I realized, while reading Jeff's reply, I left out an important point...
If you don't solve (or prevent) cracks in the tacks, and fix every one, those cracks will grow into your finish weld.
While there are many causes for a weld to fail in any material, if you have a crack in your tack weld, and don't fix it, you WILL be haunted by it later.
Steve S
Tig welding tips, questions, equipment, applications, instructions, techniques, tig welding machines, troubleshooting tig welding process
- Otto Nobedder
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:40 pm
-
Location:Near New Orleans
They are sneaky sometimes too, only showing a faint telegraph of a crack in the weld. You may look once and think you see it, then look again and think something else. I had it happen to me recently with a weld I had reached too far around a pipe away from me and it didn't show until a day or two later and only when the lighting was right. Even then it wasn't entirely visible until I hit it with an arc. I ended up grooving it all the way to the root with an air saw and re-welding it.Otto Nobedder wrote:I realized, while reading Jeff's reply, I left out an important point...
If you don't solve (or prevent) cracks in the tacks, and fix every one, those cracks will grow into your finish weld.
While there are many causes for a weld to fail in any material, if you have a crack in your tack weld, and don't fix it, you WILL be haunted by it later.
Steve S
Miller ABP 330, Syncrowave 250, Dynasty 300 DX.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
Cracking tack problem is solve thank you all welders!!! But there is another thing I want to ask you. Dont really weld ally ticker than 3mm as Im working for sheet metal shop but this time I have got 6 mm ally checker plate to weld together. Its a butt joint 1500mm (5ft)long each section is 1200mm (4ft) width I have weld one with your advices and came out good no crack at all but one problem occured I mine it pull like fu** is not usuable. I need to make it again 7 all together so round 3 tomorrow. I have stager the welds 5 inch each 5 inch space plus it was clamped right on the joint so I had 2 inch gap where my torch fit and I tack one side fully tack (aprox 10-15 mm long) around every 5-6 inches and I turn it over. When I welded both side and I took clamps off looks like a brige ( bent all over) why it happens? Im not an ally expert but as far as I know ally cant be cooled it has to cool it self am I right or I should cool it down with air or water?
And please dont laugh
And please dont laugh
No laughing here. It is incredibly difficult to weld that big of aluminum sections with TIG without distortion. Nothing short of sandwiching between heavy steel plates. That operation is better suited for MIG. Even then there is going to be distortion. Look at the many commercial aluminum boat hulls built in heavy plate and there is significant distortion even with MIG. I am not an expert for that type of fit up so take what I say lightly. Personally, I would have to either subdue the joints as mentioned or employ a press after the fact if TIG was the only option.
Miller ABP 330, Syncrowave 250, Dynasty 300 DX.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
- weldin mike 27
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
-
Location:Australia; Victoria
Hey,
I realise this is not always posible but 1way to avoid and or limit distortion is to preset your parts. That means to bend or restrain them in the opposite way of the way the are bending so that during welding, when they distort , the end up closer to the right spot because they have had to move farther from the starting point. Simply put, Before welding, curve them the other way to which they are ending up. I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS AN OPTION WITH YOUR JOB. IT MAY NOT SUIT..
Mick.
I realise this is not always posible but 1way to avoid and or limit distortion is to preset your parts. That means to bend or restrain them in the opposite way of the way the are bending so that during welding, when they distort , the end up closer to the right spot because they have had to move farther from the starting point. Simply put, Before welding, curve them the other way to which they are ending up. I DONT KNOW IF THIS IS AN OPTION WITH YOUR JOB. IT MAY NOT SUIT..
Mick.
- weldin mike 27
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
-
Location:Australia; Victoria
Hey,
Ps it is quite normal to straighten things on a press after welding. We had a whole department at my factory for it.
Mick
Ps it is quite normal to straighten things on a press after welding. We had a whole department at my factory for it.
Mick
- Otto Nobedder
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:40 pm
-
Location:Near New Orleans
It's unlikely diamondplate will look right straightened in a press.
I think MIG is the better option, and friction-stir the best, but friction-stir is a specialized process.
Perhaps a MIG weld, followed by a thorough planishing in a hammer mill?
Not sure what facilities you may have access to.
Steve S
I think MIG is the better option, and friction-stir the best, but friction-stir is a specialized process.
Perhaps a MIG weld, followed by a thorough planishing in a hammer mill?
Not sure what facilities you may have access to.
Steve S
The whole joint would have to be pressed like on a press brake with an adapter or using the cross brake die backed with a piece of flat bar or angle iron. Pre-distorting it does work somewhat.
I have had to weld large sections of 3/16" for sump well covers and I sandwiched each section between two heavy pieces of 1/2"x 12" x 4' steel plate and clamped those where I could with big C's and leaving just enough room for TIG work. It worked well but was a beating to set up each time.
I have had to weld large sections of 3/16" for sump well covers and I sandwiched each section between two heavy pieces of 1/2"x 12" x 4' steel plate and clamped those where I could with big C's and leaving just enough room for TIG work. It worked well but was a beating to set up each time.
Miller ABP 330, Syncrowave 250, Dynasty 300 DX.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
Honorary member of the Fraternity of Faded Tee Shirts.
Hi mates!!!
I tryied to sandwich those two plates when I was welding it with Tig and really help but still pull a bit, was acceptable any way. Unfortunatley was very slow so at the end I welded it with Mig. Still sandwiched two plates and welded fully both side, and looks very good was quite straight.
It was very good lesson for me I learned a lot. Thank you all welders that you here when I need you.
Thanks
Bart
I tryied to sandwich those two plates when I was welding it with Tig and really help but still pull a bit, was acceptable any way. Unfortunatley was very slow so at the end I welded it with Mig. Still sandwiched two plates and welded fully both side, and looks very good was quite straight.
It was very good lesson for me I learned a lot. Thank you all welders that you here when I need you.
Thanks
Bart
- weldin mike 27
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
-
Location:Australia; Victoria
- weldin mike 27
-
Weldmonger
-
Posts:
-
Joined:Fri Apr 01, 2011 10:59 pm
-
Location:Australia; Victoria
Return to “Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding”
Jump to
- Introductions & How to Use the Forum
- ↳ Welcome!
- ↳ Member Introductions
- ↳ How to Use the Forum
- ↳ Moderator Applications
- Welding Discussion
- ↳ Metal Cutting
- ↳ Tig Welding - Tig Welding Aluminum - Tig Welding Techniques - Aluminum Tig Welding
- ↳ Mig and Flux Core - gas metal arc welding & flux cored arc welding
- ↳ Stick Welding/Arc Welding - Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- ↳ Welding Forum General Shop Talk
- ↳ Welding Certification - Stick/Arc Welding, Tig Welding, Mig Welding Certification tests - Welding Tests of all kinds
- ↳ Welding Projects - Welding project Ideas - Welding project plans
- ↳ Product Reviews
- ↳ Fuel Gas Heating
- Welding Tips & Tricks
- ↳ Video Discussion
- ↳ Wish List
- Announcements & Feedback
- ↳ Forum News
- ↳ Suggestions, Feedback and Support
- Welding Marketplace
- ↳ Welding Jobs - Industrial Welding Jobs - Pipe Welding Jobs - Tig Welding Jobs
- ↳ Classifieds - Buy, Sell, Trade Used Welding Equipment
- Welding Resources
- ↳ Tradeshows, Seminars and Events
- ↳ The Welding Library
- ↳ Education Opportunities