Solid Fishplates Welding vs Skip Welding

[massey184ferguson]

When fish plating a cracked loader boom is it better to weld a solid bead around the fish plate or weld every 6" etc. Do solid welds have tendency to crack?
I have one fishplate already welded solidly around it would it benefit me to grind the weld out in places to prevent cracking. Help appreciated - thanks.

 

[Shield Arc]

Some times on diamond shape fish plates the point of the diamond is not welded, which that would be the vertical weld. Other wise everything else is welded. Oval shape fish plates are generally welded all the way around.

Hard to see in this picture, but the points are not welded, the other welds are curled out to help prevent stress risers.

 

[massey184ferguson]

So solid welds are okay... I once heard that once it starts to crack the whole weld could crack (ripping effect) which is why you would stitch or skip weld it in. Is the top and bottom of the largest fishplate welded in the picture? Thanks

 

[Shield Arc]

Skip welding, and oppose welding all have there place. I'm no engineer, so I can't tell you when to do it. Generally it's called out on the blue prints. I wouldn't think in you case it matters one way or the other. Problem with skip welding, is water can get under the plate and rust out the parent metal. When I skip weld something, before painting I'll run a bead of caulking between the welds, to stop the water.

Yes that fish plate in the picture is welded top and bottom, just the points are not welded. Now if he would have rounded the points like in this picture welding all the way around is fine.