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Overhead welding?

RobVG

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Joined
Jun 20, 2009
Messages
1,028
Location
Seattle WA
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17 excavators and a stewpot of other stuff
I'm not happy with my overhead welding. Any tips would be humbly appreciated.

Shielded flux core mig.
 

walkerv

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Messages
1,125
Location
wingate nc
I'm not happy with my overhead welding. Any tips would be humbly appreciated.

Shielded flux core mig.
As in dual shield wire ? I did some recently with lincoln 71m 1\16 wire . I cant recomend any settings in particular i believe its like vertical up. With dual shield turn up voltage and wire speed and plow it in there , i dont remember what i did exactly. Advice would be to get you some practice scrap metal and try cranking it up some if that dont work try turning stuff down a little till you find something that works satisfactory , i also recommend you tube welding tips and tricks and go thru some of his videos he has a few on dual shield
 

John C.

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Joined
Jun 11, 2007
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Northwest
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Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
My only comment is wear lots of leather, it's going to rain fire.
 

DIYDAVE

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
2,424
Location
MD
and no matter what you prep for you'll always get one in the ear, any more I put some old ear plugs in for anything near overhead.

Ain't that the truth! Hadda piece of slag off'n a 6013 rod arc up through the air, once, made it past the helmet, and cap, and land dead center of my right lug hole, onliest thing that saved me from a serious burn, was the damned thing landed on the ear hairs, could hear and smell them burnin off, as the slag cooled...;)

Mw smell mohican burnin, Me last mohican, MUST BE ME!
 

willie59

Administrator
Joined
Dec 21, 2008
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13,430
Location
Knoxville TN
Occupation
Service Manager
And if you happen to be in a crouch position welding vertical or overhead, never put your knee on the ground or floor, one of those sparkys will go right under that knee and light you up, instead place your knee on the steel toe of your boot on your opposite leg. In my experience, MIG vertical, weld downward, and move fast. Overhead, same, move quickly, if you hang around you'll simply heat things up and it will all fall out. I typically bevel joints, get a good hot fast moving root pass, then turn the heat and wire speed down just slightly to be able to control the 2nd and 3rd passes. Like any other weld process, practice.
 

DARO

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Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Messages
178
Location
Duluth MN USA
Occupation
Mechanic
Tip from a old guy years back.
Think of it as if you are sprying water on a board over head, "to much its gonna drip off"
not sure if that applys so much to flux core wire. If i gotta do a overhead that is lacking room I use stick.
 

dabsfabs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
95
Location
Somerset, UK
Practice and practice, and on thick stuff, to get technique and use the same settings that you you use on the flat and you will be surprised how it turns.
 

DMiller

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Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,687
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
I am exactly as noted CRAPPY at overhead, found that if I lace the weld not try to run headlong with it the weld will take pretty well. Move side to side hesitate just an instant at each side point to reverse across the weld. Just like lacing a shoe.

And Oh Yeah will be wearing 90% of the slag and some of the weld.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,733
Location
Canada
Not enough info. What size and type of flux-core wire? Not all flux-core is designed for all position welding.
 

still learn'n

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
455
Location
Kansas
I was in the same situation it looked crappy and I went in YouTube and watched videos and it helped a lot. One thing I learned was my nozzle was to far out they said it needed to be even with tip or even behind.
 

Rob Gunn

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
163
Location
Buchanan, MI
I find that setting the voltage a little hotter than normal and hit the triger in short burst helps. Don't think that you are going to keep your finger on the trigger and lay a long steady bead. You have to think of it like multiple spot welding and let each "Spot" cool somewhat before you hit the next. Just take your time and practice on some scrap.
 

Volvomad

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
476
Location
Ireland
Not a great welder ,but i find it works better for me in that position to drag instead of push the torch . Since my hair got thin it really is a pain .
 
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