Vertical welding method

A vertically upward arc welding method for base metal workpieces having a narrow welding groove space formed therebetween comprising the steps of:

• feeding a strip electrode in a direction at which the plane including the width direction of said electrode crosses the weld line such that the angle formed between the welding advance direction and the longitudinal axis of said strip electrode is in the range of 20.degree. to 90.degree.,
• generating an arc from said electrode to a base metal portion of the workpieces,
• melting the upper base metal over a sliding backing shoe disposed on the front side surface of the welding groove space, and
• performing said welding by expanding the welding groove space by forming an excavated portion of the base metal portion and dropping the molten metal onto a molten pool and depositing the same therein wherein the ratio of the width of the strip electrode to the welding groove space defined on the front side of the base metal workpieces is within the range of 1 :
• 0.2 to 1 :
• 5.