Stick Welding Uphill with 7018 on a 2 foot long Tee joint 3f vertical

This is a video about stick welding uphill using a 7018 electrode.

1/4" ( 6mm) thick cold rolled steel

1/8" (3.2mm) 7018 Lincoln Excalibur rods

Miller Thunderbolt ac/dc stick welder set at 115-130 amps DCEP

I had a bit of a problem to fix when I first started welding on this video.

The Miller Thunderbolt was already pretty loud, but on this day, it was unusually loud.

When I looked into it, I needed to remove the cover and tighten up some screws and then everything got better....and quieter.

Stick Welding Uphill...first pass

A setting of 120 amps on the miller thunderbolt seemed a bit low so i bumped amperage up to 125.

5 amps might not seem like much but it made a difference.

I didnt use much electrode manipulation at all ..just a slight motion.

A basic stick welder like this does not have any special settings like hot start or arc force but it welds pretty good anyway.

Since I make welding videos, I wanted a basic stick welder with no fancy settings.

I use this welder for stick welding as well as scratch start tig.

Second Pass

Same amperage was used for the second pass.

They call this a Z weave but there are many different variations you could use...for example, a slight rainbow arc from side to side also works.

One of the main things to focus on is holding a pause and a tight arc at the toes of the weld....you can pause longer than you think and it will help prevent undercut.

I try to stop on the left side every time and that way when I restart, I easily remember to also restart on the left side of a weave pass.

3rd weave pass

Up 5 more amps for the 3rd pass and same exact technique as the 2nd pass ...just a bit wider.

on restarts, getting back in the puddle each restart while everything is still very hot makes a big difference.

If I have to leave the weld for more than a few seconds, I chip slag before the restart because that helps.  But if I can get right back in the puddle quickly, while its still very hot, I dont chip or brush.

Weave vs Stringers

Its good to learn both weave and stringer beads.

for many stuctural welding applications, stringers are a requirement.

But weaving is still a thing and is still used a lot.