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2G Horizontal Weld Test 7018 with backing - Welding Video

2g horizontal weld test - beveled plate with 3/32" 7018 and backing strap

This welder is putting the root pass in a beveled 3/8" groove weld test. This is good practice for welding a horizontal pipe weld test. sometimes a 3/32" rod is permitted in order to be able to get it into the bottom of the joint better.

the down side to using 3/32" rods is that they dont weld very far before you have to stop and make a tie in. The less stops and starts the better on welding tests and on the real deal.

A straight drag welding technique can be used but I like to use a very subtle series of U's that resemble an ocean wave if you drew it on paper. I like to pause at the top for a full second to fill in any undercut.

His rod angle is pretty good. It is good to angle the rod slightly upward for horizontal welding so that the arc force can push the molten puddle up a bit.

About half way through the video, you will notice that he sticks the rod. Did you see what he does? Instead of fighting with it and trying to jerk it loose, he just unclamps the stinger and just breaks the rod loose, chucks it up again and baaam!!...he is ready to light up again.

The goal in laying in a root pass in a groove weld with a backing strap is to tie everything together...backing strap, and both plates so that when the strap is removed and ground flush, there is nothing but sound shiny metal...no slag, no straight line edge that hasn't been broken down, no pecker tracks that are not tied in.If the amperage is right, the fitup is right, the arc length is right, and travel speed and rod angle are right, its no problem.

Wow did i just say that? thats a lot of crap that has to go right.

Thats what separates the welders from the rod burners.
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