Yeah, I have passed a test on Inco before......You need to run cooler than stainless steel and do not try to spread the weld metal out too much cause it doesn't want to spread at all. I am assuming you are welding pipe, but even if you are not just remember this alloy is not stainless and (because of the nickel, i guess) it does not like too spread so use smaller diameter rod and do not attempt to spread out the puddle. To me, the puddle looks like your welding wire was dipped in oil, puddle is barely visible, dirty lookin. Using GTAW, imo.

Many of the things that make carbon steel welds "look good" make inconel welds look good. For the GTAW portion, nickel alloys may be less forgiving of base metal filler metal contamination. Make sure everything is clean. For the SMAW portion bead placement is critical since bead contour is a little more difficult to control. Also keep you filler metal and base metal clean.

All weld beads have a tendancy to "hump up" when welded out of position. Things that can help this are

1) Don't carry too much metal. The slow travel speed may also cause the puddle to cool slower. This gives the weld more time to sag before the slag freezes to provide support.

2) Nickel alloys do not wet out as well as carbon steel. They tend to go "where you put them". A small stringer that is deposited with a tight arc and some electrode manipulation that spreads the heat to the edges of the puddle as opposed to directly in the middle will help the bead be a little flatter. This does not mean a weave. A noticeable manipulation of as little as 3/32" with a distinct pause on the sides and fast across the middle can keep the bead a little flatter on the vert portion.

3) MORE HEAT will probably NOT help you flatten the individual beads unless you are running very cold. I like to set mine where I can run an entire rod with only a slightly glowing stub when I burn to the end. Follow the procedure that is provided but stay on the low end. See how a bead runs on a flat plate in the vertical position. If you set your heat on carbon, make sure the mill scale is removed. I prefer carbon over SS or Inco coupons. It does weld nicer in my opinion.

After you have the ability to weld a decent bead profile, be aware of how you place them. You can overcome some of the problems with convexity by being aware of where your are placing the beads in the joint and what that will leave you with for the next bead. On a layer in which I am going to weld multiple passes I want to make sure that I do not weld my next to last pass on that layer and leave a groove or valley that is too tight to get a good bead in. I try to keep the beads spaced out enough to allow t he tip of the electrode to touch t he weld metal behind it without fouling on the adjacent weld or base metal. This helps prevent non-fusion/slag discontinuities.



Keep the beads tight on the cap

GOOD

Not good

One thing to remember is that this is only one welders opinion. Many techniques exist for welding. This is just what I do.

Other than the good advice already given, I would add and emphasis on heat control and rod control. You can't push this around like you can with carbon rods.
The high nickel content will make it solidify dendretically. I.E. it will be columnar. Inconel and hastalloy are used often on LNG A553 tanks, of which I've tested many welders.
Of the ones that fail, the thing that stuck out in my mind was that most appeared to be welding as if they were taking a carbon test. The next would be some would go to
the max on the WPS for heat, those gentlemen had a high failure rate when it came to bend test. Keep it cool and follow the advice pipewelder has given you, The method he described for the most part is spot on to the method that the majority who have past the test in my experience.