2:56 pm
NWBA Member
March 22, 2011
Hello all. I've been practicing my forge welding of billets in preparation for getting into pattern welding. I used 4, 5" layers of 0.125 x 1" mild steel held together with 2 loops of wire wrapped 2x each that were ground and filed to get to bare steel. Took a red heat, fluxed, brought up to welding heat, and "set" (not sure if this is the right term) the weld on one side, re-fluxed, back in the fire. Second weld heat, "set" the other side of the stack, and back into the fire (can't remember if I fluxed again, probably did, though). 3rd welding heat I worked down the length of both sides of the stack, then squared up the billet, working until a bright red-orange color. Wire brushed, back into the fire and on the 4th heat (a good yellow), put the billet in the vice, twisted 2 full turns, then started un-twisting. I got 1/2 turn back when I felt a "pop" that told me a weld failed (my intent). The end result was the middle weld failed for only 3/4-1" in length about 1/16-3/32" deep near where the vice jaws were.
My question: Was this an extremely violent test of the billet (like I hoped) and if I were to have treated this stack of welds to more normal forging (more heats to draw out and shape) would this have been a successful weld?
thanks
as always
peace and love
billyO
3:04 am
NWBA Member
March 17, 2012
It's entirely possible that the section that failed (I think you said that was clamped in the vise?) may have because it cooled too rapidly while you were stressing the normally cooling other length of billet.
Most recommendations to assure forgewelding (mine from Grandpa Meier) is to reduce the billet dimensions by 50% before attempting to test any weld. This expands the surface of the welded areas to maximum and gives you a chance to work any delaminated areas out toward the edges of the billet while at or near welding heat for the heats it takes to reduce the billet.
In your example, 4 by one eighth should have been reduced in thickness down from one half to one quarter before testing. Based on that I also think you aren't working with enough thermal mass to ensure success, but that's only my way not an absolute.
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