Will this hold or crack over time? Do more passes?

[Hersheyfarm]

Looks like poop which I’m ok with, but now I’m thinking I should put more weld on it. It 3/4 thick plates. It’s a quick attach adapter for my excavator that I’m going to use for a graveling bucket. I’ll attach it to an old loader bucket from a small tractor. The rod is a 7018 and all I had was 1/8. Each is welded all the way around. I was going to just tack and get it lined up but ended up just welding it. Should I add 3 more welds, top/bottom/middle? The last adapter I bought was pre welded. Couldn’t find one.

 

[Thomas]

Your welding heck of lot better than mine.
We're you able to get good root,if feel weld should be added do so.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

What you mean by root? Good penetration? I really don’t know.

How would 3/4 fillet weld normally be done? What kind of weld? I looked at the welds on my factory bucket and they’re not much bigger, but the stick out more. And are Smooth like it was applied like caulk. How do you do that?

 

[duffer]

What you mean by root? Good penetration? I really don’t know.

I looked at the welds on my factory bucket and they’re not much bigger, but the stick out more. And are Smooth like it was applied like caulk. How do you do that?

You should be able to tell if you're getting good penetration while you're welding. You will see the metal on both sides of the weld melt as you apply your rod/wire.

From your pic, it looks pretty good, especially since you did the inside and outside of each of the sides to the back plate.

Your tractor weld may have been done with a robot giving a better finish, or...they took a grinder to it after the weld was completed and before paint.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

I can see the puddle, not the greatest, but with smoke it’s not super visible. Really can’t see material melt. Mostly just focus on fire. My helmet is a Hobart auto. Do better helmets give better view?

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Typically on something that thick I would chamfer the the plates that are being welded to the base. But it's not the end of the world.

According to specs, your 3/4 plate should have a minimum of 5/16 weld leg length on the first pass. If in doubt, add some more passes.

 

[LD1]

Add more weld. Its thick plate and you didnt bevel.

Whats it gonna cost now to add more weld? $10 worth of rod if that. Hows that compare to breaking, mangling, and/or being broke down on a jobsite?

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Which pattern would be best to go over weld? 1 or 2?

 

[LD1]

Depends on the welder, stick diameter, and skill. But you said 1/8" sticks.....Id opt for pattern 1 but add the third pass down the middle when done with the two edge passes.....and weave just enough to tie in the two side passes. If you try to weave too much with a small stick and lower amps like your pattern 2, the edges cool too fast because you are going slower and you get slag entrapment and not really tie in the sides. All you would be doing is piling more weld on top of current pass with little strength added

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Weld in the locations you have labeled number 1. Below is a guide.

I can see the puddle, not the greatest, but with smoke it’s not super visible. Really can’t see material melt. Mostly just focus on fire. My helmet is a Hobart auto. Do better helmets give better view?

Just make sure your screen is clean inside and out. It takes practice to see what is actually happening. Look to the sides of the puddle also while you are running a bead. You should barely be able to see a trough being formed and filled with flowing material. Your bead looks really nice though.