Inspect the cover pass for smooth tie-in, lack
of undercut, good fusion, good appearance, and
Fig. 24-20  Typical face appearance of root and cover passes in an open butt
joint in pipe welded with the downhill technique. Note the flat face.  © Plumbers
and Pipefitters Union, Alton, IL
weld metal to fill up the groove and obtain proper fusion.
Do not depend on the weld metal to wash up on the sides
of the groove. This may result in an overlap. You must di-
rect the filler wire where you want complete fusion with-
out undercut. As with the root pass, weld from the 12 to
the 3 o’clock position before rotating the pipe. Repeat your
procedures for making good tie-ins and stops. Inspect the
pass and clean it.
Cover Pass  Make the cover pass like the filler pass. Be
sure to pause briefly at each edge of the filler pass to ob-
tain proper fusion. The bevel edges on each side should be
your guide to determine the final width of the cover pass,
Fig. 24-22. The bead should be about 1⁄16 inch at the crown
and should taper out to the edges of the bead.
Fig. 24-22  Detail of a
1 joint with the final fill pass
in place, showing its correct
Fig. 24-21  Detail of a joint relationship to the outside
with the root pass in place, diameter of the pipe. The
showing the correct width of correct width of the torch
the gun movement for a filler movement for the cover pass
pass. is also shown.
Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)   Chapter 24    799
contour, Fig. 24-20.
Inspection and Testing  Weld a butt joint, follow-
ing the same procedures that you have used in
completing your practice. Inspect the weld for
visual defects and cut the usual face- and root-
bend test coupons from four positions on the
pipe: top, bottom, and each side. After prepar-
ing the test coupons, bend them on the standard
test jig. The welds should show no separations
of any kind.
Vertical Pipe Axis Fixed Position (2G): Jobs 24-J4 and
J5  The pipe axis is fastened in the vertical fixed posi-
tion, and the weld is horizontal (2G). This position is
found mostly in power piping and construction installa-
tions. Very little cross-country transmission line piping is
welded in this position.
Select two pieces of pipe 4 to 6 inches long of the size
and weight specified in the Job ­Outline. Bevel the edges
to 30 or 371⁄2° as d­ irected by your instructor and leave a
1
⁄16-inch root face on each bevel. Refer to Figs. 24-7 and 24-8,
page 794. Tack weld the two ­nipples ­together as shown
in Fig. 24-23. Place the tack-welded nipples in a welding
fixture with the pipe axis vertical.
Fig. 24-23  Tacking 2G position joint with appropriate bent filler
wire to hold root opening. It is being held in place by a shop build
pipe stand. A small surface is used for initial set up like high low
alignment. It can then be clamped into place for positions 2, 5, and
6 as required. The height can also be adjusted.  Location: UA Local
400 © McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A. Dierker, photographer
Root Pass  Weld the root pass with the stringer bead tech-
nique. Start welding at a properly feathered tack. Hold
the gun travel angle at a 10 to 15° angle from a point
perpendicular to the center of the pipe and use a drag
angle, Fig. 24-24A. It is also important to lower your gun
5° from the 90° position, Fig. 24-24B. Carry your wire
on the leading edge of the pool to get complete penetra-
tion. Make sure that fusion is taking place along the root
edges of each pipe bevel, Fig. 24-25. Also make sure
that the weld does not sag along the bottom bevel so that
it causes overlap and incomplete fusion on the bottom
edge. Also be careful not to undercut the top bevel. Pen-
etration through the back side is necessary, Figs. 24-26
and 24-27.
Torch oscillation, if necessary, is best carried out ac-
cording to the pattern illustrated in Fig.  24-28. When Fig. 24-25  This pipe stand allows the welder to maneuver
completing a section of the root pass and approaching a around it to maintain proper eye contact with the leading edge of
the weld pool. The pipe is positioned so that it is a good height
feathered tack, change the torch angle gradually over a
for the body mechanics required. Along with contact tip to work
distance of 1⁄4 inch before the tack from the 15° push angle distance, travel speed, travel angle, and work angle to assure com-
to a 5° drag angle. This gun position ensures a good tie-in plete joint penetration and weld profile.  Location: UA Local 400
at the tack, Fig. 24-29. © McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A. Dierker, photographer

