How to Do a Butt Joint in Sheet Metal Welding

When in the middle of a welding project, using a butt joint, as opposed to other types of joints, will save you time, effort and material. This allows you to get on and get more done. While butt joints are simple to make, they also provide the weakest bond since they only join the two ends of separate pieces together. Despite this shortcoming, even experienced welders use it often: many situations call for it and nothing else will do. Welding is a complex art, and butt joints are a utilitarian place to start learning it.

Instructions

1

Prepare yourself, the sheet metal and your work area. Put on a heavy, long sleeve shirt or jacket, heavy welding gloves and a welding mask. Remove all debris from the work area and inform others that you will be welding. Use a degreaser/solvent to clean the metal. Scrub down each surface with a stainless steel wire brush just prior to welding.

2

Clamp the two sheets of metal together, edge to edge. Make the edges as flush as possible while avoiding overlap. Use a grinder if necessary to smooth the two edges so that they fit together better.

3

Check that the power if off and set up your welding equipment. Set your equipment for a low heat and wire feed speed. Secure your grounding clamp somewhere that will not be in your way once you start welding.

4

Turn the welder on and place the wand at one edge of pieces to be joined, close enough that the wire will be touching the seam. Hold the wire feed trigger down and move the wand steadily and quickly from the starting point to the other end of the seam. The exact speed to move the wand at is a skill that is learned through experience: move too slowly and you will get burn through, move too quickly and you will get an incomplete weld.

5

Turn the power off and allow the welds to cool. Remove the clamps and then test the strength of the joint by trying to pull the two pieces. If the weld didnt take, the two will come apart.

6

Smooth the surface with a grinder, if necessary, but be careful not to grind through your weld. This will be particularly necessary if you over-welded the joint.