Had a gnarly time last week trying to get a solid weld on this 12-inch pipe with a nasty seam. Used a 7018 rod, but even that wasn’t cutting it until I cranked up the heat a bit. Anyone else run into stubborn welds like that? How do you tackle it without sacrificing quality?
I totally get where you’re coming from with tough joints. I’ve had luck using a preheat technique on those stubborn seams; it can really help the heat penetration. Did you try adjusting your angles too?
Sometimes, it’s all about the preheat… I had a similar issue with a 12-inch pipe, and cranking up the heat made a huge difference in penetration, especially on those nasty seams. Did you try adjusting your speed after bumping up the heat? It can really help avoid burn-through.