Sheet Metal Lap Joint Welding

Lap joints are made by overlap ping small amounts of metal and welding the exposed edges of each section to the other on one or on both sides.

Sheet metal lap joint welding.

If you have ever welded lap joints that are 020 thick 5mm you know what i mean. Welding styles used to create butt joints. What the reasons you should be butt we. Get a good fitup with no gaps.

Also considered a fillet type the weld can be made on one or both sides. A lap joint is formed when 2 pieces are placed in an over lapping pattern on top of each other. Here is the 1 rule for tig welding sheet metal lap joints. Which should you be using.

Lap welds because they cannot flex like the sheet metal around them will eventually show visible creases. The best way to weld sheet metal panels together is by butt welding which is joining them side by side see picture below. Common types of joints you ll find when working with sheet metal are the butt joint edge joint and the flush corner joint. Lap joint lap welding joints are used most often to joint two pieces with differing thicknesses together.

You ll also weld lap joints if you need to repair rusty panels or sheet see below. This of course creates a double thickness of metal at the joint overlap something that can be difficult to hide without using excessive amounts of filler. Its important on 16 ga sheet to not have a gap and the thinner you go the more important it is not to have a gap.