New, have question about filling a gap.

By Trae Date 09-13-2004 00:59

Hi, I am new to the forum also.
First question, what method/process are you using to weld the metal together?
Second question, is there some reason you cannot weld a piece of plate over the top of the two pieces of angle iron? If so, I would stich weld the gap then grind the weld smooth. Then cut a piece of 1/4" plate to fit over the top of the assembly leaving enough room to make a lap joint filet weld on each side. Should give as much strength as a piece of channel iron.
Hope this helps
Trae

By BillP Date 09-13-2004 01:32

Thanks Trae, that is something to consider, and I will do a little figuring on that tomorrow.
I have just been grinding a bevel on each piece, lineing them up and clamping each end with vice grips holding the seam together, tacking the middle and each end to make it stable then take the vice grips off and finish filling in, then turn over and weld a little on the opposite side to fill the seam good, chipping the slag off and grinding.

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 09-13-2004 12:17

Hi Guys, Welcome to the forum,
If you need the joint to be as strong as the original Pc. of L, I would suggest a full pen joint. Any of the prequalified full pen joints out of AWS D1.1 will give you the strength of the original L. A simple butt joint using SMAW(stick), GMAW(solid wire mig), FCAW(fluxcored wire mig) with a 45* bevel on one side and the other side left square with a 0"-1/8" root opening, 0"-1/8" land (B-U4b) should work for your application. You fill up one side and turn it over and backgouge(grinding with the disc turned on edge is acceptable if you don't have access to a carbon-arc gouger) back into your weld from the other side and make sure you have it clean, and fill it back in.

The lap joint, may or may not develope the strength you need, several factors are taken into account when applying a lap joint to achieve full strength. If you go with a lap joint consult an Engineer to help with the calculations.

John Wright

By Trae Date 09-14-2004 05:53

Thank you for welcoming me to the forum John. I have been spending quite alot of time reading prior posts here, and am impressed at the wealth of knowledge contained in your heads. I have a two year degree in welding and fabrication from Spokane Comm. Col. And they taught us alot, but that is only the start of the journey into welding. We learned the basics of welding theory, lots of blueprint reading, and learned to weld SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, FCAW. Most of the welding we learned was the basics of how to set your machine up properly and weld the basic joint types. The whole way through the program we were told by the senior instructor (great guy) that the real learning starts when we leave school and get into the work field. Boy was he right.
All the welding we do here at our shop is on LCS and everything is done per blueprints and procedures developed by our customers. They inspect the fab work and welds. So far we have not hade a single rejection. But one thing that still suprises me is the lack of basic knowledge people have (that we have hired, and they have been "welders" for years). I think everyone should start with the two year program, just to get started, then be smart enough to know you don't know a darn thing yet!!
Thank you again for taking the time out to reply, and to welcome me to the forum.
Have a great day.
Trae

By medicinehawk (**)

Date 09-17-2004 01:04

It was the same way when I got out of welding school...infact, my instructor said,"You guys know just enough to be dangerous." Of course he was right,and I did learn alot at my first job...abit more on my second job and then I started working construction in power plants, paper mills, where ever the money was. Still learning to day. Some one had mentioned on a different post about Dimetrics pipe welding machine and my current employer had 3 of us trained to use it while the Boss considered buying it. We had a crash course, but I was the elderstatesman (also , the welding instructor) and was successful in running the machine, but the other two partners (who were new to the trades & welding) had a much tougher time grasping what had to be done to adjust the machine.
The bottom line was he (the man who signs my paycheck) was really only interested in the younger men to catch on and run the machine. The cost of the machine was over 50K and I wasn't allowed to help the boys out with that rig, so they were unsuccessful in using the rig to beat out the old manual processes.
Itwas at the very least , a broadening of all our experience and while it did not prove cost effective to have the machine....it was a good learning experience and also (speaking for me only) it proved that after 20 + years in the field....an old dog can learn new tricks.
Be Well.