Can I cut a slit and weld through it?

admin

Hi y'all,I'm still working on this project at the ranch and I have a need for a hanger to attach an implement to.  I would like to have two sheets of steel with a spacer in between.  The gap between the sheets will be too small to weld inside of.  I can weld the spacer to the bottom sheet, but when I put the top sheet on... Well, you get the idea.Can I cut a slit it the top sheet and weld through it to the spacer underneath?  The steel will be thin - maybe 1/8", and the whole hanger will be about half the size of a dinner plate and kinda teardrop shaped.  The big end of the teardrop will have a square hole for a 3" I-beam and the little end will have a 1" hole for the pin and the implement.
Reply:You should have no problem.  This is the same idea as a bevel.  Welding 1/4" with a 110 mig is to much, however if you bevel it, you can still have an effective full strength weld.The only problem I would see if not having a big enough slit.  It need to be wide enough so you can reach "into" the sheet and get good penetration on the spacer.
Reply:So, you're saying there is only about a 3/4" gap or less between the plates? Something I'd suggest is, make the spacer so that it has a tab on it that actually protrudes about  10-15mm or 1/2"  through the other side of the respective slot. that way you can anchor weld it on the far side of the plate. it shouldn't be that much more work. this also might make fit-up a bit easier, depending on what you make the spacers out of.On something that thin you kinda worry about inconsistent penetration on a slot weld. of course that depends on the size of the slot and the size of the spacer. This may be over-engineering it a little.
Reply:Of course you can. Or you could drill any number of holes and make "plug welds". This is one kind of weld that is superbly suited to bare-wire mig.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny