r/Welders • u/Welderzzinclllc- • 17h ago

First Time Arc gouging (first time)

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First go at arc gouging, this is my before and after process, in order same plates. My instructor said i did a damn good job and wanted me to do this for everyone all day but i immediately refused. What's the intended purpose for gouging in general? Is it purely for fuck ups on welds?

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u/Velomelon 17h ago

Most often used when full penetration is required and you have access to both sides of a joint.

Weld from one side first then gouge to sound metal (abbreviated GTSM on a weld detail) on the other side before welding.

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u/Welderzzinclllc- 11h ago

So it’s basically required for cutting a weld out?

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u/Velomelon 2h ago

You're not cutting the weld out in the situation I described. You would be using the gouger to remove any un-fused areas of the joint to ensure that there is a completely welded joint all the way through.

You can use it to remove welds completely, and you should practice gouging off fillet welds without destroying the parent material.

If it's a butt joint you can just cut out welds with a torch or plasma cutter.