Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67 Step

[Low Elco]

Well, if I can impart- Get online and get the .023 easygrind from ESAB. Lots easier to work with, and a Lot softer bead. Your fitup looks terrific. Wire About 1/8 or so out of the shield. Pretty good "pop" on the gas, this all happens in a hurry. Speed at whatever works best, you'll know fast. I tended to go vertical with a 10deg or so tip toward the previous tack. I always got taught to push unless there was no other way. I also had several starts 2-3 inches apart. I dont run a bead on sheet. LOTS of heat that way. I just run tacks over tacks, but I actually kick the heat up a bit for a fast bite, kinda like "flooring" the tig pedal. Here's my pattern-

x----------------x--------------x--------------x---------------x---------------x

then-

x-------x--------x-------x--------x--------x----x-------x------x--------x------x

then-

xx------x--------xx------x--------xx-------x-----xx-----x------xx-------x-----xx

then

xxx-----x--------xxx------x------xxx-------x-----xxx------x-----xxx------x---xxx

and so forth, till your gaps are filled in. Clear you calendar, open a beer, and settle in. Kinda like painting a car. Make a round, go sip you beer. Don't do more, don't poke at it, don't screw with it, don't get horny and just weld 'er up. It actually goes faster than it would seem.

Why am I telling you this? You've forgotten more than I'll ever know.