ok today I went and took a tig pipe test it was 6G which I really don't have any experience with 6g mainly just 5G..my question is this it was for a shipyard that does all government contracts. The test was tig weld at a 6G tig the root 316 stainless but the pipe was carbon I'm assuming to cut down on stainless pipe because it is more and I did have to purge this pipe. I wanted to run a 3/32 filler rod root then go ahead and use 1/8th all the way out. This guy told me no I could not use 3/32 rod I had to run a 1/8th rod I asked him after the test was over after I failed it why I could not use a 3/32 because I believe I would have passed my root. He said it is what the Navy welding code is which sounded like BS to me. I have always tiged stain;ess sch10 pipe useing 1/8th gap and 3/32 filler. So can you all tell me was this guy BSing me or being a D*ck or what?? for me running 1/8th rod I feel it takes more heat to heat the 1/8th rod and then when I add more heat I ended up blowing the thin beveled edges out more. if this is true I can only use 1/8th filler then fine i will start practiceing with some 1/8th but I really want to know if this guy was really full of it or what?? I know I have to wait 30days before I can go back to retest which I'm am going to go back and retest. I really wasn't sure if I was going to fail this test today or pass it.. I do feel good that I walked away with more experience though I feel like i need to get more practice taking welding test which all in all I was very calm..
I had another test on stainless which isn't to bad that is actualy easier for me then carbon but man that basterd was like almost under a table LOL what welding shields can you all recommend that are small and aren't bulky?? mine is a Jackson huntsman I think and it was just to bulky and couldn't get my head in there I do believe if I had a better shield I could have gotten my head in there better an passed the test
there was a guy there who had like his own homemade shield which was really cool just for tight places like that. The other thing was the scratch start tig rig I'm so use to a foot pedal and thats another thing I gotta get use to but it wasn't to bad my tig rig I just bought is a scartch start so I'll be practicing but I gotta find a different and smaller shield for tight places I really think I could have passed the second test. So any help on the small welding shield would be great.. this welding shield here has anyone welded with it before?
https://weldingsupply.securesites.com/cgi-bin/enlarge.pl?main/Huntsman/25052.gif:800+Series+Leather+HelmetsThanks
Chris
if you want a small lightweight hood get you a pancake,,,but do note,,,youll burn your neck up bad on a tig rig. theres some pics under downhill pics you can look at to see what it is if you dont know. as far as that test man,,,i think its ******** because it doesnt matter what you use,,,its how you use it. but ive also worked for companys that wanted a 5/32 5p+ bead uphill on 6 inch 6G position,,,so i dont know. sounds like he busted you just cause.
Hello Chris, whether the guy was full of it or not, I believe you will need to come up with a method of passing their test if you wish to be employed there. Personally, I prefer using 1/8" filler wire for the particular scenario you have described, the only alteration I would make is to run a 3/32" gap. If you run the slightly tighter gap and the 1/8" wire you will be able to lay it in the groove and use just enough heat to tie the edges of the root pass in as you advance the cup. This method will usually result in a nice even root bead with the proper reinforcement on the inside. I would certainly practice the technique some, most of the time if you feather your tacks properly, lay the wire in at a fairly flat angle as you are advancing the torch you will see a nice even root result, when you come up on the tacks increase the rod angle to a steep angle and withdraw the rod once you have come up onto the tack, but don't withdraw the wire from the shielding gas area. When you are coming off of a tack to start the bead lay the wire a little bit back from the feather that you have ground on the tack and start your arc about an 1/8" in front of the rod end, get the heat up on the tack and then wiggle the tungsten and resulting arc onto the end of the rod and proceed from there. I would imagine that others in your area, at your old school if it is nearby, at the training hall if you are union, can help you out with this as well. Don't be discouraged, if I recall correctly you are still at the starting out point of your career so there will be many opportunities to try new things and master many of them. Best regards, aevald
yeah I gotta say the guy seem like a prick or no wait it's because I'm a WHITE guy LOL no no I've seen the pancake shields and was thinking about that if I could just do away with the round part and side part but add like a piece of leather to protect my kneck thats basically what this guy had well I think he bought one maybe like the one I posted and trimmed it down which I may see if the local welding store can order the one i showed you and I'll just have to trim it down. I've been thinking of getting another shield because this one has gotten in the way a few other times when welding.
aevald thanks for the tips see I had a 1/8th gap then I was driving home and was like dam I remember doing like a 5/32 gap and 1/8th rod long time ago but yeah I'm gonna try and use a 3/32 gap and then the 1/8th wire and turn the heat up more. What was really tuff was the dang scratch start if I can tell anyone who is in school for tig learn on the scratch start you get so good and comfortable with the foot pedal it's so so hard to then go back to scratch arc for me anyway. The other thing with scratch start is I'm so use to easing off the pedal to not have a fish eye but tried doing like a fast kickout motion and sometimes it left fish eyes and sometime it didn't. aevald I know i'm just starting out I'm sure I will be failing many more test but it's just getting out there and doing the test and get that experience getting comfortable useing different machines and procedures. The nice part was one of the guys testing next to me I got to pick his brain on different companys in the area and tips on tiging pipe and he asked for my number and said he would call me about some major plant being built in south Louisiana soon so that was cool sounded like alot of work. So yeah I failed a test yet I found out about more companys in the area to work for so I don't feel like it was a total loss plus they said I could go back in 30 days to restest why the hell not I'm useing them for practice LOL
Chris
Hello Chris, sometimes that's really what it's all about. Experience, the challenge, and learning. Unfortunately, sometimes those lessons are way too costly and unnecessary. Glad to hear you made a contact and likely have someone to give you some pointers too. It would be great if every job that a person wanted was gotten, the real world deals us a different hand a lot of the time. Keep up with your good attitude and learn and prosper. Best regards, aevald
well seeing some of the welds that passed at this place I think just a little more practice and I should be able to pass a test next time there.