10° to 15° Filler Passes  The second and intermediate passes

may be made with the stringer bead technique
View Looking Down shown in Fig. 24-30, page 802 or the weave bead
Pipe
technique shown in Fig. 24-31, page 802. The
choice of technique depends upon the require-
ments outlined in the welding procedure. If there
is nothing specified, then welders should use a
Direction of
technique that they can handle with good results.
Travel Starts and stops should be outside the area of
previous starts and stops. The bead sequence that
may be used for Schedule 40 pipe is shown in
Fig. 24-30B, and the sequence for Schedule 80
pipe is shown in Fig. 24-30C.
In making a circumferential weld around the
pipe, you will have to make a number of starts
and stops as required by the change of position.
Tie-ins require that the electrode be started back
A in the heel of the crater and that the weld metal
be washed up against the sides of the groove until
the tie-in is made.
Cover Passes  Use the stringer bead technique and
5° to 10°
about the same electrode position as described for
the root pass. Make sure that the arc is directed
toward the surface that is being welded. Proceed
at a uniform rate of travel so that good fusion and
penetration can take place with the bevel surface
B
and the previous welds without undercut and with
Fig. 24-24  Gun position when making a 2G weld. The pipe axis is fixed good bead formation. Each layer of weld metal
vertically.  Source: Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Alton, IL should not be thicker than 1⁄8 inch. Brush each

800   Chapter 24   Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)

Fig. 24-26  Closeup view of root pass penetration on the inside of a pipe
obtained when making a 2G weld on pipe.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters Union,
Alton, IL
Fig. 24-27  Inside of pipe showing penetration of the root pass in steel pipe
welded with the GMAW process and a short circuiting mode of metal transfer in
the 2G position. Note the absence of obstruction to flow.  not radiographic quality.
Select two pieces of pipe 4 to 6 inches long
of the size and weight specified in the Job Out-
line. Bevel the edges 30 or 371⁄2° as directed by
your instructor and leave a 1⁄16-inch root face
on each bevel. Refer to Figs.  24-7 and 24-8,
page  794. Tack weld the two nipples together
as shown in Fig.  24-23, page 799. Place the
tack-welded pipe in a welding fixture in the
horizontal position.
Special care must be taken when welding in
the horizontal fixed position. Before making the
tack welds and welding the pipe joint, check the
electrode extension carefully (1⁄4 to 3⁄8 inch) and
regulate the heat until the arc is smooth and ac-
tive. Make sure that the pipe has a root opening
of 3⁄32 inch all around. This root opening is most
important and must be maintained. Feather the
tack welds so that they do not become an obstruc-
tion when you pass over them with the root pass.
Tack welds that are too thick cause an incomplete
penetration and fusion so that the finished weld is

pass so that it is clean and Root Pass  The root pass should be started at the 11 or
free from contamination. 1 o’clock position, continued across the top of the pipe,
and carried down past the 6 o’clock position to the
Direction of Welding Inspect
Inspection and Testing 
5 or 7 o’clock position, depending on the side being
each pass as you com- welded.
Fig. 24-28  Suggested plete it. The final layer of
pattern for gun manipulation stringer beads should show
in making the root pass for a good fusion with each other
2G weld. and be equally spaced,
Figs. 24-32, page 802 and Tack
24-33, page 803.
Direction of
Use the same testing procedure as that used for the roll Welding
position (1G).

