Vertical Weld

[Nick DV]

In the very near future I need to weld a couple of butt joints, lap joints and at least one T joint, all of them in the vertical position and in 3mm steel.

I want to practice before doing the job, so is it better to weld up or weld down? Any advice will be gratefully received

 

[Dcal]

What process?
Is it structural?

 

[Nick DV]

What process?
Is it structural?

It's MIG and although not structural, I want it to be strong

 

[nickk]

Up,is stronger and essential on anything above 3mm,so down may be adequate.

 

[Nick DV]

Up,is stronger and essential on anything above 3mm,so down may be adequate.

Thanks Nick

 

[TechWise]

Thanks Nick

I generally work on hollow sections up the 100x100x5. I always weld downhill as it's a bit easier. Never had a failed weld yet.

I asked the lecturer at college about it who teaches all the coded welds. He said anything as thin as that and you shouldn't waste your time trying to go uphill.

 

[Nick DV]

I generally work on hollow sections up the 100x100x5. I always weld downhill as it's a bit easier. Never had a failed weld yet.

I asked the lecturer at college about it who teaches all the coded welds. He said anything as thin as that and you shouldn't waste your time trying to go uphill.

Thanks for that

 

[tom2207]

I generally work on hollow sections up the 100x100x5. I always weld downhill as it's a bit easier. Never had a failed weld yet.

I asked the lecturer at college about it who teaches all the coded welds. He said anything as thin as that and you shouldn't waste your time trying to go uphill.

If its to code you dont usually get an option you weld exactly as it says in the weld procedure. End of.

For your job , as long as your not in danger of under filling , do what suits you best .

 

[Nick DV]

If its to code you dont usually get an option you weld exactly as it says in the weld procedure. End of.

For your job , as long as your not in danger of under filling , do what suits you best .

Thanks for your advice Tom

 

[TechWise]

If its to code you dont usually get an option you weld exactly as it says in the weld procedure. End of.

For your job , as long as your not in danger of under filling , do what suits you best .

Just to clarify, he was referring to things where the welder wasn't constrained by a drawing or specification. Nothing coded.

Its pretty much exclusively agricultural stuff I do.

 

[tom2207]

Just to clarify, he was referring to things where the welder wasn't constrained by a drawing or specification. Nothing coded.

Its pretty much exclusively agricultural stuff I do.

You will have no probs , by the sounds of it your well used to how it should look , its easy to get garried away on a down hill run and under fill as the puddle is running away from you and you end up playing catch up , if thats the case , bung another run down it , generally speaking if it looks right it will be grand .
I know thats not always the case , but its a fair rule of thumb ,, I used to have an x ray showing a pair of deck plates where the welder had thrown about five rods into a gap , and buttered over them , the rods were as clear as day on the graph , in real life the cap looked perfect ,, but thats me starting to wander.

 

[chip]

ive had the misfortune of having to run thousands of welds all vertical down all lap joints at one particular place. ranging from 200mm to 500mm long, talking mig, long vertical lap joints and sheet metal,the best tool in my box was a white marker pen running the marker the length of the joint would make it way more visible when running a weld down it, these had to be continuous straight neat welds with minimal cleaning needed just a degrease for powder coat.
personally i struggled at first,even with 20 years experience at the time as a welder,the worst of it was seeing the lap joint as your running down it
so if your eyes are as bad as mine

 

[Nick DV]

ive had the misfortune of having to run thousands of welds all vertical down all lap joints at one particular place. ranging from 200mm to 500mm long, talking mig, long vertical lap joints and sheet metal,the best tool in my box was a white marker pen running the marker the length of the joint would make it way more visible when running a weld down it, these had to be continuous straight neat welds with minimal cleaning needed just a degrease for powder coat.
personally i struggled at first,even with 20 years experience at the time as a welder,the worst of it was seeing the lap joint as your running down it
so if your eyes are as bad as mine

Never thought of using a white marker! Thanks for the tip, and my eyes aren't the best

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

If you're able to reduce the angle from 90 degrees to something less severe, the risk of the weld pool running away will be reduced.

 

[chip]

yeah you might not have the same issue on 3mm my material was 1.5,just thought id throw it up there

 

[tom2207]

Never thought of using a white marker! Thanks for the tip, and my eyes aren't the best

or a lamp behind your torch to get a definition thing , depending what your welding a whit marker ,, ie paint pen , may just be frowned on .
If is nothing important , and contamination isnt a problem , just use your welding chalk to high lite the edge .