Hello, the usual long time reader, never poster, as never stop learning and this forum is really good for quick information.
It is a first time I could not find the answer to my question.
I have a small workshop, and would like to install mezzanine floor as office/storage space. Nothing too heavy, just the usual small engineering workshop stuff (consumables, spares etc).
There is a chap selling a set of mezzanine floor columns and purlins, which are almost perfect for my floor space with one issue. The columns are ~200mm too short for my required head space. The questions is, if I was to cut the columns and weld in 200mm sections, am I looking for trouble? The welds will be under compression, I will be using MMA welder with standard 6013 rods, I will chamfer the edges with a 2-3mm gap, so the welds are well penetrated throughout. I am not a professional welder, but have done a fair share of MMA and MIG welding and consider myself a proficient welder, whom does not weld for a living.
I am more interested in people whom do such type of welding for buildings in professional settings and could advise from their perspective. I really don't want to put the 200mm worth of bricks under the column plates, due to the unit being small as is.
All in all, am I looking for trouble here? Will the welds start cracking or columns slowly lead to buckling or worse? Should I do not 90degree, but 45degree cuts for weld in sections? or some sort of wedge shape?
Trying to avoid the bodges here, because I have got others working here, so have responsibility to provide with safe working environment. And the workshop needs to be presentable (we get inspections before clients commission the work).
The columns are 100x100x4 box sections.
Thanks for all the constructive advise.
It is a first time I could not find the answer to my question.
I have a small workshop, and would like to install mezzanine floor as office/storage space. Nothing too heavy, just the usual small engineering workshop stuff (consumables, spares etc).
There is a chap selling a set of mezzanine floor columns and purlins, which are almost perfect for my floor space with one issue. The columns are ~200mm too short for my required head space. The questions is, if I was to cut the columns and weld in 200mm sections, am I looking for trouble? The welds will be under compression, I will be using MMA welder with standard 6013 rods, I will chamfer the edges with a 2-3mm gap, so the welds are well penetrated throughout. I am not a professional welder, but have done a fair share of MMA and MIG welding and consider myself a proficient welder, whom does not weld for a living.
I am more interested in people whom do such type of welding for buildings in professional settings and could advise from their perspective. I really don't want to put the 200mm worth of bricks under the column plates, due to the unit being small as is.
All in all, am I looking for trouble here? Will the welds start cracking or columns slowly lead to buckling or worse? Should I do not 90degree, but 45degree cuts for weld in sections? or some sort of wedge shape?
Trying to avoid the bodges here, because I have got others working here, so have responsibility to provide with safe working environment. And the workshop needs to be presentable (we get inspections before clients commission the work).
The columns are 100x100x4 box sections.
Thanks for all the constructive advise.