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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_anderson1mo ago
Found the same thing welding some AR400. Less heat gave a much tighter grain structure.
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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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