[6gpipewelder]

Hi, i have passed my horizontal and vertical open root with ease now im on overhead, 1/8 in 6010 rod at 65amps, 3/8 in plate, 35 degree bevel, 3/32 root face, 1/8in gap, and holding the rod perpendicular, and holding tight arc. im doing whip and pause with nail tap technique, im not blowing holes and the keyhole is good size. now the problem im having is getting full penetration through the back side of my open root, ive tried lowering amps/highering amps, rod angle push/pull about 5 degrees both ways, longer/shorter whip and pause, nothing seems to be working. Im going to university of alaska and my instructor is out of town so the other instructor is here and he says he doesnt know how to do open root so im stuck wasting my hours getting frustrated, any help would be appreciated. cant find any videos on overhead open root at all.

[Otto Nobedder]

My reply to the topic below, "hot pass help" may apply. Look at the bottom of this:

105A on 1/8" 6010. No whip, no weave, no tap, no pause.
Jambed in like trying to burn through, and dragged. (Rod is held perpendicular--no "drag angle", just pulling it along at the rate it burns in.) Let the rod do all the work.

The "wad" at 6 o'clock is from rolling over the tack the same way, and pushing it through.

Steve S

[lazerbeam]

I jamb a root pass in. Keep the rod at 90* and stick it straight in. Sparks should be coming out the back of the root or inside if it is pipe and it will make a different sound than other welds. Save the whip for the hot pass.

Kevin

[Alexa]

6gpipewelder.

While 'dragging' or 'jambing' that rod, take note of the 'how' the electrode coating is burning off. Adjust the amount that you are sticking the rod into the gap, until you see the coating burning off at a 'point'. It will look like a sharpened pencil or similar. If you use that as an additional indicator, you should get adequate penetration. The blow-through sound, as indicated by the other commenter, also helps as a penetration indicator.

Alexa

[lazerbeam]

Alexa is spot on about watching the end of the rod because the toughest part of sticking a root pass in is judging how far to stick the rod in. Just for fun I have had some of my students lower the plate and put the root in from the bottom while watching it from the top. It gives a different perspective for sure.

Kevin

[Otto Nobedder]

Alexa is spot on about watching the end of the rod because the toughest part of sticking a root pass in is judging how far to stick the rod in. Just for fun I have had some of my students lower the plate and put the root in from the bottom while watching it from the top. It gives a different perspective for sure.

Kevin

I have never tried that! I've observed others, on pipe, but that's seeing it from one side, and sometimes at a distance.

That's a great idea! Next time I have some free time ( ) to putter around, I'll have a go at that, just to see what the back side looks like dead-on!

Kevin, I never took a welding class in my life, and I often roll my eyes at the things I hear about welding classes (at the vo-tech level, usually), but I bet you're one HELL of an instructor. You've suggested more than one good idea, and given the chance, I'd gladly audit a few classes with you. (I'll pick anyone's brain, when there's something worth picking!)

Steve S

[lazerbeam]

Steve, I have to agree with you on some welding classes. Not just misinformed but dangerous. I taught agriculture mechanics in high school for 32 years and tried to help with the welding curriculum across the state but we had so many old timers who would not change. Now I am an old timer but I am still in learning mode and enjoying teaching at the college level. And I have some young guys in class who are killing me with their 6010 whip and pause....lol

Kevin

And thanks, you are welcome in my class at any time. I also am never too proud to accept good knowledge or advice.

[xavier]

Hi
I to was having that problem but I found that 1/8 root face and 3/32 root opening will not get the wright penetration. Even my instructor ask wbat the plate was set to. Reset the plate to 3/32 root face and 3/32 root opening worked fine.

[kermdawg]

Alexa is spot on about watching the end of the rod because the toughest part of sticking a root pass in is judging how far to stick the rod in. Just for fun I have had some of my students lower the plate and put the root in from the bottom while watching it from the top. It gives a different perspective for sure.

Kevin

Holy crap, lightbulb! I'm totally trying that this weekend. Thanks for that one bro!!

[kermdawg]

Hi
I to was having that problem but I found that 1/8 root face and 3/32 root opening will not get the wright penetration. Even my instructor ask wbat the plate was set to. Reset the plate to 3/32 root face and 3/32 root opening worked fine.

Sometimes it's just that simple. Everybody moves at a differant speed, thats why they give you a little variance in parameters. 1/32 of an inch doesn't seem like much but it's everything to a welder.

[DylanWelds]

My reply to the topic below, "hot pass help" may apply. Look at the bottom of this:

105A on 1/8" 6010. No whip, no weave, no tap, no pause.
Jambed in like trying to burn through, and dragged. (Rod is held perpendicular--no "drag angle", just pulling it along at the rate it burns in.) Let the rod do all the work.

The "wad" at 6 o'clock is from rolling over the tack the same way, and pushing it through.

Steve S

Steve that is a great looking root. What kind of gap/land do you use while running 105A?

[Otto Nobedder]

Thanks, Dylan,

That was fit with a 1/8" gap and land. A 1/16" land would have worked with a bit more internal reinforcement resulting.

Tacked 3/4" at 12, 3, 6, and 9, and of course the draw reduced the gap accordingly. I'm trying to recall... I think that was 8" sch. 80. May have been 12".

Steve S