In the State of Washington, to get a stick welding cert you have to weld up a test plate which is 5" long (along the bead), 1" thick, and has a 45° included vee with a gap at the bottom of about 1/4", with a backing bar. I have just finished this certification process and when I welded my overhead test plates I counted my 7018 1/8" stubs - it took me 24 electrodes to weld it up. I heard a guy at welding school today claim he could weld one up with 7-8 electrodes. Is this possible?
Grant Erwin Kirkland, Washington