OK
@bobm I asked the question and it looks like it’s going to go un-answered so it’s just you and I now to laugh at our own jokes…
My question was is the lower case cursive “e” technique good or proper weld pool “puddle” control?
I took welding night classes at the junior college when I was younger man and the 3rd Edition By J F Lancaster was still a new book at that time.. They were prepping us to pass the certification test and would tell us the root and fill passes would be straight with very little side to side and forward motion only, the cover pass would have some side to side but again forward only in a sideways Z or U pattern but never moving back through the weld pool “puddle”. Later in life when I did have to take the test I just followed this technique and did alright so I’m guessing it works.
I did read about an hour of the 3rd Edition and he talks about geometry of the molten pool and the peak temperature and cooling rate are important variables, particularly in the welding of steel and that would lead me to believe again direction and speed are more important than trying make your GMAW (MIG Welding) on steel look like your TIG Welding (GTAW) on aluminum with that stack of dimes look. I know this is all the rage right now and I see a lot of very “good” fabricators doing it on frames and frame components and you don’t read about them having wide spread failures so again I’m assuming my information is either outdated just like the 3rd Edition or these guys are sacrificing good for pretty..
What question
. Just ****ing wit ya. Answer is yes but would be irrelivent to anything on the 55 frame. If you look up some pipe welding you'll see welds that are not only a work of art, but are strucually sound and strong! As far as Lancasters 3rd edition there are different ways for different people! I did go through some of it, but there is no ****ing way I'm gonna sit there and read 267 pages of weld theory ( my brain don't function like that anymore. ) Let's go back to Root pass and fill welds. The initial root pass like say on a 6" gas line is basically your penetration weld seeing the pipe has a very large bevel and your root is Arc (stick) welded in a straight line, your seconary pass will also be in a straight line but wider, your finish pass will should bring to or above the outside diameter of the pipe will require the Z or U method to complete. This method can be used with Mig or Tig. With the Z or U you will go back into the molten puddle without affect and it only needs to be minimal. Note: I'v seen welds inside gas fired boilers you would swear were tig welded but were stick welded
. Those guys are artists and perfectionest, they have to be, they carry R stamps which is required for welding pressure vessels. Propane tanks, air compressors, boilers fire ext blah,blah,blah. Nuff bout dat
. So back to my original thought! Long time ago my teacher Mr. Gasparello told me forget about stick or mig focus on Tig and you'll be able to do the other 2 easier, so I did! That's what I mean about learning, you can read that book 3 times and it will never replace expierience
. Direction and Speed are very important and they are different with every weld no matter the method or material. For instance welding a vertical inside corner made of 1/8" aluminum with mig is going to require you to increase your speed halfway through the weld to prevent burn through, with tig you would control with the pedal. Welding copper or brass requires low heat and high speed using same material for filler, so variables for all types of welding and materials
. So let me finish with STACK "O" DIMES W.T.F. this in my opinion is the biggest bunch of
flying around wether expierienced or not. Someone who is concerned more about this is going to have a failure at some point or another and someone can get seriously hurt or killed if this is there goal welding on there vehicle. Most important things are fitup including fixturing, proper machine settings, clean and safe work environment, positioning and your comfort, penetration and speed and the PRETTY
Should be your last concern, because it will come automatically by following the other steps. My ****ing Dink finger hurts and I ran out of Oxygen
. Hope this answers a lot of questions
. My 3rd edition will be out soon
sweet
s
️🛳 on ****ing occasion 
