Joint butt weld/grind feedback

[jfk92]

Hi,

So I hijacked a thread a few days ago on weld grinding and just got around to repairing the bracket I was asking about. I beveled the edges on each side then tacked the end faces. Then ran 7018 into the groove until I had a nice hump of weld material to grind down. I then used a grinder to knock down most of the material - then an 80 grit flap disk to smooth it all out. This is, in my opinion a bit of a hack job but will do the trick for what it is used for - so 'family' is happy.

But I have some questions: I had trouble putting material from the stick onto the 'ends' of each/any edges - both on the sides of the bracket as well as where there is a machined bolt hole. Eventually I used another rod and was able to drop down material.

- How do you all run the stick "through" the edge of material without completely melting the existing edges (which is what happened to me - e.g. once at the edge do you pull the stick off slightly and remain still to drop material without overheating the edge causing a molten metal slide .... or ?)

- What do you recommend on a piece like this where you run a line and then into a machined hole (I guess similar to the bracket edges....)

- Finally - I ran a single pass down the center of the groove first - on each side. Then ran an additional two passes over the top of those - then had sufficient material to grind out - does that seem right?

Thanks in advance for your feedback on the repair as well as recommendations for the next one - and I hope there is a next one - but NOT "this" bracket!

[MMW]

Pic 1 -- your bevel doesn't look very big?

Welding to a hole/edge. Takes practice. Sometimes go as close as you can then go 90* along edge to build up. Sometimes use a smaller rod by edges. As far as holes that is why they make die grinders. Weld it good & clean it out.

Judging by the condition of the bracket the sanding part was a waste of time. A grinding wheel would have got it plenty nice enough.

[jfk92]

Pic 1 -- your bevel doesn't look very big?

.............A grinding wheel would have got it plenty nice enough.

Thanks Mic,

The pics are a 'little' deceiving on the bevel depth but I probably could have done more. What is your recommendation on bevel depth - i.e. should these bevels from each face have 'met in the middle' to form a point or...do you recommend a third of the depth from each face ....?

About the grinding/flap disk......I 'have time on my hands' as I have no job now so - that was simply an excuse to use the flap disk! I was actually tempted to clean the entire bracket.......we'll see - it should be the 'backup' for the place anyway...

Thx for the feedback.

[MMW]

Since the pc. broke in the first place I would have made sure it was 100%. Bevel to a point, weld one pass one side, back grind the opposite side until your into the first weld. weld one pass second side then alternate between sides as needed.

[jrscgsr]

Since it snapped that bracket in the first place, you need to grind the bevel to a 1/16" land in the middle and tack it together with a 1/16" or so gal then weld it together alternating sides until it is filled solid again. With the minimal bevel that was prepped before welding I'm sure this bracket will fail again very soon.