danf5195

Just curious if any of you do or have considered welding your heavy gage framing? Pro's, Cons? I've considered it but have never commited to it.

Bill

Welding is probably the worst thing to do.
There are so many things that could go wrong, such as over welding and burning through the steel, over heating which burns out too much carbon thereby making the steel brittle, the wrong rods, you do not want one that has a high tinsel strength as they do not flex much, a softer rod has more flex, and also who is going to x-ray all those welds and sign off on them??

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TracyMC

R we new @ metal framing, it is a very commom detail to see welded metal studs, as a matter of fact our apprentices have to pass light gauge welding as part of the program to journey out. I am surprised to hear the question even asked, @ least 50% of our exterior framing details include some type of welding. headers, door jacks, pony wall supports, bypass clips, ect the list could go on and on and on. Have you ever done any heavy gauge exterior framing, It is perfectly good to weld when necessary, fasteners are of course faster by far but when needed do it, only when called out in the details but okay by far. As far as the wrong rods, there is a knack to it but an xray test on LGMF framing welds is unheard of. 1/8 6011 or 6013, turn the heat down to get a good quality bead and go. I have guys that love 7014 and 7018 1/8 or 3/32" rod as well it becomes a touch thing @ a point. Welding studs 4 dummies, givem a Lincoln SP125+ a roll of .030 innershield wire and let your guys practice they will be good shortly if they have any experience welding @ all. Sorry I dont mean to sound like a prick, but to hear people give the shpeel about xray tests, liability, wrong rods, ect. is stupid it has been part of our trade as long as metal studs have been around. Email me I have a couple of 100 details showing welding on Steel Studs..
Tracy

matt grisham

Some jobes call for welded studs. 18 gage and lighter .Screws hold better thin welds. If metel is to light it just burns holes. I have framed job's whith screws thin go back threw and tak weld. I worked for Med West Dry wall years a go thay welded lots of heavy gage studs . Mostly steel clips to the stell angle on roof or betwen floors

TracyMC

Forgive my rant 45, Dan one thing I forgot is respirtators, wear them even a N95 Dust mask designed for welding is good if they dont have a fit test, the Galvanizing is very hard on a guy if he is doing it for a prolonged period, not healthy @ all, L&I has a lot to say when it comes to this matter.Zinc + Lungs = bad combo. Also coat all welds with a cold galv. spray u can do it all day long, even down to .033 or 20 gauge if needed.
Tracy

danf5195

tks for the info Tracey, and no i'm not new to metal stud framing, just in this area the norm seems to be fasteners, i know of a few contractors that do weld, and in some situations i can see benefits, was more interested in the effects on production +/-, and cost comparison in the day to day. It's not really a question when called out in the details. Good info though and thanks again(ya prick, lol, j/k).

TracyMC

As for day to day, My guys would'nt do it as a rule, 1) Health Concerns 2) Speed of Production 3) Just a general PITA. Just wrapped up a job w/ 200+ 6' 1000S200 54 mil headers Studs face to face Weld 2" every 12" top and bottom, Capped w/ 400T200 54 mil track top and bottom welded 2" bead every 24" down each leg of track. 1 guy setting up and cutting 1 guy welding (then switch when boredom sets in, repeat!!!).400 man hours roughly, could have fabbed them w/ fasteners in 1/2 the time or less.
Tracy

Super-Mike

A good welder can weld to heavy gauge studs just fine.

Tek screws are more often than not a better solution though.

If you mean welding your framing together then no. Use screws.

nap

apparently you have never met anybody that could weld aluminum foil. Welding is just like anything else. If you are good at it, you are good. If you are bad at it, you gripe about it and always blame the torch or the rods or whatever.

welding would be far superior to tek screws. A tek can become loose as a wall moves over the years. To defeat the weld, the metal is going to have to fatigue to the point of failure. Weld also includes a much larger area of connection than a screw.

welding:

Infinately better.

but also much more time consuming, dirtier. and susceptable to untrained workers causing poor work product.