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I always thought you had to use a ton of heat to get a good weld on thick plate.
I was reading an old trade manual from the 70s I found at a yard sale in Toledo. It said for some high-strength steels, too much heat can actually make the joint weaker, not stronger. The book gave a specific example with a 1-inch plate, saying to keep the temp under 600 degrees. I tried it on a repair job last week and the bead looked way cleaner. Has anyone else run into this with the newer alloys?
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rowan_anderson5mo ago
Found the same thing welding some AR400. Less heat gave a much tighter grain structure.
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cole_mitchell575mo ago
That "cleaner bead" you saw is the proof. I learned the hard way on a trailer hitch repair, years back. I cooked it like I was trying to forge a sword. The weld looked great but cracked like a cookie. My old boss just shook his head and said I'd made the metal tired.
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sean_robinson4mo ago
That trailer hitch story hits home, but the metal isn't really "tired." It's more about the grain structure getting too big from the extra heat, like Rowan said. You end up with a weak spot right next to the weld that can't handle stress. It's why procedures for high-strength steel call for such low heat input. Did your boss ever show you the before and after on a piece you overheated?
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