Worm tracks

[ferrret3238]

I've ran a 44lb spool of 71A85 through my XMT with a 74dx feeder about a year ago. I was doing 1" plate to 8x8x40lb h beams for building columns for my new building. Not sure what my settings were but i ran 1" to 1-1/4" stickout. I got some worm tracks but mine were all surface and not porosity. Material wasn't very clean, a little paint in the grinder grooves and some light flash rust. When i got the tracks i took the spool off the machine and baked it in the kitchen oven for 30 minutes at 250. Just over 212 to boil the water and not burn the fiber spool. Threw it on the welder right away and it ran fine. Preheating the first weld with a little propane torch helped too. After that the welds helped with preheat around the column. Started the building about 2 years ago and lumber prices spiked so i stalled on the building. Will post pictures of the steel sometime soon. Going to have a bridge crane in this one... maybe two!!

[Willie B]

I've ran a 44lb spool of 71A85 through my XMT with a 74dx feeder about a year ago. I was doing 1" plate to 8x8x40lb h beams for building columns for my new building. Not sure what my settings were but i ran 1" to 1-1/4" stickout. I got some worm tracks but mine were all surface and not porosity. Material wasn't very clean, a little paint in the grinder grooves and some light flash rust. When i got the tracks i took the spool off the machine and baked it in the kitchen oven for 30 minutes at 250. Just over 212 to boil the water and not burn the fiber spool. Threw it on the welder right away and it ran fine. Preheating the first weld with a little propane torch helped too. After that the welds helped with preheat around the column. Started the building about 2 years ago and lumber prices spiked so i stalled on the building. Will post pictures of the steel sometime soon. Going to have a bridge crane in this one... maybe two!!

Worm tracks & porosity seem cured, I guess by being indoors. Mostly I weld outdoors, as clearing an area of everything flamable is a job.

My wife has these space bags she put away summer clothes in. Seal them up & vacuum the air out. They are amazing! 80 LBS of clothing fits in the space of a white garbage bag, maybe 20 gallons. I'm going to try them for wire storage. I don't need Dual Shield often, so a reel lasts a long while.