dan vertical up fcaw

[Jim]

Dan I saw on post that you stated the in fcaw that you drag the welding pool, except that in vertical up. I assume that you push the weld pool up as in smaw. The reason I question this is that in Moder Welding Book is that they have a picture of vertical up with the gun pointed down moveing up. Could please help thanks Jim

[Guest]

I don't think that's a good idea...pointing the gun downward....gravity is already working against ya. I point the gun up and push the weld...the slag falls away, and you can see your penetration.

[JTMcCracken]

A lot of people run 232 wire with the gun pointed just slightly down. This is in siesmic critical work, and using pretty high current and a resulting high deposition rate. The idea being it's much less likely to trap slag, which is easy to do when each pass is as heavy as they normally run. With the slight downward angle you can see a big difference in the amount of slag hanging around on the upper and outer edges of the puddle, which can be troublesome. The puddle stacks up thick and fast, the wire runs extreemly well with a little downhill angle to the tip. It becomes apparant once you try it. Some run the gun straight, any upward angle is asking to trap slag IMO, in that application. This may have no relation to the one asking the question, but I thought I'd thow it in anyway.

JTMcC.

[Dan]

I ve never tried angling the gun down slightly. I was taught to angle it up slightly, so this is how I ve always done it. I ve been satisfied with the results that i achieve. However, none of my work require X-raying. However, the training that i received was oriented towards certification with the process. That was 15 years ago though so maybe my training is obsolete now. The best advice that i can probably give you is to try both ways and from there decide which way works best for you.

[JTMcCracken]

I'm talking about structural connections in critical seismic areas so's this won't affect a lot of people but in that field 15 years is an eternity, FEMA has seen to that. Welding procedures and consumables have changed drastically as a result of the Northridge earthquake and the great number of weld failures. Joint design has changed in a big way, and only 3 consumables that I'm aware of are legal for use in these joints, Lincoln 232 flux core wire, 203 N flux core, and 7018 stick. This welding is very heavily inspected and regulated these days. Like I said it doesn't matter to those not doing this type of weld, but is of interest to some of us. Ironworkers, Piledrivers, some Boilermakers,
Millwrights and Carpenters (inbeds) have to deal with this but not many others. This relates to field welding of course, not work in the shop.

JTMcC