I'm a late bloomer welding student taking basic arc. I'm working on getting a T-weld right in 3/16 steel in the horizontal postition (cross piece flat and stem vertical) using 6010. My problem is undercutting on the part of the weld on the vertical stem. The instructor showed me a technique to create the puddle in the corner and put only a real small weave into it while moving the weld at a steady pace across the joint and I had some good success doing that, but he told me that there needs to be more of the fillet on the vertical piece and now I'm back to undercutting. Can somebody give me a good method to get this weld done right? I've already spent 5 hours at it and about 50 lbs of steel trying to get it right.
Thanks for any info & replies
- Mark
Not sure I understand you correctly. Not sure if it even matters.
You are welding T-weld? Do you mean the material you are joining forms a T? From the discription I invision an inverted T and you are welding a verticle stem to the flat bar? This sounds like a "Flat" (or over head) weld rather than "Horizontal".
How much under cut are you getting? Can you get in real close to see the edges of you puddle (while welding)? If what you are refering to is what I call "Wagon Tracks", you are traveling to fast.
When the arc under cuts the base material you must dwell long enough to allow the filler material to fill in the undercut then move on, repeating the above.
Hope this helps. Good luck
Mark,
Many fillet welds are made in the horizontal position that you describe. When the thickness of both plates is the same, the angle of the electrode is of particular importance. The rod should bisect the angle between the plates and be perpendicular to the line of the weld, or about 45° to each plate, and inclined slightly in the direction of travel. If undercut occurs, like you mentioned, in the vertical plate, try lowering the angle of the arc and direct the arc a little more toward the vertical plate. You also can adjust your travel speed. Really try to watch the rear of the puddle. Many welders use a slight whipping motion to control the puddle, but it may not be necessary on thin material like you are using. Some instructors start off demonstrating a downhand or flat position fillet. Try this by inclining your T joint 45° so it is in a V position. You can run a little more amperage and you may get a better feel of the puddle.
Here is a link with some basic information and drawings. Navigate through this information using the little "back" & "next" keys at the top of the page
http://www.tpub.com/steelworker1/69.htm
Here is the link to the table of contents:
http://www.tpub.com/content/construction/14250/
Great - thanks for the replies and all the info.
Question to RonG: when you say wagon-tracks, are you referring to the 1/16" dark line that shadows the edge of the weld?
Question to thirdeye: I'm watching the rear of the puddle, what am I looking for? I'm getting a slightly oblong/eggshaped puddle in the direction of travel and I'm trying to keep that pretty constant. Should I be looking for something to be happening otherwise?
Thanks for the link - I haven't been able to spend much time looking, but what I did see looked like it was all about what I'm trying to do.
thanks to all - Mark
Mark,
Watch the puddle to make sure that you are welding in the joint, have the correct rod angle and travel speed to allow the molten weld pool to flow up and tie in the top toe, thus avoiding undercut. As you progress, bring the arc back to the leading edge (the front 1/3) of the puddle to fuse the corner. 6010 produces a light slag, gives good penetration and you can get a good look at the puddle. As a starting point, keep the arc length about the same as the diameter of the rod. Rods like 7014 and 7024 (drag rods) are easier to run and have a better bead appearance due to a heavier slag. One benefit for beginners using 7014 or 24 is that the slag helps to maintain the correct arc length since you can drag the rod along the work.
There are many professionals on this forum who are very willing to share advise and I would guess some of them will jump in with some tips also. If you have a chance, watch as many welders as you can and ask questions. Then practice.
Simple approach is to aim the heat (i.e. torvh arc) at the lower (flat peice) the add filer up a litle above torch i.e. where it wants to undercut. The arc will pull ebnough metal into the center of the root. Trouble is, that's a GTAW (TIG) set up.
However,I think you are only insterested in SMAW (stick). Here it's a little harder, but basically you spend about 70% time on lower flat thta oreheats upper vert., Then swign the elextrode up for abut 305 time. Remember to jet get a blob on the vertical piec, the heat from th 70% dwell time on the flat pirce will tent to flow the oversized weldment back tino the corner symetrically.
Lastly, look at current setting. If it's juts a little to high, I can lead to undercut.
Hop this helps, Keep practicing
Preston.
This is just a follow-up on the original topic. I finally got by on this last night - a fillet T-weld with 6010. The real difference was almost no, maybe none, travel angle. I have put more than 10 hours trying to do this weld, and I couldn't find the right combination of angle/current/speed/weave that would consistently do the weld without undercutting here and there until I was running no travel angle/45 degrees/low current/moderate speed/very little weave. I did that a few times at the end of the session last night, we picked a sample, crushed it and that's that.
Thanks for all the replies on this and thanks for all the email - Mark
What size electrode are you using? I never weaved a single fillet with 6010. I always whipped and paused.
I was taught to wip and pause 6010 also, basically a series of over-lapping spot welds. Looks like a roll of coins. Never had a single issue with undercut doing it this way.
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