I think I understand what you mean by a wetter weld. I sometimes up the inductance on the mig by adding extra inductor coils into the earth lead which allows dip transfer at lower wire feed rate. Which in turn gives a hotter, wetter weld, at, I suspect, the expense of penetration.
I find it useful on non critical thinner sections sometimes when I want a cosmetically tider weld. Eg, up to approx 3mm.
Not sure if that's relevant, but it's wetter!
But last year stick welded some 10mm thick fencing brackets up
Beginning of this year I too made some brackets to repair my 6ft fence posts that had rotted away for the second time in 10 years.
Just concreted in some pre cast posts next to the wooden ones.
Needed some custom brackets to hold it all together, made with 8mm thick flat bar. I too was worried about lack of pen with the stick.
My test was make a prototype bracket and give it as much welly as I could with a BFH. If the weld survived it was ok.
It was ok
The simple answer is no
The shape and size of the visible weld does not give any valuable indication of the depth of penetration. You really need to cut, polish and etch to see the actual weld shape.
In the past I’ve done a lot of work at a place in Dunstable where the make parts for the Ariana space rocket.
Every part is made in duplicate. Then one is randomly selected for a full destructive test.
It’s sawn across the weld. Polished, etched etc and then looked at under a SEM microscope. The good part was then x rayed, where x Ray was compared to SEM picture. Proper high end stuff. Customer demanded zero imperfections as these were critical parts
And even then you cant guarantee 100% that the duplicate is exactly the same as the one tested. Personally I like to see a tolerance which to me means that a slight imperfection has been tested and is acceptable. Then, in my view, if there is an amount of error built in and perfection is aimed for but not needed, the job is more likely to meet needs.
We used to have this argument up at Sellafield when they started requiring "no defects"....we then had to decide what "no defects" means....ie questioning the image quality of radiographs and then do you need a magnifying glass to see a defect....
Sounds liie a nightmare of beaurocracy
I’m sure the boffins have discussed this as it was way over my head. What impressed me was much trouble and effort they went to to do the QC on a fairly ordinary looking bit of titanium
Parmster the words "ordinary" and "titanium" dont belong in the same sentence. The stuff is the spawn of satan, I cant even drill it
Bob
And even then you cant guarantee 100% that the duplicate is exactly the same as the one tested. Personally I like to see a tolerance which to me means that a slight imperfection has been tested and is acceptable. Then, in my view, if there is an amount of error built in and perfection is aimed for but not needed, the job is more likely to meet needs.
We used to have this argument up at Sellafield when they started requiring "no defects"....we then had to decide what "no defects" means....ie questioning the image quality of radiographs and then do you need a magnifying glass to see a defect....
Tell me about it. Few years ago I made an ice breaking hammer for the kitchen (phots on here somewhere)
How difficult can it be to drill a 12mm hole
Answer, impossible at home. Had to take it to a machine shop and let a Bridgeport milling machine do it’s stuff
I didnt work there but we supplied the welding consumables so we would be invited to meetings if they were having problemsOoooh you used to work at Sellafield? I have an odd fascination with that place, would love to go one day. Interesting things happening now with decommissioning, I follow the YouTube channel for all the updates lol.
I didnt work there but we supplied the welding consumables so we would be invited to meetings if they were having problems
For cocktails?
I dabble at cocktails infrequently, love the process and art behind it, but can't stand the alcohol of most cocktails, even a classic Martini is strong for my palette.
Ooooh you used to work at Sellafield? I have an odd fascination with that place, would love to go one day. Interesting things happening now with decommissioning, I follow the YouTube channel for all the updates lol.