Ideas for Re-Using Plate & Sheet Coupons

[erikmannie]

In the case of re-using welding coupons many, many times (and not removing the HAZ and/or weld bead), I wonder how much of a difference there is between (1) welding a mixture of fresh base metal, old filler material and HAZ, & (2) welding a fresh coupon.

If somebody can’t (or won’t) spring for fresh material for every coupon, I have to believe that there is still a great deal of (welding practice) value in practicing on re-used material.

In the case of carbon steel, I know that the tensile strength of most filler materials is higher than that of the base material.

Also, there are many additives in filler materials that help the weld bead to wet in, behave nicely, etc. As you know, there is a whole industry behind this.

Practice welding on heterogeneous material, & you probably don’t know where the base material ends, & the HAZ or old weld beads begin, cannot possibly be any kind of advantage (other than the economic advantage, of course!).

 

[stupoty]

I definitely need a bandsaw. My local steel yard charges $10/cut.

I cannot afford new steel every time. Like I said, I am not even cutting out the HAZ; as a result, a lot of my welding practice is on welding filler material.

I use an end mill to flatten down the weld bead.

10 dorra ? I take a hacksaw and they only charge £0.50 where I go

Stu