July 25th, 2018
By Dave Lynnes
When using beveled plates, the horizontal position refers to the 2G position. It is a standard weld test for structural steel and manufacturing shops.
In my video, I use a whip and pause technique with a 5 to 10-degree push angle. A straight push technique works fine too.
Be sure to sand off the mill scale 1” back from the bevel on both sides of the beveled plates and one side of the backing bar.
The first pass if referred to the root pass. When welding I go slow enough to tie in the two beveled plates and the backing bar.
Wire wheel each weld before welding another weld. DO NOT QUENCH (COOL) TEST PIECE IN WATER!
Complete the 2nd layer with 2 stringer beads, but don’t fill the groove. I try to leave about 1/16” left to fill from the face of the weld to the surface of the plate.
Let the test plate air cool for a short time before you start the third layer of stringer beads, called the cover pass. You might be able to complete the cover pass with 2 stringers, but I prefer 3 stringers to fill the groove.
When I weld the first stringer of the cover pass, I like to position the wire approximately 1/8” above the bottom edge of the groove. I want the bottom of the puddle to overlap approximately 1/16” onto the bottom plate. You have to travel fast enough, so you don’t have more than 1/8” of build-up from the surface of the plate to the face of the weld.
For the second weld, I position the center of the wire at the top toe of the first pass to get a proper overlap of the first weld.
Now, I let the test plate cool again for a while. If you continue welding, the plate might be too hot, and undercut may develop on the top toe of the weld. Once the plate is cool to the touch, I position the wire on the top toe of the second stringer and fill the bevel.
Thanks for taking the time to watch my video.