Latest Project

By Tyler1970 (***)

Date 09-20-2009 00:26

looking slick!

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-20-2009 00:52

Nice work dude and yes the smaller the pipe the harder it is gosh I use to hate when I'd have to wled some 1 half inch pipe up not fun at all

The second picture the welder in the background is that a Lincoln?? a friend of mine his grandfather has a old welder looks like that one and was wondering is it a pretty good welder?? although this one will need to be rebuilt

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-20-2009 02:35

yeah that's an old 500 amp(?) idealarc. They said I could use that so I would not have to run my machine but I knew where to set mine at for the 3/32 and 1/8th and did not feel like playing around with that to find my comfort zone. They also had a Lincoln weldnpower on a trailer. Wondered if I should ask them if they wanted to trade for a ranger 8!! Since their not using the big Lincoln anymore and all. The more I run this small pipe the less worried I am. After doing all of these I was really back in the groove. I did almost 300 feet of 2" around April. Up a wall, 90 over, 90, 45, 45, straight for 80ft then 90 up 14ft 90 over to level then 90 down and 90 back out to level and run another 60-80 feet. By the end of that job 2" pipe was breeze! Just waitin on my chance to do some big stuff now, slow but sure.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-20-2009 04:59

sweet... yeah I'm back to practicing some tig welding of pipe I sure am tired of aluminum welding, ready to get back to pipe welding

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-20-2009 12:30

I enjoy the heck out of pipe welding, don't know why but just do. Oh, let me be more specific, downhill pipe welding. Uphill is ok, just not fond of the places I'll end up welding with that though!

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-20-2009 16:22

thats all I have tried was uphill but may try and do some downhill today and see what it's like, everything I have read people use like a 1/16th gap instead of say like a 3/32 or 1/8th. Can you give me any pointers ??

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-21-2009 09:17

If I'm using a 1/8th rod I'm running around a 3/32 gap, 3/32 rod and maybe a 1/16th gap. The tack it and grind then push the rod through and start dragging it downwards. I've heard some say get used to the uphill then the downhill is easy. I learned downhill first then went to uphill and thought that it was easier than downhill, maybe it's just me but that's how I felt.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-21-2009 23:14

thanks dude yeah I did a pipe with a 1/16th gap I know I have heard some useing that small of gap. I've mainly used 1/8th rod and 1/8th gap but was gonna try the 3/32 gap this weekend and see how that feels. I have like all 3 or maybe it is 4 inch pipe would like to try and find something a little bigger. Guess I'll have to hit up the scrap yard again this week. One thing is for sure Tig welding pipe is coming back to me pretty fast but wish I could get good at the stick welding of the pipe again like I use to but i will, it will take just a little longer, Deffinantly gonna try that 3/32 gap this weekend and see how that goes for me.

Thanks
Chris

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-22-2009 02:35

Thing to remember tighter gap less land. I think one guy on here said he barely had a land and the smallest gap then ran it hot. Said something about sitting in the smoke shack while everyone else is still out welding....who was that??? When that gap closes up it's a bit tougher to push through but if your land is minimum not so much.

By Superflux (****)

Date 09-22-2009 04:26

Land...what land? Just rub the bevel face enough to flatten and square up. Maybe a 1/32" gap max, cram the rod in there. When putting in the root with this tight of gap, I usually am pushing so hard that an 1/8" 6010 is bowed in the middle. Once the "fire" (all the smoke too) is inside the pipe you can raise up the hood and B.S. while finishing your cigarette.
By narrowing the gap, this reduces the bevel face width and makes for fewer rods to burn.
Big gap-less heat.
Tight gap-more heat.

BTW, Cumminsguy71, your welds are lookin good. Are ya ready for some Big Bore now?

"Party on Garth"

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-22-2009 09:20

thanks yeah I ended up putting like a nickel landing on it so I'll have to try this again when I do a 1/16th gap and I will use way less landing.

Thanks for the tip yall

By Superflux (****)

Date 09-22-2009 16:51

chris2698,
nickel gap and nickel land is the prefered/standard fit-up dimensions and perhaps the easiest to train open butt techniques. By having that size gap, the "keyhole technique" allows a window in which to see the penetration (or lack of) on the inside. The nickel land is beneficial by giving enough metal for a heat sink that gives the operator control over the erosion of the walls as the keyhole progresses.
My prefered method of tight (non existent) gap and knife edge (no land) is dependant upon faith in the technique and is monitored by the sound of the "bacon frying".
Properly done, the bead is internal with top of the root bead barely above the I.D. of the pipe.

Like anything new , there will be a learning curve associated with developing one's own tecnique and discovering the eccentricities involved.

Good luck

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-22-2009 23:17

Thanks superflex yes when I had first learned to weld pipe I had always used a 1/8th gap and 1/8th rod but it makes sense more to use a smaller gap tunr the heat up and like you say you can kinda control the key hole.

Thanks
Chris

By banshee35 (**)

Date 09-22-2009 23:41

you still got the sa-200? if so put her on 190 range and about 40 and run that bead with that setting and see how it goes

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-22-2009 23:59

Yeah I still got it and yeah I'll give that a try this weekend. Still getting use to the stick welding part of it but the tig welding part with the sa 200 is unreal how smooth it is.

Still currious of the setting like what number is actually true 90 amps or what? I know you can set it one way and the arc seems softer and set it the other way and it wants to dig more

By chris2698 (****)

Date 09-26-2009 05:44

found out when welding that pipe last weekend why I was having a hard time well my brushes were bad well one for sure so Kaye is sending me all new armature and exciter brushes. Should work alot better when installed

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 09-26-2009 01:58

You bet I am Superflux!! I'm actually gonna send out my app to the 798 for a helper....maybe, just maybe something will break loose in the spring. Figure I need to get some 'perience on the right of way and helper seems to be the route. Just have to practice on lunch breaks and stuff to keep my hands in tune with the stinger. Thanks for the compliments, each weld I'm always concentrating watching what I'm doing so it looks good, analyzing what I'm doing, watchin the pool. Spent a week welding up chill pipe, under a building in the dirt.......loved it!!