I finally switched from a standard 6010 rod to a 7018 for a root pass on some 3/4 inch plate last week.

I was working on a repair for a feedwater heater in Toledo and figured the extra penetration control would be worth the slower pace. The arc was way smoother, but I ended up with some serious undercut on the toes that I didn't expect at all. For you guys who run 7018 on the root, do you crank the amps up more than the book says to avoid that?

3 comments

3 Comments

leet3216d ago

Serious undercut" sounds a bit dramatic for a first try with 7018.

park.iris16d ago

Depends what they mean by serious though. A little undercut happens to everyone starting out, especially with 7018. Unless it's a huge gap or going halfway up the bead, calling it "serious" seems like a stretch. Seen way worse get called "not bad for a first try" honestly.

jamieperez15d agoProlific Poster

But if it's deep enough to trap slag or start a crack, that's a real problem no matter how new you are.