welding lengths

[mitch93]

I believe this goes here, anyway. How do I know when to stop running a bead, if i dont weld the whole joint and am only supposed to go so far? Like say i have a three inch tee joint, and im only supposed to weld an inch on each side, leaving an inch in between welds, how do I know when to stop? The problem isn't measuring the lengths its when Im behind the hood how do i see where Im supposed to stop? Is there a tool or some sort of marker that shows up behind the lense? Hope this isn't to confusing and thanks all in advance.
-mitch

[DSW]

I can usually see a soap stone mark on the metal while I weld. You could always lay something there, like a small nail that you can see, and just stop before you get to it.

[cajun welder]

Put a small tack where you want to stop.:waving:

[Cofe]

If you have lots of redundant small welds to make try this.

Mark the stop point for one weld as described in the other posts.

Start the weld and count.......one thousand one......one thousand two....one thousand three....etc. until you reach the stop point.

Now you have a reference count on how many seconds it takes to make the weld......

So on the next weld start welding, and start counting......welds will look the same if your count is consistent.

(Metronome welding) "the harmony of welding":dizzy:

[Mondo]

I like the Metronome idea...

TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK... Set it faster for small work, slower for heavy steel..

TICK..........TOCK..........TICK..........TOCK.... ..

Just count the ticks and the tocks! :dizzy:

[Static-XJ]

I prefer a paint marker for lying out intermittent welds. Line at the start and stop, with a third line connecting every section to be welded. I do this as I'm fitting parts, this way I can ensure all my tacks will be covered by a weld later on. I prefer paint markers to soap stone because they won't rub off. I also place tacks at the end of each weld before starting, this provides another visual cue. And I do count as welding, both to keep a stead pace, and to give another method of knowing when the weld is finished. If my target count is 12, and I haven't noticed my tack by the time I get to 12, I will continue to 14 before assuming I just missed seeing it and stopping.

A little time spent marking out all the welds before hand can makes for a better looking finished product. I strive to make sections of intermittent welds symmetrical about the center of the run, wrap all corners, and have zero exposed tacks when I'm done.

I use banding strap as a template when I have lots to mark. Cut a section about 4' long, then mark the desired welds on it (i.e. 3" welds on 7" centers), and simply move that up and down the joint copying the layout over.