Why are the ends of tack welds ground to a featheredge?

Why are the ends of tack welds ground to a featheredge?

• A. It stops porosity
• B. It prevents the shielding gas from becoming turbulent and losing good gas coverage
• C. To make it easier to have 100% penetration at the ending and beginning of the root weld
• D. To make it easier to see as you weld across the tack welds

Answer: (C)

Feathering the ends of tack welds creates a smooth, tapered transition between the tack and the base metal. This removes a sharp edge that would otherwise act as a heat sink and a barrier to fusion as you start the root weld. With a gradual taper, the molten root bead can flow and fuse across the tack-to-root junction more readily, promoting complete fusion and helping achieve full penetration at both the start and end of the root weld. It also helps minimize crater formation at the tack junction, which can otherwise cause defects. Porosity, gas turbulence, or visibility issues aren’t the primary factors addressed by this practice.

Feathering the ends of tack welds creates a smooth, tapered transition between the tack and the base metal. This removes a sharp edge that would otherwise act as a heat sink and a barrier to fusion as you start the root weld. With a gradual taper, the molten root bead can flow and fuse across the tack-to-root junction more readily, promoting complete fusion and helping achieve full penetration at both the start and end of the root weld. It also helps minimize crater formation at the tack junction, which can otherwise cause defects. Porosity, gas turbulence, or visibility issues aren’t the primary factors addressed by this practice.