I really wasn't sweating it to much because well I already have job now if I didn't then yeah I'd be nervous but it's all good I enjoyed the experience and hopefully someday will work for that company seems like a good place to work talking with some of the guys around.
Chris
I never heard of a code that said you can't use 3/32 TIG wire. You probably just ran into one of those turds that thinks 3/32 ain't manly enough. When they tell you something like that, ask if you can see the welding procedure. (just say you like to know what's expected of you)
That welding hood is called a sock hood, you wantr to avoid that at all costs. not just because you are gonna look like a dork, but they are a big pain in the butt to use, they fog up real bad, they roll around on your head so you can't see out the lens. no to sock hoods
they have companies that make special small hoods for tube welding and such, you just have to look around some more. You might also look into cutting some off your present hood, that's what I do.
A pipeliner hood and a hacksaw blade will work wonders
the guy was really short was kinda thinking he had a bad case of littleman syndrome I had a boss once that had that condition.. I never did think to ask him for the welding procedure sheet I may throw that in his face next time see the guy next to me said use a 3/32 I was like this guy told me not to and he just couldn;'t believe it hell i think he took the same test as me and he used 3/32 I guess I could just go bind his back hell I dought he'd notice... well the sock hood I figured I would just trim it anyway ok I'll stay away Cactus I'll look into maybe a pipeline hood I have seen guys trim them.. seems like alot of shield when there on your head they seem to be like far from your eyes the lense part.. I would like it to fit my head tight you know close to my eye I guess is what I mean.. I've been looking online if any of yall come across some small shields please tell me about it.
Thanks
Chris
I never use the scratch start on a machine. Set you machine up for stick welding and make sure your torch is hooked to the - and the ground is +. Put your torch in the groove and kick it back a bit then flick your rod against the tungsten while hitting the pipe at the same time and your arc will light right off without screwing up your point on the tungsten. Your torch needs to have the gas valve on it though because you have nothing to open the solenoid in the machine if your running your gas through the machine. Takes some getting used to, but you can kiss that foot pedal good bye out in the field. You might be lucky enough to get a remote on your torch every now and then, but that's just another lead you have to drag.;-)
I use one of those Miller elite hoods in really tight spots when tig welding on small tubes simply for the large viewing area and the light weight frame. It will not hold up for outdoor field work where you have alot of sun exposure and burning alot of rod. I use a pancake or jackson nexgen for all other work.
yeah I've used Miller before and that shield wouldn't work for the test I needed I'm gonna have a closer look at the sock hood but may see about trimming it or get a pipliner hood and chop it up we'll see Thanks all
Chris
it is up to the qc what size of rod you use most of the time they will test you on what size you will use in the feild they also no that it is easy to spreed smaller wire as far as welding hoods the white pipelinner hood is a great when you cut inch an a half off all the way around an relocate holes for pins if that wont get it i have made a hood out of cutting goggles an card board works well for me nothing will replace the right heat and right travel speed for putting in a bead with any wire size
Chris, one thing I learned a long time ago, before I ever tacked any of my weld test, I ask the person that is doing the testing, WHAT HE WANTS. They are all different. Some want a flush bead, where some won't even buy a flush bead. Once you find out "what he will buy and what he won't buy", then tack your coupon up accordingly. Hope this help.
Or just start testing and if the QC guy complains, then just say that you never told me I can't do it this way and it's to late now.:-) He might give ya another coupon though, so maybe it is safer to ask.:-(
chris it has always been my approach to tackle sch 40 80 up pipe with a 5/32 root gap on tig. like yourself i am used to 3/32 filler for root most if not all the guys i work with use a knife edge i prefer a slight land, perhaps this may help offset the extra heat required for the 1/8 filler. as i say i havn,t tried but i think the heavier wire may be a benefit in cooling the pool. f/j
FJ thanks, soon I'm gonna get a bottle of argon and see if I can get some pieces of pipe to practice on at home and I'll try both a 5/32 gap and a 3/32 gap and see what I like most. I did feel as if I couldn't get the metal top push through so maybe with a 5/32 gap it maybe a little better for me. Thanks
Chris
Great pictures F/J.
I generally run a knife edge as well. Ive seen a guy leave a nickle land on and only gap it enough to lay the wire in the gap as he walked over it. Ive tried it a few times but never really got the penetration I wanted.
Very nice work. I run a 3/32 gap, with a knife edge on it, but like i said very nice
Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Question about 6G pipe test carbon steel and welding shield?
