welding upside down?

any tips/ tricks here i could use? thanks

I'm awful at it. But I learned from trying to solder water pipes above my head that you should make sure your gloves go over your sleeves.

Still have a mark from the solder that fell perfectly straight down my sleeve that was loose on my wrist.

ouch!!!

I like welding. Unless it's upside down. Hate it. Full sleeves, leather if possible. Turn the wire speed up a little. 

The small sparks don't hurt that bad but don't stay in one area too long and build up a big glob that's going to drop down your sleeve and put a dimple the pit of your elbow or can get caught in your helmet behind your ear too. It's not a pleasant experience.

Offset yourself from the weld, you don't need to be that close to the weld to see it. I prefer a fix shade helmet for welding upside down so you don't get flashed when the arc sensor doesn't think your are close enough.

The way I teaching at school turn your power down 10% and do it exactly the same as if it was flat. Stand off to the side if possible. With the lower power you got to go just a hair slower

Understand that the way welding works involves capillary action that applies to all liquids. Molten metal wants to suck into the seam.  This will oppose gravity. So a bit slower and if this is tin, certainly the hit once and wait till the glow dies to hit the next tack.

In reply to pilotbraden :hey, braden, i just also asked this question on the bb,, more replys here..

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice, practice, practice.

Power down a bit could help.  I build quite a few roll cages, and a modified sheet metal weld-wait-weld technique works for me.  Leave the power up but don't weld long enough to have a big ball of molten steel land on you.

Welding upside down? It's easier to flip the car over. 

Not really, practice and don't get the weld too hot. The arc pushes the filler so use it to push the puddle into the object being welded.

Also, plug your ears. Molten metal sizzles forever when it's stuck in your ear burning holes in your brain.

Sheet metal, or thick (3/16"+)?

For sheet, hundreds of tacks.

For thicker stuff, "weave " more (do circles, two steps forward, one back, or whatever you do). 

Either way, watching the puddle is critical. This is what leathers were made for. I've had many cherries burn through a shirt, descend to the pants, and occasionally end up in my shoes. What I'm saying is consider an apron if you're doing a lot. The smartest thing I ever did was build a rotisserie (+1 Toyman).

I'm planning on stripping my Challenge car and flipping it over. I absolutely suck at overhead welding, but I'll have to experiment with the tips given here.

I typically leave the power the same or slightly higher, up the feed and move faster as others mentioned. Don't let a big ball form.

Not, the zap and wait isn't good technique when mig welding a roll cage. You may get cold spots and insufficient penetration between zaps that could be a crack here location if the joint is really tested.

I use it all the time on thin sheet metal, just not cages.

Best advice for overhead welding, buy a TIG

Stop by your local welding supply store and pick up a welder's cap. They work best if they're pink and/or a tacky floral design.

Keeps the sparks out of your hair, but the real trick is to turn the bill to cover whichever ear will be facing up while you're laying on the ground.

Sparks in your ear = not fun.

But do make for some interesting sounds.

There are more challenging jobs.  Metal grinding at the nudist colony, for one.....

Cotton-nylon blend isn't sufficient protection.

The sensory memory of the sizzle and smell is still very real, every time I see the scar near my left arm pit.

Stitching everything together is a good tip. Running a long bead upside down is harder. I didn't need any more gear than a welding jacket, gloves and welding helmet.