Preparing for Winter Welding
Preparing for Winter Welding
With winter approaching and temperatures dropping, it’s time to plan your winter welding projects. Customers depend on good quality work no matter what the season is. Cold weather can cause numerous obstacles if you’re not prepared. Below are our four tips for working on welding projects during the winter season.
- Make Sure Your Welding Rods are Warm and Dry
Electrodes and welding rods need to be properly maintained during cold seasons. If your welding rod gets wet the arcs heat can cause the external shielding layers to crack and possibly fall off completely. Water vapor can also cause contamination of your welds when it comes in contact with the arc’s high temperature. We recommend purchasing a portable rod oven in order to ensure your rods stay warm and dry.
- Maintaining Your Welding Machine
Although maintenance for your equipment should be done year-round, you should spend extra time making sure your equipment is prepared for the winter months. Equipment can break down easier in the winter months which prevents you from getting the job done. Contact your manufacturer for more information on maintenance on your exact make and model.
- Change the Oil
Although this might be an obvious tip, maintaining your oil during the winter months is crucial. You want to make sure you have enough oil and the correct viscosity amount. Oil can thicken easier during the cold weather and can lead to costly repairs. The engine requires strong oil flow in order to protect the moving parts in your engine.
- Preheat Your Workspaces
A preheated workstation allows for successful penetration. If a station is not properly heated then penetration between base metals will lead to failure. We recommend preheating your thicker workpieces to around 50°F before starting on any projects. You can choose between propane or oxy-acetylene torch to preheat your tools.
If you have any questions about steel building installers billings mt, welding billings mt, or welding bozeman mt, contact Iron Works Construction today!
