Welding Tips and Tricks

This is how I did this week, definite improvement, let me know what you all think. This the root pass.

This a few passes out, double weave, getting flatter, holding toes longer.

Looking good. Be conscious of your starts and stops. Try not to stack them on top of each other.
Plan ahead so that you can burn right over the starts/stops of the previous pass. I did a lot of x-ray
on the subs when I was doing the shipyard thing.

That's looking real good.

Thanks guys, looks like the test will be in april, so ive got a couple more months to improve my skills. The main issue now looks like as im welding this thing out the top of the groove gets fuller faster and the bottom inch or so is shallow. This becomes an issue when it comes time to cap, because I need to fill the bottom more without adding too much height to the rest of it. Dont know if that makes any sense, ill see if I can get good pics of this problem. Im trying to complete the five inch plate withough any starts and stops, so I dont want to just run a couple of short beads to build up the bottom. Any thoughts?

G-day WB Yeah your welds are looking good and I can see that it is more full at the top end.
I think there are a couple of reasons for this happening:
One has to do with the change of electrode angle as you go up. Often people have the electrode more square to the plate at the bottom so the molten metal is being punched in. Some new to welding tend to leave there hands in the same position as they traverse up so the angle of the electrode increases the further up they travel. Thus the weld tends to build up more rather than be pushed in. Hope that make sense.
A couple of ways to rectify this is to, if you are using a support for your arms/hands is to move the support up after each electrode or to slide the weld coupon down after each electrode so that you maintain the same electrode angle for each electrode.
Two, the other reason is the change in weave tempo as the weld moves up and the electrode gets shorter. It is really important to be consistent with the tempo the whole way. Some of us old timers would weld with a waltz rhythm i.e. 1,2,3, 1,2,3, 1,2,3 etc, so, weaving at 1 and pausing at the side for 2,3,. the pause at the side (toe of weld) allows the toe to fill a little more thus giving a flatter weld.
So remember to keep the electrode at the same angle (vertically) the whole way up and keep the rhythm consistent. and as Jody says, Get lots of bench time and keep burning them rods.
But your welds are looking good so keep up the good work.
Cheers Andy

Thanks for the advice, I'll pay close attention to those things this week. I weld twice week in the booth and whatever I can cram in at home. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

So the test is going to be in the first part of may, which is good because the whole fam damly come down with the crud. Im progressing well, working at it at home, should resume class this week. I'll take some pics and keep you posted.

So my test is in a couple weeks and last week I started having serious issues with arc blow. I dont usually have a problem with arc blow with 1/8 rod, but it has become a real issue on my root and hot pass. I have moved the ground clamp a thousand times with no positive feedback. No pun intended. Any instructors or students out there see this happen after welding for months in a small booth?

Arc blow is a fickle thing. A slight change in something like the quality of input power can make it happen when previously it didn't. Sometimes a combination of which booths are being used and what's going on in there can make the difference.

There are various methods used to make it go away or reduce it such as return clamp repositioning, winding the torch lead around the work piece. Sometimes (often) nothing works and you just have to suck it up. You are probably not allowed to switch to ac as this would certainly make it go away. We were allowed to do this when I was in school and people were getting arc blow.
You can try spacing out the booth occupancy if they are not all full, that will probably help. If that is not possible, advise your teacher/examiner on the day that you are having arc blow probs so they can make changes or allowances. Don't go through your test coupons with arc blow without letting the examiner know.

Thanks for the advice, im pretty sure I have to test dc reverse polarity. Will try the lead wrap idea, ill try anything at this point. Im actually the only one welding at this point, so ive actually tried different machines and different booths with no change. I have the coupon tacked hard at the top with the ground clamp above it normally. Everything was going great until a couple weeks ago when I started having this problem. When welding the root I can get within an inch of the top of the coupon, then arc blow. I've learned that I can drop my elbow and get the rod angle steeper and work it and I can get to the top. However it looks hideous, and im afraid it may not be clean weld. Not sure. Ive never taken an ex ray test, not sure if that portion would pass.

Don't be afraid to fail. You can always try again.

You're absolutely right, I guess when you put so much time into something you pressure yourself to the point where nothing but perfection will do. Pass or fail I am twice the welder I was a year ago, and confident enough to say so.

