kevinc84•21d agoOG Member

I finally figured out why my welds kept cracking on quarter panels

For years I thought I was just unlucky with certain jobs. Then I watched a guy at a trade show in Chicago weld a test piece. He let the metal cool between passes. I always tried to lay it down fast, one continuous bead. The heat built up and stressed the panel. My way was actually causing the cracks I kept grinding out. I switched to shorter, cooler runs with a pause. The difference was instant. No more hairline fractures after paint. How many of you still weld quarter panels in one go?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_michael21d ago

Wow, that's a huge find. How long do you actually let it cool between passes now?

ericreed4h ago

Remembered my first cracked panel.

cameron96321d ago

I wait about 30 seconds or until I can touch the metal with my bare hand.