Hi; I need to fill 3 holes that are 5/8" dia in 1/4 mild steel. I only have a stick welder. I will need to re-drill through the area to correct the hole locations. What has worked best for you (using only arc welder),would welding in a bolt and grinding it flush be too dificult to re-drill through ? Thanks Bead_runner
Also cross posted to Metal working group
Since most of my mistakes are from punched holes with the ironworker I use an undersize plug and weld then grind flush both sides. The area is tougher to drill but not impossible. I would grab an old 5/16 nut which should be half an inch across the flats. Drive it in and then weld up with yout stick both sides. As long as this is not code work it should work out. Randy
That's a pretty good size hole. I normally use a MIG, but I imagine it would also work with stick. Try clamping a good size piece of copper (mine is about 3/4 of an inch thick) to the back side and then start filling with your welder from the other side. Grind flush. The copper doesn't let the weld material stick so it gets reasonably flat.
Jim
Hello,
I am forwarding a page out of an "old" General Electric arc welding manual dated October 1928.
It may be best to print out a copy to properly view the text.
Put a piece of copper under the plate first. Then use a 3/32 rod, like 7018 or 6013 and weld around the outer sides of the hole. Chip if you want or just keep going round and round. It will fill up and you will be able to drill. If you put a slug in the hole, you may drill out most of the weld and the slug could just fall out. I have fill many holes this way when I did welding for a bunch of machinest that goofed up a lot.
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