Cold weld

Today I would like to talk about how cold weld when stick welding and stick welding procedures or rather lack of them contribute to broken welds and consequently weld repair. On my travels to St. Marys and Stratford with my mobile welding service I have noticed that stick welding although relatively medium difficulty technique when used improperly causes many broken welds. Certainly, stick welding is the most popular welding technique on many welding projects and therefore statistically speaking most broken welds are initially done by stick welding.  Cold stick welding on large size weld is the most common source of failure. When you weld thick metal and the final weld should be ¾ or 1 inch thick, the first bead is extremely important for the final weld strength. Most welders put this first bead cold. They forget that the whole weld joint is cold and it will take some welding time to worm up the piece. The reverse of the same situation causes the same problem. In this situation welder welds stick very thin metal and uses same amps as he or she would weld medium thickness carbon steel. Lack of backing plate that would absorb the heat cause a poor weld. Reduction of amperage could correct the problem to certain degree but the limitation of stick technique in this case cause substandard weld.  Another factor is the assembly of pieces and specifically the gap between assemblies as it refers to the weld size. Real life situation create the need for modifications of welding procedures as they refer to the weld size when a gap is created. We have to remember that we have to increase the weld size by the size of the created gap. Moreover, the first bead on the gap should be done with the penetrating rod that is not specified in particular welding procedure.  We should also remember that cleanliness, when removing the slag from the large weld is crucial for the overall weld strength. Remember, using proper wire wheel on the grinder makes the magic. It is worth noticing that stainless steel weld requires stainless steel wire wheel. Generally speaking, I repair broken stick welds with Tig welding. This concludes my few fought about cold weld when welding stick. Cheers from a welding truck my fellow welders. Call 519 872 - 2552 when facing broken weld.