"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
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"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message ...

Bed rails are good strong steel, somewhat like 1045. I think they are
recycled manganese-steel railroad track. They are more difficult to saw,
drill and weld than hot-rolled mild steel.
jsw

They're *******s to weld.
The HAZ ends up large and very brittle.
If you do weld a bedframe, then normalize around the weld for at least a
few inches - preferably more.
Don't ask how I know.
Jeff R.

The angle melts more easily than 60xx filler rod and may pull away from
the bead. I switched to bolted joints so I don't know if a higher strength
(lower melting) rod would help.

jsw

Noted.
It wasn't the process of welding that caught me up. That semed to go well.
It was the extreme embrittlement around the cooled weld. Snapped like
plaster.

--
Jeff R.