New to Forum!! Need Help!! 2G, 3G, 4G SMAW

Date 12-06-2007 00:38 Edited 12-06-2007 00:43

I have been welding for 8 Yrs and am proficient in Tig, Mig and I thought SMAW! I recently applied for a job where I will have to take a bend test on 3/8" plate with a backing bar welding it all the way out with a 7018.Alittle nervous,but I have been practicing abunch!! This will be the first bend test that I have ever taken and was looking to you guys for some advice! Any suggestions for the set-up of the test should I weld any of the test concurrently? What is your take on rod angle for each one of the positions? Are you allowed to use a grinder usually? When the backing bar comes off will I be able to back grind the root and apply another pass?? My Vertical i am running about 85amps wih a 3/32 7018 and about 15 degrees rod angle and I am running stringers moving upward steady and watching the puddles edge burn into the side of the bevel I am using that as a indicator to continually move up Does that sound about right? Usally look pretty good unless I HICK UP!!As far as my horizontal I run about 15 degrees rod angle about 90 amps with a 3/32 I feel pretty confident about that test ,but the only thing that concerns me is the tie in on the top of the stringer is good , but it looks like to me that it isn't so good on the bottom toe of the pass. Any suggestions to get good tie in on the horizontal? The overhead I feel pretty good with it is really about stablizing myself and watching the edge of the puddle! Oh, keeping the ARC tight on all positions deffintaly trying not to long arc at all!! To these test usually allow you to chose 3/32 or 1/8 ?? what are the standards usally as far as pin holes once the strip is bent or cracks where the metal is pulling away from the weld? On a 8" plate I can get 4 or 5 good 1 " staps to bend If i fail one of the straps does the whole test fail even if all the others pass? If so are you able to retest immediatly?? Sorry for all the questions , But I got about 3 weeks to practice some more I am averaging 4 hours a night during the week and 20 hours on the weekend!! So any suggestions to improve what I am doing would be greatly apperciated!! Thanks ALLOT guys!!! OHH also at what point of the test should I stop running stringers and start applying a weaving technique or should I run it all out with stringers and cap it by weaving ? Thanks

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 12-06-2007 13:24

Sounds like you have your technique down. The rest of the questions about what will happen when you test can only be answered when you take the test. Will they allow you to backweld after removing the backing bar. Probably not. When they allow backwelding, it is usually w/o a backing bar.

Can you use a grinder? Dunno. Some allow it some dont. You just have to ask the tester. Running 7018 if you have your heat right, the flux should just fall off. If it is hard to remove, you heat is not right. If the flux falls off then simple brushing is all that is required.

Weaving is again up to the tester and the specificaitons. Somp allow you to weave others limit the weave to 1.5 times the rod diameter.

Good luck you are going to make it. Maybe not on your first try, but keep trying.

BABRT's

By medicinehawk01 (**)

Date 12-10-2007 08:47

On your horizontal test, when you are putting on the the cap, try and keep the rod angle 10-15degrees above horizontal and the same angle away from direction of travel. This will tie-in the preceding bead better imo. As was mentioned, it is up to the tester as to whether you can use a grinder or not. Best to be prepared to test without one. You are allowed surface crack no longer than 1/8" on any one sample, this would be the total of more than one crack in any sample. As far as welding, you should stick to stringers, but ask the tester about using a weave on the verticle test....they might prefer that. You sound like you know what is going on, so keep it clean and you'll do fine.
Be well,
Hawk