Don't be afraid to crank up your heat. Rember the laws of gravity. Tim Gary has it right, stuff that rod in there, but just remember to have your heat high enough that it doesnt put your arc out when you stuff it. If you're running 1/8 on the root, you should at least be at 100 amps, depending on your machine, The gap should be about 3/32, and your landing about the same. Take the time to make sure these two things are perfect. When you are on top, you're gonna penetrate faster, because of gravity, and when you're on the bottom, you're going to have a tendency to put out your arc, because your arc is falling back on itself. The only way I can tell you to do it, is hot and fast, pard. On your stops and starts, you want to take the meaty starting point and grind it down for a good, smooth stopping point where you are going to tie in to it. Your tie ins are the main thing besides consistancy that an inspector is looking for. Also, your hot pass is importand too. All the time you put into prep is going to pay off. You dont want to burn through your root. That's called a burn through, and it is difficult to repair up to code. Prep, prep, prep.
Also, practice getting your arms and body to rlax and work together, Sometimes when you're putting in an important weld, you spend more time trying to get in your comfort zone, to be any good to yourself. Relax and let your whole body work together while you are running from 12 o clock, all the way to the bottom and beyond. Make your starting and stopping points at different places, so you are not always starting at 12 o clock, etc...this is also a busted test, because those stops and starts on top of each other is where your pressure will find all the little inclusions that comes from starting thataway.
Good luck, find your heat, your landing and gap, your speed, and most of all, your zone.....
