Oh baby, where you been all my life?

[Haywire]

Anyone want a teenager?

Now who in their right mind would want one of those? Eat too much, hog the TV, loud, expensive... I'm trying to think of a good trait, but am drawing a blank. LOL

I think you should be thinking about funding someone else's metal shop if they agree to take your teen as well. :laughing:

 

[Shield Arc]

Shieldarc - Look forward to seeing your coupon test results although I will continue to use 7014 anyway because I know it works for my limited skillset and it runs so smooth on my AC powersource. Regardless, it is always nice to see someone put forth the time, effort, and even incurr some expense to help others as you are volunteering to do. What is even more impressive in your case is that your willingness to help is not even slightly motivated for profit at any level.

You know, that is what it's all about. When I started out I never ran into anybody that wasn't willing to help me. Be it stay late after work, or just stop dead in their tracks and show me. When I was an apprentice people in other trade unions were willing to teach me. So I feel it's my turn to help where I can.

 

[dcyrilc]

You know, that is what it's all about. When I started out I never ran into anybody that wasn't willing to help me. Be it stay late after work, or just stop dead in their tracks and show me. When I was an apprentice people in other trade unions were willing to teach me. So I feel it's my turn to help where I can.

Amen. Seems to be a lost trait much of the times these days though. I try to pay it forward any time I get the chance, but in this arena I'm the wet behind the ears neub. Even Haywire has more experiance than I do.

Haywire, keep practicing and posting those pix. Watching how well you're doing is giving me a lot of encouragement to start on something totally new to me.:thumbsup: Besides, that welding helmet I bought is looking awful lonely sitting there without a welder for a buddy.

 

[crazyal]

My pudding broke.. twice, right down the middle. Probably has nothing to do with the rod. I tried a closed root and an open root. Closed root was prettier but didn't penetrate the bottom 3/32 or so that I left butted. Open root was ugly but didn't break as quickly. Both were root bends.

Mind you I don't have a bender, I bridged it using a beam and the floor and went after it with a 3lb hammer.

Ian

Back when I was an inspector the testing company I worked for would just use a bottle jack in a simple frame they made up. I was never in the shop so I didn't check any coupons.

 

[JESSE1]

I have a Miller Trailblazer 302 that I use around the farm. I've only used 6011 and 7018, sounds like I need to try the 7014.

 

[Haywire]

Well, I had some very limited success... Hmmm, maybe 'success' is not exactly the correct word. Sometimes I think I'm catching on and other times it looks like a bucket of hammered ****. Today, the latter seems to be the theme.

Tried another closed root but with 6010 and 7018 this time. The root weld still didn't penetrate the back completely but better than last time, it was spotty. I cheated and laid a 6010 bead over the root on the back and ground it off flat again. Front 7018 was a bit ugly and I ended up grinding some away and laying another bead to try to clean it up.

It bent farther than the other two attempts, but a crack started at the end of the weld where I always blow the edge out. There were some slag inclusions there too. I couldn't get it to actually break with my hammer and beam though.

Ian

 

[Shield Arc]

How are you preparing your plates? Far as bevel, root opening, and root face / land?

 

[Haywire]

2" x 4" x 1/4" plates. Beveled to a specific random angle (eyeballed), leaving about 3/32 at the bottom to butt together. No gap. I've got no brass to use for backer that won't stick. I'm using 1/8" 6010 rod for the root, I should probably be using smaller rod for that. I've got 3/32" 7018 for the top pass(es).

I'm out of drops now. Going back to the shop tomorrow to swap for new drops.

Ian

Edit... oh, and I should probably be stepping or whipping or something. I'm so used to 7014 that I end up just laying a straight bead.

 

[Shield Arc]

Here are a couple welder qualification test plates from an AWS book.

1/8 inch 6010 open root I like to use a 5/64th inch land, and use a 5/64th inch drill bit to set the gap.
3/32 inch 7018 open root I use 1/16 inch land and 1/16th inch drill bit to set the gap.

 

[Shield Arc]

Here is an open root 2 inch pipe welded with 1/8 inch 6011.