seeing how the pro's would do this.2 1/2 inches plate with hole 2x2 inch

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OK i have a steel plate 2 1/2 inches thick with a 2x2 hole in the middle that a 2x2 steel bar will be welded into the hole I have O2/Ax cut a bevel in the plate and on the bar on all four sides Then i ground out all edges hit by the torch to clean it up and get my finish fit. It will be Tacked in place with tig then i will preheat to about 300 degrees  burn in a  root pass at about 180-200 amps tig let it cool. Then fill and finish it out with 7018 out of the oven. thinking i have and will use 5/32 amp 170 ish amps and clean well after each pass and use a carbide bur if need be i just checked i also have 7018 1/8 might go with that at 150amps.Im wondering how the pros would do this cause it feels like its taking for ever? i might just be really slow at metal working. Mig is not available right now.Last edited by Bigrich954rr; 09-24-2014 at 10:26 PM.
Reply:Is the weld going to be full penetration? If not, you could skip the tig and just use 7018 all the way.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:It doesn't have to be full penetration but id feel better if it was. Id rather tig the whole part as i like tig welding better but the cost and time would be a total waste.One of these days i will have to buy a mig welder. Ive been saving up for a Miller Big Blue 400 CC/CV Deluxe Diesel Welder but the money always get spent in other places.
Reply:As you are still undecided about full pen and how deep the bevel is, will say this.  I'd go with the 1/8th (130 amps)or even 3/32 (115 amps) for the first couple passes.  5/32 in a deep bevel will be troublesome (slag and tie-ins) with not much advantage.Last edited by OldSparks; 09-25-2014 at 09:21 AM.
Reply:Just to update i ended up using 7018  1/8  at about 120 amps. but it was vertical welding and i guess i lost some skill as i haven't stick welding vert in a while. i kept ed getting little little pockets of slag. So i got annoyed said screw it and went back to tig 190-200 amps  with 1/8 rod and 1/8 tung. i spent more time with the grinder on this then i did welding it . The cost to tig it wasted more money but was so much easier then having to grind anything out again.One question the part seem to get hotter when i used tig but not sure if it was the higher amps or the factor i could run a bead longer and not have to chip the slag out.so my one questions does stick put less heat in the part being welded ?
Reply:Kind of surprised no one asked what this was for and how strong it had to be.  If it's not holding up the side of a building, I know I wouldn't have to think too hard about just stick welding it on both sides and calling it good.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig  Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:Originally Posted by Bigrich954rrOne question the part seem to get hotter when i used tig but not sure if it was the higher amps or the factor i could run a bead longer and not have to chip the slag out.so my one questions does stick put less heat in the part being welded ?
Reply:I would have tigged  the root, skipped the preheat and tigged  it out. No cleanup between passes. What was your final fillet size?Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonI would have tigged  the root, skipped the preheat and tigged  it out. No cleanup between passes. What was your final fillet size?
Reply:No mig 1/4 E-7024 Jet Rod do not play around ,plate girder bridges were stick welded before subarc.