WM BLITZ VIDEO #28 7018 Stick Welding a 5F Tube to plate test

A 5f weld test is a tube to Plate test where the axis of the pipe is horizontal.

My good friend Andrew Cardin does the welding for this video because he recently was required to take this test in order to be qualified to make a weld on a liquid natural gas (LNG) facility.

One of the test methods used for a 5F test is a macro etch test to test for complete penetration into the root of the joint.

3/32" 7018 was used at 90-95 amps to ensure good penetration.

The base plate thickness was 1/4" and wall thickness on the tube was pretty close to 1/4" also.

Andrew has many pipe certifications in the oil and gas industry for welding downhill with XX10 electrodes. 

But there was a need to weld a small diameter socket weld that didn't fall within his qualification limitations for small diameter pipe so this 5f weld test was the simplest test to take in order to be qualified for a single socket weld.

This might seem silly to some but it is just the way welding certification works. 

In fact, I remember a certain stainless steel pipe weld where I was only qualified with tIg to around .875" thickness. One more layer of TIG beads is all that was needed to finish the weld but the welding coordinator on the job required me to use stainless stick for the cover pass.

Seemed really dumb to me but I had to do it. Again, that is just how welding certification works. Sometimes it just makes no sense.