Horizontal Pipe Axis Fixed Position (5G↓), Downhill

Travel: Job 24-J6  In this position, commonly referred to
as the bell-hole position, the pipe axis is horizontal and
is not turned as the welding progresses. The bell-hole
position is encountered in all types of pipe installations.
Travel may be uphill or downhill. The downhill welding
technique is employed in cross-country transmission line
piping, and the uphill welding technique is employed in 5°

pressure and power piping and in general construction.
Either technique produces sound welds, but the downhill
technique is faster. When welding downhill, some welders
find it difficult to keep the weld metal from running ahead
of the weld pool. You should weld several joints in this
position and practice various welding techniques. Do Job
24-J6 with the downhill technique.
Push Travel Angle of 5° as Feathered
20°
End of Tack Is Welded
Drag Travel Angle of 10°–20° to within 1/4ʺ of Tack
Fig. 24-29  Top view of a pipe in the 2G position, showing
rotation of the torch from a drag angle of 20° to a push angle of
5° as a tack weld is approached when welding a root pass.

Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)   Chapter 24    801
 /
1 16
A drag angle of approxi- are very critical points and
mately 45 to 55° to the cen- often cause trouble. Com-
30°
3 ter (axis of the pipe) should pare Figs. 24-35 and 24-36.
1
2 be maintained as the weld The downhill technique
3/32
progresses past the feathered of welding is preferred for Oval Pattern Formed Clockwise
end of the tack, Fig. 24-17, the root pass, but if the fitup
For Pipe 1/4ʺ Wall Thickness
page 798. It may be neces- is close, the uphill technique
sary to oscillate the gun nar- may be employed. Follow
A
rowly as required during the the procedure previously Oval Angle
weld, Fig. 24-15, page 797. described but hold the gun between
45° & 90°
1/16 Side movement is necessary at a 90° angle to the center
to make sure that fusion is (axis of pipe), Fig. 24-37,
taking place on the root face page 804. The welding tech-
30°
5 of each pipe section. nique is like that for welding
1 2 4 When you reach that part pipe with the shielded metal
3 of the pipe between the 4 arc process and plate with
and 6 o’clock positions, the gas metal arc process.
3/32

you may need to decrease

Filler Passes You are now
the drag angle of the gun to Direction of Travel
For Pipe 3/8ʺ Wall Thickness ready to weld the filler
approximately 20 to 25°. A
B passes. Recheck your elec- Fig. 24-31  Weaving tech-
uniform travel speed is im-
trode extension and heat set- nique in making a cover pass in
portant. If the travel speed is
1/16 ting. The current may have the 2G position. The pipe axis is
too slow, the base metal be-
to be increased slightly. vertical.
comes highly fluid and sags
Start welding at the top, outside of the area of the pre-
so that there is a incomplete
7 30° vious starting point, and travel downhill. Stop at the bot-
penetration inside the pipe.
4 tom, outside of the area of the previous stopping point,
6 You are again cautioned to
1 2 Fig. 24-38, page 804. The second pass is made with a slight
keep the thickness of each
3 weave by moving the gun from side to side and pausing
3/32 5 pass to about 1⁄8 inch.
briefly at each edge of the underneath pass, Fig. 24-39,
Use care when stopping
page 804. Do not depend on the metal to wash up on the
a weld and restarting a
sides of the groove. In order to avoid overlap and to secure
weld. If for any reason you
For Pipe 3/8ʺ Wall Thickness complete fusion, the electrode wire (arc) must be directed
find it necessary to stop
and Over over the surface to be joined. Clean and inspect the weld.
the root pass, there is al-
C To weld the second pass on the other side of the pipe,
ways the danger that cracks
start at the top at the end of the previous weld and tie into
Fig. 24-30  Weld sequence will form in the crater of
the end of the previous weld at the bottom. Manipulate
for various pipe wall thick- the weld pool. To elimi-
nesses welded with the GMAW- the gun as instructed for the first half of the pass. All tie-
nate these cracks grind and
S process. The pipe axis is ins should be staggered so that they are not all made at
feather the crater and start
vertical. The weld is made in the the same point, one over another. The proper technique
2G position. the weld just above the cra-
ter. This preheats
the bead so that
the crater is hot when you reach it, Fig. 24-34.
This ensures a good tie-in with the weld, and
there is no danger of the cracks remaining in the
deposit.
After the first half of the root pass is completed,
inspect it thoroughly and clean it. Return to the
top of the pipe and weld the other half of the pipe
to the 6 o’clock position with the same procedure Fig. 24-32  Typical appearance of stringer beads welded in the proper
as for the first half. Make the tie-in at the top and sequence in the 2G position with the pipe axis vertical. The weld was made with
at the bottom of the pipe very carefully. These the GMAW-S process.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Alton, IL

