Pleas Help. 6G downhill pipeline weld test - Page 1

bunk · Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:01 pm

I'm really struggling with blowing through on my root pass. i kicked it down some and it just keeps wanting to stick on me, but if i go up at all I'm burning through. any suggestions from anyone. Runnin the down hill is sure different than up with a root opening. and does anyone know exactly what the bevel is supposed to be on my 2 pieces.I thought it was supposed to be 37.5 on each side. any suggestions on that. ok, thanks for all the help guys. Bunk.

nickn372 · Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:21 pm

You have the right bevel. For the gap 1/16" is a good tight gap. I am a little surprised that they dont give you more land though. Usually its 1/8 even for a tighter gap like 1/16. If you are on 2" pipe remember that the coupon is soaking up all of that 105 or whatever amps you are putting into it. That tends to he the problem with running 1/8" rod on a downhill root. At least until you get to the actual 40 foot pieces of pipe. This is one good reason to switch to the 3/32 rod for the rood. Run a 3/32 at 75-80 amps and let it breathe between rods. Keep it really tight like you are trying to force it through the gap do a slight drag angle and keep movin so that you hear the rod blowin through the gap. Running uphill you have the puddle behind you that you are pullin up with you. Downhill you have the puddle pushin back at you as you try to penetrate the gap properly. One of the best little tidbit I ever got was "if it starts to feel like its gonna blow out.... stop.... let it breathe.. feather the end... and try again". Nobody is going to fail you or make fun of you. Or chew you out cuz you didnt burn the rod one end to the other or make it completely from top to bottom. But they will get after you for blowing it out and failing the joint and having to grind the whole thing out and fix it.

bunk · Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:10 pm

Well thanks a lot for the info buddy. I'm gonna give it a shot in the morning and see what i come up with. I'm starting to think that this 305 ranger isnt keeping a steady amp. the meter is all over the place and it seems good for a minute then its like its surging and then i blow through my pieces. I'm going to get my sa 200 back tomorrow morning then going to try it again. thanks again bud.

nickn372 · Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:41 pm

Check to make sure you are all set the way you need to be on the ranger. Its a cc/cv welder and if you are in cv mode it will really goof with the amps and will net stick weld right at all. I run into that sometimes when I run my suitcase mig then switch to stick welding and forget either the process switch or to switch from the cv port to the cc port for the hot lead.

bunk · Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:57 pm

Yea i had it set to the downhill pipe setting and tried cc also and kept gettin the same crap. I got my sa200 back now and it runs like a dream. It just lays it in there like butter. What do you use to space your root opening at 1/16. I been useing a quarter and I'm thinking that maybe its a little to thick, whats your opinion bud. I finally got a hold of a friend of mine that has worked for bi con for over 20 years and he said about a dime thickness. does that sound right to you? I dont know how picky the guys giving these tests are or nothing. if ya would yell back at me. thanks bunches. Phill.

nickn372 · Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:21 pm

They arent gonna check your gap before you put the root pass in unless you show up with some kind of jerk attitude. Usually the wps will say 1/16" +/- 1/32". A dime is prolly perdy close. I always used some cut length pieces for the gap but once in a while they get difficult to get out. I know there are wedge spacers out there that come out really easy. A small screwdriver will work too if you know how deep to put it into the root. Just dont get so hung up on the spacer as much as you make sure the root lays in nice and even. If its an xray test they will see the whole profile of the weld and even if you leave some undercut. It all starts at the root. Crappy root crappy fill and cap.

bunk · Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:39 pm

Ok buddy, thanks for the info. I'm gonna set up some pieces in the morning with a little smaller gap and go at it some more. i think i gotta cut straps out and bend them. I'm not to sure what else they'll have me do. I do know its not an x ray though. thanks again bud. Phil.

nickn372 · Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:56 pm

Bend tests are pretty easy to pass compared to xrays. I know if you have to test for any of the gas utilities its all xray. Do you know if this is union or not? I'm gonna be up your way tomorrow too if you aren't busy maybe we can catch up around lunch.

bunk · Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:38 am

Yea, give me a call bud

bunk · Tue Sep 11, 2012 11:14 pm

Hey buddy, did you ever get a hold of that guy and get any more info out of him. I am kinda wandering how long they are gonna be runnin pipe around here. well ya get a chance hollar back at me or just text me. Wanted to say thank you very much for comeing over and helping me today bud, i do appreciate it very much. Thanks again bud. Bunk

nickn372 · Tue Sep 11, 2012 11:31 pm

No I didnt call him yet. I will later this week probably. As far as I know from who I know and have talked to the pipe aying will be runnin full bore for the next 10+ years or as long as the shale gas boom holds out. I'll let you know what I can get out of him. No prob for stoppin by. One thing I thought of after I got drivin down the road... copper wound welders weld differently than aluminum wound welders. I've seen as big as 30-35 amps difference from one welder to another with copper windings being the main difference. Your SA is all copper and that 305 ranger would be aluminum. So with the 3/32 on the SA we were around 60-65 amps. If we would jump to that ranger we would need to be up in the 80-85 range. Hope that helps you in the future. I'll be in touch.

birdkiller · Sun May 05, 2013 11:04 pm

Here is a sad story.....I worked for a city out here in California as a welder in a water dept. We had an old SA Machine rusting in the back of our yard for years. It worked fine just had 2 flat tires and a dead battery. I offered to buy that bad boy a million times and was turned down due to conflict of interest. The city ended up selling it at auction and some guy paid $100 for it. He rolled into the yard pulled the old wheels off, threw 2 new ones on, dumped in gallon of gas or two and a battery and it fired up. He smiled said thanks have a nice day and drove off. I was pissed I wanted that machine so bad. The only downfall was that the really old gas driven machines were DC only; even the generator. The diesel driven were DC but had an AC generator.

delraydella · Mon May 06, 2013 8:15 am

You're right, that's a sad story. And all for just a $100!

Other Steve

nevans140 · Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:59 pm

Hey Nick who are you testing for in Ohio I live in Ohio and work for bilfinger westcon looking to test for a pipeline company tho.

Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:08 am

Very old post. Be careful of that.

Mick

Boomer63 · Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:02 pm

I know this is an older thread, but ....! On any of my gas engine driven welders I used to install a fuel shut off valve. When I would shut the machine down at the end of the day, I would turn the fuel off and let the machine run dry. This kept the carb very, very clean.

dsmabe · Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:42 am

That's not a bad idea, especially with the ethanol in the gas now!