Thread: Kobe RB-26 slag

Originally Posted by WelderMick

Downward welding in the vertical position becomes easy to carry out with this electrode, resulting in perfect bead appearance"

Mick you need to take this with a grain of salt.When they say vertical down I think they intend semi vertical down -maybe like 25 degrees. There is a bit of a technique involved as well.

The arc force needs to be pushing back at the arc to stop the molten slag pool over rolling the arc. Remember gravity is exerting itself on that molten bit of the arc pool ,part of which is slag. If you drop the electrode out of its normal alignmment and flatten it out so its closer to say 15 -20 degrees off being parallel.
I'll try to get out in the workshop tomorrow and see if i can take a pic with my Ipod.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

Mick you need to take this with a grain of salt.When they say vertical down I think they intend semi vertical down -maybe like 25 degrees. There is a bit of a technique involved as well.

Thanks Grahame, I think you've confirmed my thoughts... based on my experience, any true vertical down weld would need to be done at about 3m a minute! I can't think of a time when I've wanted to go vertical down with stick anyway, but I reckon it's a pretty misleading claim to be putting out there.

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

The arc force needs to be pushing back at the arc to stop the molten slag pool over rolling the arc. Remember gravity is exerting itself on that molten bit of the arc pool ,part of which is slag. If you drop the electrode out of its normal alignmment and flatten it out so its closer to say 15 -20 degrees off being parallel.
I'll try to get out in the workshop tomorrow and see if i can take a pic with my Ipod.

Grahame

I did persist with those rods in the end (didn't have a choice as it was over the weekend) and as you say, I ended running with a very flat rod angle, which works fine for normal positions but made it pretty hard work keeping the overhead welds decent - sort of like submerged arc welding! I've got some other rods now, but I'd be keen to see if you had more tips for this rod for overhead fillets as I hate leaving a challenge .
Cheers
- Mick

I went into the shed with the Ipod but the pics are crap as it doesn't like the flouro light so..

The trick with overhead fillets is that you do not use a 45 degree angle ,more like 15 degrees off the vertical.
place a 2/3 of the arc on the horizontal leg and the other 1/3 on the vertical. Use same amps as flat and a VERY SHORT ARC.
The gravity on the molten pool will pull it down to a mitre shaped fillet if you get the rest right.

If you a want multi pass the same applies with the majority of the arc pool being centered on the top plate.Theres a diagram somewhere on bead placement so I'll try to find it to post.

Grahame

Hi ,
Heres something but not exactly what I want to show you.

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/asset...-1MR/c2410.pdf.

scroll down to the overhead section.

Grahame

Thanks Grahame,
The info you've provided is great for starting out, but I'm pretty comfortable with overhead fillets generally (usually using 6012's), but I just found the slag on the RB-26's excessive, such that holding a tight arc would effectively leave the rod tip inundated in the slag and it was very hard to see the actual weld puddle. The angles and techniques you nominated are pretty much what I use. Did you try out these particular rods for overhead? My best success was with DCEN where the arc force at least would push the slag away a bit, whereas DCEP really was like sticking a rod into a slag puddle.
I haven't got the gear to take any video whilst welding, so it's a bit hard to explain without seeing it. Next time I'm out I'll take some photos of the results anyway.
Cheers
- Mick