Re: Outdoor Welding

"Bob La Londe"  wrote in message news:103cf65$1gkqk$1@dont-email.me...
Interestingly, I welded on one jack one day using stacked weave tacks
and it looks like it won't fall off.  Couldn't get vertical up or
vertical down to work at all.  The next day I welded on the second jack
with all the exact same settings and ran two 12 inch beads vertical up
continuous.  Neither looks like a pro welded it I am sure, but I don't
think either jack will fall off.  It was breezy both days, so MIG would
have not worked at all.
Maybe it was a little breezier the first day?  I don't know.
Bob La Londe
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I like to divide weldments into manageable sections that bolt together, and disassemble to modify, repair or replace. This saves me from questionable out-of-position welds. The size limit for me is how large I can accurately drill or mill after welding.
In building custom industrial machinery there was a lot of manual alignment and drilling/tapping of bolt holes which is easy to do reasonably accurately with a set of transfer punches and a Portalign drill fixture (or freehand with practice). Taper and aircraft length drill bits in 1/8" pilot and optionally tap and shank sizes can avoid obstacles and span beam flanges. I've never needed a magnetic base drill.
Use bolts long enough to put the shank in the shear plane between assemblies for full strength. I assume the bolts aren't tightened enough to gain grip from friction between plates, and thus their shanks bear the full load and they are reusable.
https://www.engineeringexpress.com/wiki/steel-bolt-edge-distance-requirements/
https://site.alliedbolt.com/files/ShearStrength2.pdf
https://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/145781854112?