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Speaking of tack welds

I was recently watching all those mig welding video shorts on the Miller website that Ernie turned us onto. I noticed that theyrecommended a tack weld every so many inches, and then go back and make your weld. In the past I have always made the absolute minimum number of tacks to hold the piece in place because I found it hard to get a nice continuous bead through the tack welds placed for holding the materials. Is there a trick to that or do you just stop when you hit the tack and then try to flow into it on the other side to restart your bead? Even with flux core or gas I've found the hardest part of a weld (for me) to get just right is where you start.

Bob

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Reply to
Bob La Londe
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I'm still trying to figure out the best way to deal with tac welds.

Do you just weld through them? Stop and start again on the other side?

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Bob, it depends entirely what you are welding. Lots of times I assemble a weldment with a lot of little tacks and then if a seam is important and it is sufficiently held by all the other tacks and welds and if cutting the tacks won't make anything move, then I'll grind out the cracks. But that significantly increases labor costs so generally I weld over them but move a little faster so the resulting bead is more even. You don't want the watermelon-in-a-snake look. Practice watching the puddle, which can be tricky when MIG welding with that bigass nozzle in the way.

Grant

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Generally, depending of course on the size of the Tacs, you can weld over them. If you are aiming at X-Ray quality welds then it is normal to grind out each tac as you come to it.

Bruce-in-Bangkok (correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)

Reply to
Bruce in Bangkok

What is it exactly you are welding?

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

Hypotheticals.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Oh, those are different. Ignore everything.

Reply to
Grant Erwin

Yeah, the nice thing about those is you can put 'em together anyway you want.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Are they going to be x rayed or NDT?

I'd say for me it has a lot to do with the final weld requirements, the inspector, the specs, and the day of the week. Sometimes you can grind them a bit, and then make them molten again as you run through them. But then, sometimes that makes them crack before you get there.

BTW, what kind of rod would you use for that?

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

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