When you are purchasing metal furniture, it’s important for you to spot a good weld from a bad weld. Those who purchase furniture made with York welding techniques must know these basic principles. They not only determine the aesthetic value of your purchases but also help you invest in metal products which will last for a long time.
MIG Welding
This is the most common welding technique used for household items. MIG stands for metal inert glass. This kind of welding technique makes use of electric arcs which then allow thin sheets of metal to melt and fuse together. This technique is usually used for lightweight metal alloys like aluminum and stainless steel.
Signs of bad welding include a lack of uniformity on the weld. The welded points can also look very thin which would denote a weak binding. Cracks in the middle bead or discoloration on the parent metal is also a very bad sign. Good welds should have the opposite characteristics.
Stick Welding
This is considered the most basic welding technique and could be done by most home welders. This is usually used for repairs but could also be used when manufacturing furniture pieces. It is done with the use of electric arcs too and is usually applied when welding joints. The common materials used for stick welding include carbon steel, cast iron, ductile iron, and other low-quality alloys.
There are many signs of a bad weld with this technique. These include undercutting, lack of binding, spatter and cracking. These can be observed superficially, but to be on the safe side, all welding efforts must be run on routine tests to make sure that the electric arcs penetrated the metals well enough.
Oxy Welding
This type of welding technique is not common and is usually reserved for very hard metals. It is done by mixing two types of gases: oxygen and acetylene gas. The fusion of these gases created a very hot flame which is then used to melt hard metals.
Among signs of imperfect or bad weld include too much grain growth, porosity, cracking, hard spots, undercutting, overcutting, lack of fusion, cracking and metal globule formation.
TIG Welding
When you are dealing with high-quality alloys, TIG Welding is usually applied. This requires the use of a non-consumable tungsten electrode. The common metals used for this weld include stainless steel, aluminum, copper alloys, and magnesium.
A bad TIG welding would show burnout, the lack of filler metal, tungsten inclusion, wide flat bead, undercutting, and porosity.
Consumer notes
While this list might make it seem like it’s easy to spot bad welding in consumer products, it’s really not that easy. You may see a seamless weld that might look strong enough at first but it could still be porous. If you want to purchase items that last a long time, it’s best to ask the seller to provide you with the kind of welding used, materials of the furniture, and certification that these pieces were able to undergo routine tests. If they passed quality tests and were graded accordingly, you would at least know what to expect from the product.
If you are looking for the best York welding team, check out our work today at KLK Welding. We offer a complete line of expert welding services.