Information Sheet 1.

6 – Practice
Welds
 Practice Welds
• Practice welds are grouped according to the
weld position and type of joint
• Mild steel is inexpensive and requires the least
amount of cleaning
• With aluminum, cleanliness is a critical factor
• Try each weld with each metal to determine
which metal will be easier to master
 Low Carbon and Mild Steels
• Low carbon and mild steel are two basic steel
classifications
• Small pockets of primary carbon dioxide gas
become trapped
• Porosity most likely when not using a filler metal
• Most filler metals have some alloys, called
deoxidizers
 Stainless Steel
• Setup and manipulation are nearly the same as
for low carbon and mild steels
• Most welds on stainless steels show effects of
contamination
• Most common problem is the bead color after
the weld
• Using a low arc current with faster travel speeds
is important
 Aluminum
• Molten aluminum weld pool has high surface
tension
• Preheat the base metal in thick sections
• Preheat temperature is around 300° Fahrenheit
• Cleaning and keeping the metal clean is time
consuming
• Aluminum rapidly oxidizes at welding
temperatures
 Metal Preparation
• Base and filler metals must be thoroughly
cleaned
• Contamination will be deposited into the weld
• Oxides, oil, and dirt are the most common
• Contaminants can be removed mechanically or
chemically
Figure 16-15 Aluminum filler being correctly added to the molten weld pool. Courtesy of
mike pilande
Figure 16-16 Filler rod being melted before it is added to the molten pool. Courtesy of
mike pilande
Figure 16-18 Surfacing weld. Courtesy of mike pilande
Figure 16-20 Establish a molten weld pool and dip the filler rod into it. Courtesy of mike
pilande
Figure 16-21 Note the difference in the weld produced when different size filler rods are
used. Courtesy of mike pilande.
Figure 16-22 Move the electrode back as the filler rod is added. Courtesy of mike pilande.
Figure 16-34 Be sure both the top and bottom pieces are melted. Courtesy of mike
pilande
Figure 16-35 Oxides form during tack welding. Courtesy of mike pilande.
Figure 16-36 A notch indicates the root was not properly melted and fused. Courtesy of
mike pilande
Figure 16-37 Watch the leading edge of the molten weld pool. Courtesy of mike pilande.
Thank You!!