"Mark ." wrote:
>
> 2) Sometimes, it is possible to preserve some amount of heat treatment by
> quenching the welded area with ice water immediately after welding, but the
> results are quite variable.
As a former part-time welder (not an expert) I know that there are all kinds of
heat treatment. Ice water would provide a very quick cooling which, depending
on the alloy, might tend to make it much too hard (and hence brittle). Welds
could be cracked by this process. Sometimes quenching is done in oil to provide
a slower cooling. And of course, the piece would be very hot in the area of the
weld, and less hot as you move away from it; so any effect would be all over the
map. Finally, some alloys need to be stress-relieved after welding -- this
usually means heating the whole part to a certain temperature (perhaps in a
furnace), holding it at that temperature for a specific time period, and then
letting it cool at a controlled rate. This is really not the place for
guesswork!
Keep in mind welding destroys the galvanization in the area of the weld. Things
like tower sections are galvanized after welding by the manufacturer. You will
have to use some form of rust protection after welding.
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
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