Welding Tips and Tricks

Apparently, those cheap 5gal buckets from the local home improvement stores come in handy...for setting your keester on in order to steady your hands while running an overhead bead.
Seriously.

I sit on one, which brings me low enough to prop my left arm on the work table and steady my right hand. I'm 6'3" and the arm only goes to my chin. That made it awkward to see the weld.

Also, to watch my rate down the bead, I skewed the coupon slightly so I can pace the bead as I lay it in the groove.

I re-watched Jody's overhead 7018 video to get the right idea of how he manipulated the rod down the groove. Keeping a short arc, slight pull angle and keeping up with the rod as it burns shorter.

It just came to me after I put all of that together.

My instructor wanted me to finish my last 4G tonight, so he could bend test it.

I PASSED! Both sides!

He immediately put me on the qualifying tests: 2, 3 and 4G on .375 plate.

Feeling REALLY good.

The two most significant advances in construction and metal trades since WWII would be grey tape and five gallon plastic buckets.

Exactly!

Once you pass the test's then you can start to work on becoming a welder. It feels good to make the test doesn't it? Now ask yourself if you can make the same weld with it tacked under the bench, up next to the wall, with not enough overhead clearance to be able to roll over.

plain ol Bill wrote:Once you pass the test's then you can start to work on becoming a welder. It feels good to make the test doesn't it? Now ask yourself if you can make the same weld with it tacked under the bench, up next to the wall, with not enough overhead clearance to be able to roll over.

More tests before the course is over. 5G & 6G pipe, TIG, Al, etc.

RocketSurgeon wrote:My instructor wanted me to finish my last 4G tonight, so he could bend test it.

I PASSED! Both sides!

He immediately put me on the qualifying tests: 2, 3 and 4G on .375 plate.

Feeling REALLY good.

Congrats Chris

Richard

I finished the 2, 3, and 4G plates and cut out samples.
I passed those too!

On to MIG!

RocketSurgeon wrote:I finished the 2, 3, and 4G plates and cut out samples.
I passed those too!

On to MIG!

You will do fine at MIG! Remember, don't take it too lightly! Hold the toes of the weld when in the V-Groove. Wait for the puddle to fill in and completely wet out before you move!

It's been more than a week on MIG and I just have this to say:

4G position plate (open root) is a pain. Not as much as using Bernard guns in 4G position. They are HEAVY! (ow ow ow)

Chris,

Do they let you keep your coupons after they're bent?

It would be fun to etch them, post-bend...

Steve S

I have all of my bend test straps. I keep forgetting to bring them home and etch them. I've been real curious to see how well I'm penetrating.

Monday, I get to test on 2, 3 and 4G MIG!