How To Tig Weld Sheet Metal Without Warping Dvd

Learn why mig pulsed mig tig and pulsed tig are the ideal choices when welding sheet metal.

How to tig weld sheet metal without warping dvd.

I had to tig long seams in sheet metal quite a few times making my muller flasks furnace parts etc. When welding steel this weld bead is laid down at around 2 500 f 1 370c. In this video i did a bunch of weld tests on sheet metal to see how much it would warp by the different styles of mig welding. The weld wants to shrink as it cools to room temperature but is restrained from doing so by the adjacent cold base metal.

Yes it is challenging. When welding thin metal the main objective is to avoid warping burn through and excessive heat affected zones while still ensuring the weld has enough mechanical strength for the application. October 4 2019 by. Tig welding is an excellent example of the less is more premise producing strength without adding mass and mess.

To prevent warping it is important to get the the pieces clamped into position and make many many tacks. That heat spreads out making the metal expand. Ditch a 1 8 inch tungsten electrode for something much smaller like 1 16 inch tungsten. When mig welding sheet metal it is important to set the proper parameters to prevent warping and burn through or else it will create excess heat and easily blowholes on the metal.

I did use some sort of backup at the seams to prevent burn through but did not expect that to control warping. The best two electrodes for welding auto body sheet metal is either ceriated tungsten or thoriated tungsten. Tack welds stitch welds then. Top ways to keep metal from warping when welding.

This restraint creates high residual tensile stress that causes the weld to act like a stretched rubber band with the workpiece holding the ends figure 1 for this reason when the clamps that hold the workpiece are removed the base metal is allowed to move or spring. Then as the bead cools and solidifies it contracts but by this time the metal pieces are fused together. If you re welding thinner materials like automotive sheet metal it is more critical that you keep the heat to a minimum when welding. The more metal inserted into a joint the more susceptible it is to distortion.

Keep in mind during the welding process it is important to direct the arc right at the center of the weld puddle and don t do movements like whipping or weaving as it may cause warping and burn through quickly. Tig welding is preferred where practical because it is neater and cleaner than mig welding which introduces new material into the weld joint.