I like the simple fillet break test. While it doesn't provide information on the strength of the weld, it does show internal discontinuities and whether fusion to the root is achieved.
A simple nick break test will also reveal internal discontinuities and whether good fusion between weld passes is achieved.
Depending on the size of the fillet weld, you can see if the fracture is in the base metal or the weld, i.e., which is the stronger element. You can size your welds accordingly. As you say, "When in doubt, make it stout." By increasing the weld size such that the fracture is in the base metal, your weld is as strong as the material even if the unit stress is lower.
In your case, following the "Farm Code" is probably adequate. You have heard of the Farm Code haven't you? Its the welding standard used by many small wanna-be contractors and farmers. It affords the welder maximum latitude and allows the welder to do what he wants. There are no base metal requirements, no matching filler metal requirements, no preheat requirements, no electrode storage requirements, or welder qualification requirements. Tie wire and SMAW electrodes without flux are acceptable forms of filler metal for GTAW and bubble gum welds are acceptable. It is the most popular code used for "commercial quality" and I see it used frequently when I first arrive at various job sites. Its the code book with a red cover and back with no pages in between.
I say it in jest, but it is an attitude I see on job sites all the time.
Good luck and may your welds always be stronger than the metal being joined.
Best regards - Al
Hay Al you forgot the clothesracks for filler.
Oops! I forgot it, but it is allowed under the auspices of the Farm Code FC-2002.
Al
I jus read the FC 2002 under the general section. Yes I adhere to the Farm Code. Actually My little red book has 176 pages, and is titled "Forny Arc Welding Manual". It is the instruction book that came with the Forny "Farm Welder". What I do definatly falls under the GET "R" DONE catagory. The crap I fix often wasn't done right the first time, or I wouldn't need to fix it. It often was built "professionally" by followers of the farm code. What I do needs to be done on the cheap, otherwise repair is not a cost effective solution. I am generally not using exotic or higher strength materials, and there usually isn't a place to go to find out exactly what the material is for certain. Mild steel of some type, general production goods are built with material that doesn't have a paper trail. There absolutly is no engineered procedure or testing by an outside individual. I have seen plenty of things that broke and allso plenty that did not. I take an educated guess and try to get a good enough repair that some place else is now the weakest link. The crappy automotive welds shown on Ed Craig's site look like some they did at the auto frame plant. Those bad ones are supposed to be welded over by the repair people at the end of the line. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn't. Your term "commercial quality" summs it up. I frequently do better in My home shop than what many manufactured goods end up with, and they are supposedly done under controlled situations and with a proven method.
Dave, I don't doubt that anything you weld isn't as good as or better than what the manufacturer provided. Most of the repair work I did when I was welding was an improvement over what was provided by the manufacturer. That's what your customers, paying or not, need, a man with practical experience and a graduate of the "School of Hard Knocks".
However, I don't believe what you provide in any way fall under the category of workmanship that is described in the "Other Red Book".
Best regards - Al
Al, I do try to give at least a workable if not a good job. A friend of Mine who I have done a lot of work for since We were kids would tell Me that a repair needed a "few tack welds" and said that I overwelded everything. I probably did overweld, but My repairs stayed together. When We were in our early 20s He was teasing Me that He had a guy that welded for $10/hour [I probably wanted 12 or 15]. I was at His place when He was trying to assemble some parts the $10 guy had welded. These were angle iron "U" shapes 8' wide and 4' tall. They were distorted so much from the weld pulling during cooling that the open end of the "U" was less thasn 7' wide. He said "I can't understand it, He had them layed out on His garage floor" I said "You got what You paid for" and left. My customers all under stand the Buzzzzzzz, Buzzzzzzz, but some don't understand much more.
Forum
