Slag inclusion with 7018

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It had been awhile since I welded stick so I decided I'd practice my 3G and 4G D1.1 today. I'm running between 105 and 110, 30% dig, with 1/8 7018. I don't know what I'm doing different than before but I have a LOT of slag stuck between the toes of my root and the walls of the coupon. A little less with my overhead, but still bad. I'm doing a slight weave for the root and it's pretty consistent, but like I said; all sorts of slag on the toelines. I'll get some pictures tomorrow if I'm still struggling, but in the mean time I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Reply:Bump it up to 120 or so for the 3g, 140 for the 4g, assuming this is 1" plate.Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:why weave your root? you should be able to drag your root. might I suggest running a root pass with 6010 first to give you a clean platform to weld to? I always weld a root with 6010, brush it off with the wire wheel and bring out the 7018 to finish the job out looking clean. Amps sound O.K. but I think you may be a little cold. I have seen some machines run 1/8 on 95 amps and others wont hardly strike off at those amps. I think you should be at 120-125. Depends on your machine your welding on. A buzz box or a engine drive? Im not much into the "dig" control. Most the machines ive ran don't have a actual "dig control". I actually used a machine today that had that option. Predator something or other machine.Lol @ AKweldshop - we must have been typing at the same time and had the same amperage thoughts
Reply:Originally Posted by AndrewDavenport89why weave your root? you should be able to drag your root. might I suggest running a root pass with 6010 first to give you a clean platform to weld to? I always weld a root with 6010, brush it off with the wire wheel and bring out the 7018 to finish the job out looking clean. Amps sound O.K. but I think you may be a little cold. I have seen some machines run 1/8 on 95 amps and others wont hardly strike off at those amps. I think you should be at 120-125. Depends on your machine your welding on. A buzz box or a engine drive? Im not much into the "dig" control. Most the machines ive ran don't have a actual "dig control". I actually used a machine today that had that option. Predator something or other machine.Lol @ AKweldshop - we must have been typing at the same time and had the same amperage thoughts
Reply:Ahh I re-read it now. I overlooked the d1.1 part(Not my favorite code in the world). Yea that's a all 7018 test on 3g and 4g plate (3/4" im pretty sure) that will qualify you 2x the thickness I think. I see why you said you weaved your root now. Homer simpson moment
Reply:Originally Posted by AndrewDavenport89Ahh I re-read it now. I overlooked the d1.1 part(Not my favorite code in the world). Yea that's a all 7018 test on 3g and 4g plate (3/4" im pretty sure) that will qualify you 2x the thickness I think. I see why you said you weaved your root now. Homer simpson moment
Reply:Haha, it's all good. So I'm  welding with 3/8" plate. I don't have access to 1", but I could simulate it with what I've got near enough for practice. Tomorrow I'll crank up my amperage some and see if I can't get out of this slump. Pretty embarrassing to come back to something and regress in skill level, lol. Oh and I'm running on a Miller Syncrowave 200, AndrewDavenport89.
Reply:I think a test I took 4 or 5 years ago was 3/4" plate at Weld tech in moss point, MS. But it was for a certain job. I was working for a company that built bridges and I was splicing beams together. Could have been what their PQR/WPS called for on that job. I know we are using 3/8" plate to test welders where I am at now on MIG. When we test for FCAW we give them 1" plate. There are so many tests and variances out there. Some people go by the pre-qualified tests and other companies go by their own standards of testing and what materials they want to use for the job.
Reply:watch your rod angle.  you may try downsizing to 3/32" rod on 3/8 plate.  its kinda thin to blow big amps at comfortably(not impossible) are you running a root face on the plates or knife edge? try holding the corners a scoche longer to ensure clean penetration and fill at the toes.good luck!Teach Ag Mech - Mike At Home:Lincoln Electric AC225Miller Challenger 172Gas AxeWork:eclectic bunch of 90's vintage blue boxes
Reply:There's a backing strip and no root face. It seems like I'm holing the corners for a pretty long time, maybe two seconds even. I'm replaying these welds in my mind and I'm pretty sure I've figured out my problem. I think I may have been long arcing a bit, holding the sides too far up from the backing strip.
Reply:that'll do it.  good rule of thumb for amperage is to run enough amperage so you can have a short arc, then hold that short arc.  3G is often easier to keep slag free than a 1G since gravity pulls your slag cover to the bottom of the puddle.  Keep practicing, you'll get it!Teach Ag Mech - Mike At Home:Lincoln Electric AC225Miller Challenger 172Gas AxeWork:eclectic bunch of 90's vintage blue boxes
Reply:110 -115 amps for 3G is fine. But, You should be in the range of 125 amps for 4g.JasonLincoln Idealarc 250 stick/tigThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 52Miller Bobcat 250Torchmate CNC tableThermal Arc Hefty 2Ironworkers Local 720
Reply:Didn't know the procedure for the '3G and 4G D1.1', so did a google and came up with this.  Pretty good description of the root....1/8" filler but can use a grinder?....http://www.gowelding.org/welding-certification/3g-smaw/
Reply:I didn't get an opportunity to weld today, but tomorrow looks open. I'll definitely be turning my machine up a bit and keeping a nice, short arc. I got the WPS from the testing facility OldSparks and it allows for interpass grinding and the use of a wirewheel. What I thought was odd was that in the link you provided the person testing was able to grind down a couple high spots on his cap. I never would have imagined that would be allowed. But then this will be my first certification so what do I know? I doubt many weld tests for jobs are going to allow for very much grinding. But again I don't speak from experience. Either way I think I'll just keep it under 1/8" and not count on having a grinder save my arse.
Reply:i have never been allowed to grind caps so dont plan on it lol.that 3g root can be a pain. i remember mine. try running 3/32 if allowed, but then you have to scratch your head on weather to run one or two beads. . . . .i ran 3/32 on mine, my 2 bead split when bent, but i was very inexperienced when trying to test. single weave after that was fine and very clean.no matter the size, really shove that rod into the toes, i just imagine myself "pushing" the material where i want it. relax, and give it a couple more tries and you'll have one of those "oh, i see" moments, even if you end up doing completely opposite of what i suggested.everybody finds their own groove after a couple triesbosses stuff:trailblazer 325maxstar 200my stuff:sa 200fronius transpocket 180100 amp Lincoln w/f97 f350 DITKevin