Welding dissimilar thickness materials?

   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials? #21  
In the mid-1980s we had to sheet the inside of a building at the Boeing Space Center in Kent Washington. The building is 80' X 80' X 70' tall. We sheeted it with 4' X 8' sheets of 10-GA. All 4 walls, ceiling and floor. All sheets were welded 100%. The floor warped so bad you couldn't hardly walk on it:eek:. Boeing would not allow us to anchor the sheets to the concrete floor. We heat shrink the floor tight as the skin on a drum!
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials? #22  
Yep thanks, mud and yo! My plan so far... wondering if my voltage or wire speed should be different than if I was doing 1/8 to 1/8? I think I will leave it as I normally do... rather than get cute and risk a blow out.

I don't think anyone answered your question, so I"ll take a stab. I was instructed by a pro to set the welder to the correct setting for the heavier gauge metal. The "trick" is to apply your heat to the heavier gauge, flicking up momentarily into the lighter gauge. If you have a gap between the metals for any reason (warp, uneven surfaces, etc.), then you want to increase the speed of your flick.
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials?
  • Thread Starter
#23  
I don't think anyone answered your question, so I"ll take a stab. I was instructed by a pro to set the welder to the correct setting for the heavier gauge metal. The "trick" is to apply your heat to the heavier gauge, flicking up momentarily into the lighter gauge. If you have a gap between the metals for any reason (warp, uneven surfaces, etc.), then you want to increase the speed of your flick.
Thanks JK... What you say makes perfect sense. I've been experimenting a little and because my fit wasn't so good, it was really easy to blow out the edge of the thinner material. I've been splitting the difference on the setting and trying to direct the heat to the thicker piece. I will try your 'flicking' move.
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials? #24  
Thanks JK... What you say makes perfect sense. I've been experimenting a little and because my fit wasn't so good, it was really easy to blow out the edge of the thinner material. I've been splitting the difference on the setting and trying to direct the heat to the thicker piece. I will try your 'flicking' move.

Hope it helps! Really focus on keeping the heat on that thicker piece (being mindful of your gun angle). When in works for me, I tend to move faster than usual and I don't use the circular motion that I usually use for laying a bead. Basically just a straight line drag and very briefly dragging the pool up into the lighter gauge piece. Sounds like Bzzzz--zz--Bzzzz--zz. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials? #25  
I do similar - set for the heavy thickness, keep most of my heat there - "wash" bead to thin side.
Sometimes a straight pull works when mostly aimed at thick side.
Similar for tig, stick, mig, flux core.
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials?
  • Thread Starter
#26  
I do similar - set for the heavy thickness, keep most of my heat there - "wash" bead to thin side.
Sometimes a straight pull works when mostly aimed at thick side.
Similar for tig, stick, mig, flux core.
The straight pull pointed at the thicker side. I want to try the 'flicking' and pushing the bead. It seems to me though that I burn though on the thin edge or don't get fusion. Seems to be a fine line when welding thing to thick especially when the thin side is an edge!
 
   / Welding dissimilar thickness materials? #27  
It may have been covered already, but your fillet weld throat thickness doesn't have to be any larger than the wall thickness of your thinnest member. Yes, set your welder for the thicker material and concentrate your heat on same.
 

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