Welding Certification test Q&A and tips and tricks
DOZER
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    Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:34 pm

new to the forum world, just started welding bout 6 months ago but been a HE Mech. for almost a decade trying to change it up... got my 3G certs for smaw and fcaw but needed to challenge myself. 6" sch. 80 3/32 gap 3/32 er70s2 filler for root and 'hot' 3/32 7018 out(6 fill passes 4 bead cap) got a little overconfident after watching some of Jody's vids... looking for some professional opinion's...
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I certainly don't see any issues in the first two pictures.

I'm sure you'd be happier if the beads were more consistant, but they certainly pass as they are (from what I can see), and only practice and experience will improve on what you have.

I add the "from what I can see", as the first pic of the cap passes is slightly blurry, so I can't judge the toes of the weld for undercut, but from the fill level and general smoothness of the toes, I'd think it would pass visual, especially if you file the toes a bit (this hides a multitude of sins, and is common practice).

The third picture has me perplexed. Your camera apparently wanted to focus on the fixture, so I cant really tell for sure... It appears the root is sucked back a bit below 9 o'clock, and may have lack of penetration above. This may also be a camera illusion.

Here's a trick for photographing a root like that... tack a 3" circle of scrap to a rod, and tack that (inside the pipe) to the fixture so the circle is at the same depth as the root, so your camera has something to focus on at that depth.

In general, it's looking good, and if what I think I see in the third picture is an illusion, it's looking great, especially for how little time you have invested in learning this.

Steve S
Alexa
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    Mon Dec 31, 2012 10:07 am

DOZER wrote:new to the forum world, just started welding bout 6 months ago but been a HE Mech. for almost a decade trying to change it up... got my 3G certs for smaw and fcaw but needed to challenge myself. 6" sch. 80 3/32 gap 3/32 er70s2 filler for root and 'hot' 3/32 7018 out(6 fill passes 4 bead cap) got a little overconfident after watching some of Jody's vids... looking for some professional opinion's...
=====

Dozer.

From the first photo, it is noticeable the irregular cover passes.

Recommend that you carefully judge your last layer of filler passes, in order to leave a small ledge on the lower side of the joint. This small ledge will allow you to make your first cap pass in a uniform manner without depositing excessive metal (cover pass reinforcement) above the surface of the pipe. The uniformity of that first cover pass is important to help align the following cover passes.

Also take note when you weld put your remaining cover passes. In particular, you will need to find the correct amount of overlap of those remaining cover passes. When you put in your second cover pass, try to melt (re-refuse) half of the previous cover pass. If you overlap too much, then you build to high a reinforcement. If you overlap too little, then you have the 'hi and low' that is seen in first photo. So not to waste your pipe, you can practice the amount of overlap on a piece of scrap metal.

Tanks for sharing your situation.
Alexa
Vince51
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    Sun May 19, 2013 9:46 pm

Looks good. Alexa covered what will help you cap very well. Leaving that little bit of bevel when filled out is extremely helpful. Just watch the puddle barely consume that ledge with your first stringer. I always run a faster travel speed on the last stringer to get a convex face. I like a 5/32 gap and sharp landing, but everyone's different. Hate having a gap close up on me with a tig rig. Alot of places I've been wont let you file or grind on the cap so check with the qc or test proctor first.

Hope it helps
Vince
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