Woodbutcher wrote:You're absolutely right, I guess when you put so much time into something you pressure yourself to the point where nothing but perfection will do. Pass or fail I am twice the welder I was a year ago, and confident enough to say so.

Here's a big, fat, "LIKE" for that comment.

Steve S

Well thanks for that, however I've been wrestling with this since I replied to Poland. I would say to not be confused with 'don't be afraid to fail' with 'its ok to fail'. Big difference. A lot of us, including myself weld for a living, this test could mean a job which feeds my family. Its not ok to fail. If I fail this test, to retest it requires an additional fifty hours of training before retest. Which would take place forty five minutes from home, hopefully after eight hours of work, if the Instructor had time and chose to hold the class. So after rethinking this, I think a prudent person would be afraid to fail, and I m ok with that. Just a side note, God bless my instructor, he's fantastic.

I understand that, too.

I've driven 1300 miles for a make or break test more than once.

I've failed one, too.

That's a quiet ride home... I don't even want the radio for companionship at that point.

Steve S

So the test was saturday may 7th. I've had some time to think about it now, its been over a week. I'm confident, but a little reluctant to celebrate. I didn't have any major issues while welding. I won't get the results back for couple more weeks, they get sent to the state capitol where they are measured and ex rayed. Just a note to other students out there, work hard and you will see improvement. It may be frustrating at first but it gets better, stick with it.

Havnt followed this thread but just caught up on it. Sounds like you got it. A lot of times when you're frustrated like that you have to take a break and come back. But your mind tells you to try again. Ive only failed 1 cert and that was my stainless pipe 6g. Purge fell out and I couldn't redo it. Auto fail. Worst 3hr drive of my life. If you don't make it, just take a breath and go at it again. I would try to weave as much as I could as it burns hotter and seems to leave less crap in there. But stringers are quick and get the job done too. Just gotta get the smooth motion down. I hope the results then out well in your favor. Good luck

When I fail I blame it on the welding machine, the rod, the position of the moon. It happens, anyone tells you it doesn't they are full of it. Nothing worse than doing a heavy wall 6G and the inspector says "you will not radius the corners on the straps", edges are a crap shoot sometimes.

One thing I can be for sure of, a picture of that Alaskan fellas root pass belongs in a welding text book.

DLewis0289 wrote:When I fail I blame it on the welding machine, the rod, the position of the moon. It happens, anyone tells you it doesn't they are full of it. Nothing worse than doing a heavy wall 6G and the inspector says "you will not radius the corners on the straps", edges are a crap shoot sometimes.

One thing I can be for sure of, a picture of that Alaskan fellas root pass belongs in a welding text book.

I can relate to blaming the moon phase. I can blame a machine, in one case, because of a gas coverage issue, but that's still on me, for not recognizing it at the time.

If by "that Alaskan fella", you mean John, AKWeldshop, you'd be stunned by how young this exceptionally talented fellow is.

Steve S

Yep AKWeldshops root was impressive, nice and flat, toes held perfect, machine perfect, all lined up. You know when someone asks "did you weld that flat" on your vertical up you got it by the ass. Go ahead, make me feel bad about myself, how old is this fella?

He's either 17 or eighteen. I've lost track.

Steve S

They do exist every now and then....."The Natural"

Go back to his pics and looks at the one the slag is peeling off, check out the backdrop in the pic. They can have these damn palm trees and sweat, take that any day.

The uncertainty may cease, I got a phone call today to inform me where I may pick up the certification. I passed!!!! Not that I had a single doubt, actually had several. Thanks to you folks for the time and encouragement, and thanks again to my instructor who put in just as much time as I did. And yes akweldshops root pass is awesome. Maybe sometime he could show us how it looks going in.

Woodbutcher wrote:The uncertainty may cease, I got a phone call today to inform me where I may pick up the certification. I passed!!!! Not that I had a single doubt, actually had several. Thanks to you folks for the time and encouragement, and thanks again to my instructor who put in just as much time as I did. And yes akweldshops root pass is awesome. Maybe sometime he could show us how it looks going in.

Hot Damn, congratulations!

Everyone who's waited more than a day for the results knows how it feels... No matter how good you felt doing it, the doubts creep in more every day you have to wait.

Steve S