Welding Tips and Tricks

So a buddy gave me some 1" plate that he had left over after school was done and what is the use of it goes to scrap so I took it. I planned on running it 2g with mig. My high school only has a 6 ton bottle jack with two pieces of 1/2" round stock to bend against. I'm just gonna throw it out there and assume that it ain't bending 1" plate? Would it do a test on 1/4" plate if I felt like doing some practice? I just don't want to break the jack or bend the round stock or the worst of it all-have it literally blow up in my face?

For your 1" thick piece, you can just cut out strips and do side bend tests.

MinnesotaDave wrote:For your 1" thick piece, you can just cut out strips and do side bend tests.

What is a side bend vs a regular bend or are they the same. I've heard the phrase but never seen it.

And what you are saying is that I'm not gonna destroy the jack or the bending device with that large of a plate? I'm surprised if so.

You will need to cut strips that are thin. Like 3/8. They will be 1 inch wide and 3/8 thick. Those you could bend. You will bend the 1 inch side. this would be the equivalent to trying to rip the two plates apart long ways.