What should the gun travel angle be in the vertical position?

• A. Between 10 and 25 degrees
• B. 90 degrees
• C. 0 to 5 degrees
• D. 45 to 60 degrees

Answer: (A)

In vertical-position welding, you control the shape and penetration of the bead by tilting the gun slightly toward the direction you’re moving. A travel angle of about 10 to 25 degrees from the vertical gives a good balance: gravity helps lay the molten metal into the joint while you maintain enough arc control to shape and fuse the weld properly. If you hold the gun almost vertical (0–5 degrees), the pool can sag and bead control suffers. If you tilt the gun too steeply (45–60 degrees), you push too much metal ahead, risking a rough bead or defects. A 90-degree hold would misdirect the arc and make it hard to maintain a uniform bead.