estimating weld shrinkage

[mjmiller1824]

I was wondering if anyone knew a good rule of thumb for calculating weld shrinkage. Seems most noticeable with mig. Any time I can I clamp my work into place and weld a bit in one area let it cool then head back to finish up. But of course there are times clamping just isn't an option because of location, weld placement, ect. Wondering if anyone had a tip on this?

[tanglediver]

Every weld expands when hot, then shrinks when cooled, but it shrinks more than the expansion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weloWIzurqU

[Road Warrior]

great video!!