802   Chapter 24   Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)

Fig. 24-33  Closeup view of a completed sequence in a weld like that shown
in Fig. 24-32.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Alton, IL
Start Here,
Move Gun Down
Fig. 24-34  Method of restarting the root pass to eliminate crater very poor appearance.
cracks.
Fig. 24-35  Inside of pipe showing penetration of the
root pass in the 5G position. The pipe axis is horizontal.
Note that the welder failed to make the proper tie-in at
the bottom of the pipe (6 o’clock). This would cause a
test or service f­ailure.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters Union,
Alton, IL
Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)   Chapter 24    803
is shown in Fig. 24-40, page 804. Clean and
inspect the weld, Fig. 24-41, page 804.
Make a third filler pass like the second pass.
Clean and inspect.
Cover Pass The
cover pass is welded like the
second and third passes. Use the edge of each
bevel as a guideline to determine the width of
the weld. To prevent undercut, hesitate at the
sides to permit the weld pool to fill up. The
bead should have about 1⁄16 inch convexity, and
it should taper out to the edges of the bead.
It is important to keep the arc ahead of the pool when
doing filler and cover passes downhill. Any attempt to
slow down the travel speed in order to deposit more weld
metal allows the molten pool to run ahead of the arc and
causes overlapping or incomplete fusion. Keep the metal
thin. The maximum pass width that can be handled with
any degree of success is 1⁄2 inch. Split layer passes are nec-
essary beyond this width.
Practice starts and stops so that you will develop the
skill to perform the technique with a minimum of prob-
lems. You will find this somewhat difficult when mak-
ing filler and cover passes. Avoid the tendency to add too
much weld deposit, because it results in poor fusion and
Fig. 24-36  Proper penetration on the inside of a pipe root pass was
welded downhill. Bottom of pipe in the 6 o’clock position on this fixed 5G
practice nipple.  Location: UA Local 400 © McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A.
Dierker, photographer
Fig. 24-37  MIG welding pipe in the 5G position. Care must be Start Wire Here, Move Up
taken to follow the contour of the pipe. The welder is just leaving
the top of the pipe (12 o’clock) portion of the pipe. The root pass Fig. 24-40  Welding technique for making tie-ins in the 5G
is being done in the downhill direction.  Location: UA Local 400 position downhill.
© McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A. Dierker, photographer

Fig. 24-41  Typical face appearance of a filler pass and a root pass
in the 5G position downhill.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters Union, Alton, IL

Fig. 24-38  The gun is in the 3 o’clock position of the pipe. Some
welders find the 5G position very difficult. It involves a mixing of Inspection  Inspect your completed welds carefully. Keep
the flat, overhead, and vertical positions.  Location: UA Local 400 in mind the weld characteristics that are indicative of
© McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A. Dierker, photographer sound welding. Study Figs. 24-42 and 24-43,

Pipe – Fixed Position 30° to 35° Bevel

For video of GMAW RMD on root pass pipe
inside pipe, please visit www.mhhe.com/welding.

which show the penetration inside the pipe. Figure 24‑44

shows the desirable face appearance of a root pass in a
weldment. Figures 24-45 and 24-46, page 806 illustrate
the faces of the root, filler, and cover passes when welding
in the vertical downhill direction (5G  ).

Horizontal Pipe Axis Fixed Position (5G ) Uphill Travel:

Dotted Lines Show Dots Show
Gun Movement Placements of Wire
Jobs 24-J7 and J8  After you have mastered the downhill
welding technique, practice Jobs 24-J7 and J8 with the
Fig. 24-39  Gun movement when welding filler passes in the 5G downhill welding technique for the root pass and the up-
downhill position. The pipe axis is in the horizontal fixed position. hill welding technique for all other passes.

