of repair welding).  Figure out what kind of puddle you need and then do whatever you have to, motion-wise, to get it.  At least that's what works for me. ........linden77
Reply:Im gonna try tomorrow again (we finally have some damn nice weather) and maybe try some vertical up welds on plate. I need some more coupons...Also when welding pipe what position do you guys start in? And how to you have your rod angled? Does it change as you change positions? If so how do you work with doing one pass with one amperage, just keep it at the amperage for the vertical up and down and just roll with it?Thanks, Steve
Reply:Making an educated guess, but the procedure probably specifies upward progression for root, fill, and cover. Mark the bottom dead  and top dead centerlines. Start to one side of the centerline a little bit (on a 2" coupon, I start maybe 1/4" to 1/2" over), run to the center and up the other side, crossing the top centerline by about the same amount. Then feather the start and stop, and do the same to the other side.Next pass, start and stop in a slightly different position.Weave is ok to a point, but as you come out on thicker wall, stringers are a better way to go.
Reply:Yes, you constantly have to adjust what you are doing as you come around the pipe. When making your 7018 passes keep the arc in there just as tight as you can. The longer it gets the harder the puddle is to control. Work on putting it in in stringers as was suggested and once you have that the weave will be easier to get. The more metal you try and carry the harder it is to get it right. The larger the pipe diameter the easier it is to weld. Everything just has to change so much faster as the pipe gets smaller. And you have less metal to carry the heat. Good luck and keep practicing. If you could get a couple of the welders you work with to show you how they do it I am sure it would be very helpful to you. I've learned a lot of tricks from watching others weld.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.