Black wolf...thanks!!!!

[Black Wolf]

Shane....Your welcome. Glad I could help. Nice to know you were thinking of me.

Puddle jumping may be due to everyone welding at the same time, and drawing down your machine so you are not getting full amperage. If you think you are experiencing arc blow, keep your ground close. If that doesn't work, try running your ground cable around the beam once or twice. I cannot tell you what direction, you will have to try it both ways and find out. One way will make an improvement, the other will make it WAY worse.

Onto the 309 rod....The settings & rule of thumb that I gave you were for XX18 series rod. 309 is different. If you have access to the packaging, most manufacturers will give you a range to run their rods in by size, and also give you an optimum amperage that you will want to start with. The Soudotec (SelectArc) rod that I have at the shop shows having a range of 90-110 Amps with optimum amperage at 100 Amps for the 1/8".

As for the cracking....Stainless can be a little tricky. I have job specific experience with it, but am by no means anything close to an expert. A light general preheat will help with any post weld cracking, but I cannot recommend that you do that because of the different compositions and characteristics of the Stainless steels.

The best thing I can suggest is to turn down the amperage while welding with the 309, and if you experience any cold cracking, check with your foreman, or one of the lead hands to see if they have any other ideas for you to try that will fall within your job specific approved procedures.....I know, kind of a cop out, but the last thing I want to do, is tell you to do something and you catch supreme heck because of it.

Hope it helps.

[swyman]

I started today with 3/32" 7018 @ 95 amps and I blew through the web??? I mother F'ed you a little bit but kept at it and managed till 1st break. After break I said the heck with the 3/32 and turned it up to 135 amps and started with 1/8". I could not believe it, the puddle stayed where I wanted it and my verts looked awesome!!!! I worked through last break and noticed something else. I went through periods where the puddle would break up and spatter around while doing overhead but staying with it the bead still looked good. While everyone was at break and I kept welding, the puddle jumping stopped. We have a 4 bank of XMT 302's and a 4 bank of XMT 350's all hooked to the structure and going at the same time. Could I be getting magnetic interference while the others are welding at the same time??? Just curious, anyways I would never have turned up the heat that high and I think that was most of my problem. Thanks!!!!

One more question, I have stainless screw conveyors sitting on my mild steel 4X4 stands and we have 1/8" 309 to weld them together. I kept the heat at 135 and it welded great but I just checked Millers calculator and with 1/8" 308 they recommend a max of 115. It really burned in nice and looked totally flawless but am I too hot and will it crack with that much heat?