What preparation must be done before butt welding ¼" stainless steel?

Before butt welding ¼" stainless steel, bevel grinding is essential. Bevel grinding involves shaping the edges of the metal pieces to create a slight angle, allowing for better penetration of the weld. This preparation step ensures that the weld filler metal can effectively flow into the joint, resulting in a stronger and more uniform weld.

In the context of butt welding, having properly beveled edges is crucial as it helps minimize potential issues such as incomplete fusion or weak weld points that may arise from insufficient heat transfer. The bevel also improves the accessibility of the weld joint for the welding torch or filler rod.

While other preparation steps like cutting straight edges, polishing the surface, and applying a primer might be relevant in different contexts, they do not serve the same critical role in ensuring the effectiveness and integrity of a butt weld as bevel grinding does. In the specific case of ¼" stainless steel, properly beveled edges are necessary to achieve the desired weld quality and strength.