Fishplate question?

I don't want to argue over whether or not fishplates are needed. I'm a certified welder, I built racecars and the ch***is under my hot rod right now. So I don't want to hear the "if you know how to weld you don't need them" argument. What I want to know is; do you **** weld the joint then put the fishplate over it? Or, do you **** the pieces together and the perimiter fishplate is the only place that gets welded?

In other words, do you weld the joint, grind it smooth, then lay the plate over it? Or do you leave the weld alone and make a groove on the backside of the fishplate to go over the weld so it lays flat? Or do you not weld the joint at all and just weld around the fishplate?

 

V out the joint weld it up grind it flat and put the plates on and weld them up. i always use the weldable primer over the weld before the fish plate also. done lots of heavy equipment and over the road trucks this way with no problems.

 

I weld the joint,flush grind - then fish plate with a tapered look plate or at least rounded corners

 

I would V the **** joint real good weld the hole thing and grind only where the plate will sit . I like to drill holes in the plate and plug weld them in and weld the hole out side
my 2 cents
later Bill

 

I always weld the joint the fishplate is to reinforce, grind it smooth and then add the fishplate if necessary.

My take is that if the joint is parallel to the lines of force on that area then a fishplate is a Good Idea. Sometimes you can change the way a joint is situated so that it isn't necessary, or hide it inside a frame member.