need help !

[ned]

guys hey, my name is brian (ignore the username), im from Ireland, and I've an aptitude test for a pipe welding course next wednesday.
the aptitude test is in arc welding. I rang the instructor a few mins ago, and although helpful, he didnt fancy my chances. i worked as a mig welder for 4 years, ending 6 years ago.

he said that most the people i'll be up against have tig experience and usually at least 8 years experience.

i asked him questions about the test, so that i could recreate it here at home and practice. the main reason he was dismissive is that i wasnt able to understand the terms he was using. i asked him to explain a little, so he did and i got some of it. i said id start this thread in the hope you guys could fill in the blanks for me?

ok, so, on the sheet we were sent in the post it says:

• Open V Butt weld in the vertical fixed position
• Root run E6013 2.5mm diameter electrode
• Filler run E6013 3.25mm diameter electrode
• Cap run E6013 3.25mm diameter electrode
• Weld must be clean and free from visual defects

----------------------------------------------------

so i was a little grey on whether id be welding up or down, the thickness of the steel, the size of the gap etc. , - so i rang the instructor, good or bad idea i dont know*, - but heres what he said;

12mm plate
2mm - 2.5mm gap
2mm - 2.5mm root face (?)

chamfered edge, cut at 30 degrees to give a combined angle of 60 degrees

grind down the face 2.5mm for the landed edge , (im really lost on that one)


im not 100% what im asking of ye here, i guess if someone could explain the grinding of the landed edge thatd help, and the technique for the root run, thatd be magnificent.

I have been practicing, my dads an experienced tig welder, but its been a long time since he did any arc welding. I was feeling positive about it, in the sense that, arc welding is uncommon these days (i think), so most of the folk ill be up against will be out of practice also. Because we werent sure of the root run ive been practicing the filler and cap run, and theyre not looking too bad.
I used to be very good at arc, it still is my favorite, its like the smell of napalm in the morning, i love burning stuff.

thanks for reading this lengthy post

regards,
brian .

* it was a bad idea im panicking now

 

[aidank]

heres how it should be done

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4627


follow this link and figure out which G you are being tested for

http://www.weldingengineer.com/Welding Position.htm

 

[decepticon]

sounds to me you may be doing a en287 arc welding course? i done it like you did with 12mm plate vertically up welded.
this course will prove that you can v butt weld materials up to 20mm (i think) and covers you for welding all the other standard positions ie. horizontal fillets and welding over head etc.
it will say that you are capable of v butt welding plate which in theory means you could weld a piece of pipe together but most pipe welding firms will require you to be certified specifically with welding pipe. welding fixed pipes at differing angles etc is a million miles away from doing a piece of vertical plate welding.
do the test as it will get you started with getting certified, find a company who deals with pipe welding etc, buy lots and lots of 50-75mm long pieces of 150mm pipe with ends pre chamfered, buy some 7016 2.5mm rods and run in root after root after root in varying angles until it is perfect then go for a specific coding-thats where the money is
filler and cap is relatively easy but it is the root that counts.
test tip: grind edge of plates at 30degrees until to a sharp point, then put plate in a vice and use a good hand file to put a 2-2.5mm root face/land on. a perfectly set up root face really pays dividends-especially in a test.
also grind the mill scale off of the back of the test piece near the join before welding the root.
7016 rods are your friends-get some good ones
vertical up is the way to go
good luck keep us informed how you got on
cheers