When to stitch weld vs solid bead?

[Haywire]

Title says it all. When do you stitch?

Ian

 

[odleo]

I use a stitch weld to.avoid distortion.of.thin metals. Everything else I do solid

 

[deereman75]

I stiched the top on my welding table. It is 1/4 inch plate, and it still warped a little bit.

 

[MikeD74T]

Continuous weld when a seal in needed, enough stitches when strength only is needed. Sometimes they amount to the same thing. Long welds can promote unnecessary warping. MikeD74T

 

[Shield Arc]

I generally use skip welds with anything that is going to have a ripping effect. Once a cracks starts it can rip right through a continuous weld, but it is sometimes harder for the crack to start in a new weld.

Distortion is another good reason, plus back stepping any welding to help with distortion.

 

[Haywire]

back stepping

What's that? Is that staggering the stitches side to side like this? _¯_¯_¯_

 

[Shield Arc]

What's that? Is that staggering the stitches side to side like this? _ｯ_ｯ_ｯ_

Back stepping is one of the most important techniques you need to know to be a top notch weldor. You have to plan out your welding before you ever start, you can't just drop your hood, and start pouring wire / rod. Or you'll end up with a big mess!
This is back stepping and skipping around. Two very important things to do, to counter warping.

 

[Haywire]

Ah, ok... I'm off to the shop to warp up some metal. LOL

thanks

 

[Shield Arc]

Maybe this is a better illustration of what I'm trying to say. I left a little gap between welds on purpose.
Welding vertical up will really get hot at the top of the plate if you start at the bottom and weld all the way to the top. Back stepping breaks up the heat line. I back step everything I weld, but I also try to skip around a lot too!

 

[Mercmaniac]

Hey Shield Arc, Thanks for the diagrams you posted. As a beginner welder this is of great help. I just completed a bracket to bolt to my ballast box for a 2 " receiver (grnspot110's patent ) and did have some distortion issues. Nothing that would affect anything but something I notiiced and want to be able to correct in the future.