Chapter 8 Gas Metal and Flux Cored Arc Welding 231 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 8.13 Welding Joints in the Overhead Welding Position The short circuiting and pulsed spray metal transfer methods are used for overhead welding. FCAW elec- trodes must be designed for welding out of position. One key to welding well in the overhead position is properly setting the voltage and wire feed speed (cur- rent). For overhead welding, the welder should wear a cap, coat, cape, and possibly chaps. This is neces- sary to protect the welder from falling molten metal. The proper angle of the electrode to the joint surfaces is almost perpendicular to the weld axis for overhead welding. GMAW can use a slight push or drag travel angle of only 5°–15°. For FCAW, a drag travel angle of 5°–15° is used. From the welder’s view in both GMAW and FCAW, the gun should be close to perpendicular but with just enough angle to view the weld pool. A weaving motion is not required to cool the weld pool. Although not required, a small weaving motion is still often used in the overhead position. A small oval motion or a small W-weave works well. Be sure to keep the weave small. Weaves overhead create a fl atter weld face and slightly wider weld bead, just like in other welding positions. As the weld pool increases in size, the possibility of the metal falling out or sagging increases. Watch the weld pool. Making several narrower beads, rather than a large weaving motion, is recommended. 8.13.1 Fillet Welds See Figure 8-67 and Figure 8-68 for examples of the angles used to make fi llets welds. The centerline of the electrode should be 45° from each metal surface. This is a 45° work angle. For GMAW, either a drag or a push travel angle is selected based on the metal thickness. FCAW uses a drag travel angle of 5°–15°. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 8-66. Three weld passes on a thick vertical butt joint are visible. The first pass is the root pass. The second and third are intermediate weld passes. An oval weave was used on the final pass. 45° work angle 65°–75° (15°–25° travel angle) Direction of travel Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 8-67. A fillet weld on a T-joint in the overhead welding position. Work angle is 45° and the travel angle is 15°–25°. 15°–25° travel angle 45° work angle Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 8-68. A fillet weld on an inside corner joint. The electrode and gun are tipped 15°–25° in the direction of travel.