804   Chapter 24   Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)
Fig. 24-42  The face of the root pass in steel pipe.
The joint shows complete penetration. The inside
of the pipe shows root penetration, which is free of
notches, icicles, crevices and other obstructions to
flow. The size of the root pass is between 1⁄8 and
5
⁄32 inch. Note the concave contour, which will accept
the next pass with minimal chance of discontinuities.

Fig. 24-44  GMAW-S process was used to weld the root pass in this 11⁄2-inch thick,
mild steel pressure vessel. The joint members were spaced 1⁄8 to 5⁄32 inch apart to give
proper penetration and reinforcement on the inside. Tack welds for holding parts in
proper alignment were removed by grinding before the root pass was completed.
Ends of the root pass increments were tapered with an 8-inch wide disc grinder wheel
at the same time tack welds were removed to ensure complete fusion at the tie-in.

Fig. 24-43  Inside of vessel showing penetration of
a root pass deposited in the pressure vessel shown in
Fig. 24-44. The joint shows complete penetration free of all
obstruction. Root reinforcement is between 1⁄32 and 3⁄32 inch.
Select the pipe nipples specified in the Job Outline.
Prepare them as previously instructed, tack them, and set
them up in the welding fixture.
Root Pass  Weld the root pass downhill with the welding
technique practiced in Job 24-J6. Clean and inspect the
weld for discontinuities.
Filler and Cover Passes  Weld the filler and cover passes
with the uphill welding technique. Reduce the wire-feed
speed to reduce the current. Adjust the voltage until you
have a smooth arc. Start at the bottom at the 5 or 7 o’clock
position and weld across the 6 o’clock position up toward
the 11 or 1 o’clock position at the top of the pipe, depend-
ing on the side of the pipe you are welding from. Hold
the gun as illustrated in Fig. 24-37, page 804. Weave the
gun from side to side and pause at each edge of the previ-
ous weld. This gives the weld metal a chance to fuse to
the metal surface and allows the edges to fill up so that
undercut will not take place. Weld passes should not be
more than 1⁄8 inch thick. The filler passes should have a
flat face. The cover pass may have a convexity of rein-
forcement about 1⁄16 inch high. You are again cautioned
to be very careful when making stops and tie-ins. Use the
technique shown in Fig. 24-47, page 806. Clean and in-
spect for welding defects. Compare your welds with those
shown in Fig. 24-48, page 806.
Whether the direction of travel is up or down makes
some difference in the face appearance of the welds. Gen-
erally, uphill travel produces a weld with close ripples.

Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)   Chapter 24    805

Fig. 24-45  Face appearance of root, filler, and cover passes in
pipe welded in the 5G position downhill.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters
Union, Alton, IL
Fig. 24-46  Face appearance of root, filler, and cover passes,
welding with pipe axis horizontal and fixed. Weld was made in the
5G position downhill. Travel was somewhat slower than welding
shown in Fig. 24-45 so welds are heavier.  © Plumbers and Pipefitters
Union, Alton, IL
806   Chapter 24   Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice: Jobs 24-J1–J15 (Pipe)
Start Wire Here, Move Down
Fig. 24-47  Welding technique for making tie-ins when welding
in the 5G position uphill.
Fig. 24-48  Face appearance of filler passes and cover pass
welded with pipe axis horizontal and fixed. Welds were made in the
5G position uphill.
Compare the appearance of the welds shown in Fig. 24-49
(downhill travel) and Fig. 24-50 (uphill travel).
Inspection and Testing  Make up two test joints. One should
be welded with the travel-down technique, and the other
should be welded with the travel-up technique. Cut the usual
test coupons from these joints, prepare them carefully, and
subject them to the usual face- and root-bend tests. Inspect
the surface of the bends carefully for any cracks or voids.
None greater than 1⁄16 inch in any direction should be present.
Intersection Joints: Jobs 24-J9 through J14 Intersec-
tion joints such as T’s, Y’s, K’s, and laterals are found
in pressure and powerhouse installations and in most
general construction work. As you have already discov-
ered when welding these joints with other processes, they