Stick welding pipe... tips Wanted

[Area54Karts]

heres how crappy my current pipe welding is... however this is my first try on pipe


loads of porosity

I welded with 6013 thats been setting around a long time on super rusted crap....

hummm???

maybe by diagnosing my poo on metal skillz I can help some others too....

 

[redsox985]

The rods may be junk if they got moist. How much stick welding experience do you have? New, good rods and cleaned metal would be a good beginning. Also, it looks like there wasn't much penetration, give it some more amperage. Did you chip off the slag?

 

[Area54Karts]

I didn't chip slag very well between passes, probably should have used a little 6010 for root... was trying to weave unsuccessfully and fit up was crap... maybe I will grind between passes fit up and tack better and give it another try... will see if I can make it any better

 

[CriticalMass]

Grind the pipe before you weld it, not just knock off the top rust but grind it silver and maybe bevel both ends of the pipe. Turn up the heat too, there's no heat tracks from the welds.

Also if the rods got wet, damp, or even a little misty it's going to screw them up. Once they are wet they are practically useless. Redsox has the right idea.

 

[Rustydog2010]

Practice makes perfect. Try get your angles right, fine your amp range, chip your slag, as best you can and just keep trying.

Edit: If the rods are wet, chuck 'em in the oven.

Jeremy.

 

[Area54Karts]

ok Im gonna get some better rods and give it another try some other evening...

however I know I got better penitration this time...

Tryed to make a C 6013 cover over the top of some 6011 root turned out a little funky rods are definately wet.... as well as other problems....

 

[bighead]

ok Im gonna get some better rods and give it another try some other evening...

however I know I got better penitration this time...

Tryed to make a C 6013 cover over the top of some 6011 root turned out a little funky rods are definately wet.... as well as other problems....

Can you get some pipe that fits inside the pipe you are welding? This will line it up perfect. Make it much stronger. And you could plug weld it.

 

[redsox985]

Clean the pipe up with a grinder. All of that crust and corrosion isn't helping.

 

[devino246]

6011 ftw. They're impossible to keep lit much under 50 amps though. I bought a piece of PVC pipe & 2 pipe ends to store my rods.

 

[The Mechtician]

I agree that you should get some fresh rods, or try to bake the moisture out of your old ones like Rusty said. What size is the pipe and what size rods do you have?

You'll get better results if you bevel your pipe ends, and on pipe that small you shouldn't need a texas weave, just run a nice fat hot stringer for your root pass, clean it real good (a wire wheel on a grinder works best) and run another fat stringer on top for the cap.

You might find the miller welding calculator useful, it helps for setting amperage and selecting electrodes. Miller Stick Welding Calculator.

 

[Area54Karts]

heres some more poo on tube 6010

I will be getting some better tube and actually making something when I get some money... the tube is the last thing I had around to waste rod on...

thanks for the help everyone, sorry if this topic has already been covered a few times


They still look ugly but better... making a C with 6013 just wasn't happening...

 

[redsox985]

Did you try cleaning the crusty rust off of the pipes before welding them? It will improve the weld quality all around.

 

[CriticalMass]

It will greatly improve it. Welding rusted metal is the suck.

 

[Area54Karts]

I stoped welding the pipe together and started welding around the pipe it starting to look better after filling a whole pipe... I learned that it is much better to start a 12 O' clock and work to 2 O' Clock... then turn the pipe and weld again...

I still need some advice on restarting the weld... Should I long arc to heat it up then go back in???

 

[devino246]

I stoped welding the pipe together and started welding around the pipe it starting to look better after filling a whole pipe... I learned that it is much better to start a 12 O' clock and work to 2 O' Clock... then turn the pipe and weld again...

I still need some advice on restarting the weld... Should I long arc to heat it up then go back in???

What amperage are you using? I strike the rod like a match, but if the amperage is too low, it'll just stick. Also, if you restart while the rod is still hot, its easier.

 

[fowler]

it also helps if u have a wire brush handy so u can quickly shine up the surface before u restart

 

[redsox985]

I still insist that clean metal is the key to a good arc. This will make it easier to strike an arc as well as restarting it. Also, chip the slag before restarting the bead.

 

[Area54Karts]

well I finaly got it down... it is time to get some tube I can use...

Got some good info from a reference book about going from 12 to 2 and keeping it clean and restarting about a 1/4 in in front of the bead and then goin bact to it to weld...


Rusty dog gave me some good advice as well as everyone else...

practice makes a world of difference... I'll keep you all informed as my project advances.

also found this rather helpfull www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9708

 

[Scout]

Can you get some pipe that fits inside the pipe you are welding? This will line it up perfect. Make it much stronger. And you could plug weld it.

Use a piece of angle to line up the ends and hold them in place.