Slag is the hardened, nonmetallic coating that forms over a weld when melted flux rises to the surface and cools. You see it most often after stick or flux-cored welding. It shields the hot weld metal while it cools, but it should be removed before you inspect the bead or lay another pass. If you’re…
A weld bead is the line of metal left behind by one welding pass. Heat melts the base metal (the pieces you’re working on) and, in many cases, added filler metal. As that molten metal cools, it hardens into the raised or flat strip you see along the joint. When you look at a welded…
Welding terms are the shop words for the processes, parts of a weld, settings, and flaws you’ll hear on day one. The core set is small: MIG, TIG, Stick, bead, joint, position, amperage, shielding gas, slag, and porosity. Learn those and most shop talk makes sense. This article groups the basic welding terms by how…